[The First Aria]

My next doctor's visit is on the 11th, and I'm trying to work up the courage to ask my doctor about HRT. I fully researched my insurance plan and I know Spiro, Finasteride, and Estradiol are covered for HRT usage. I've been doing my homework on the medications themselves and their side-effects, risks, etc. Now all that's left is to figure out how to drop the proverbial bomb on my doctor as gently as possible. How does one go about telling their doctor about this? What can I expect in response?

Does your doctor know you're transgender? If not, I think it would be best you told your doctor first before talking about HRT. Strictly from a medical perspective, I would imagine your doctor would want to ensure that HRT is suitable for you, both in terms of mental changes and physical risks.

If you feel it's too hard to self-identity as transgender to your doctor, I suggest expressing concern about your symptoms of gender dysphoria instead. That's was my approach when I started seeking help for depression.

I am thinking along the same lines. Although I do not wish, nor think I ever would even consider full transition. But hoping to get to a place where my new female doctor would understand why I am not too concerned about meds that help or encourage breast growth.

I think doctor's are binaural in how the treat mental and physical ailment. If I presented myself as wanting to keep, maintain or even to expand my feminizing... I fear that the would automatically think I am in line for SRS and the who Catlyn treatment, of which I am not.

So, if I downplay feminization, they wont be interested in any pliability. But if I do emphasize, they will immediately be thinking of SRS. Make sense?