For some trans people, the waiting times are too long. They cannot wait 5 to 6 years before they are ‘allowed’ to start their medical treatment. In that case, it is good to know that there are other ways.
On this page:
- Hormones via the GP
- Hormones via abroad
- Hormones via the internet
- Hormones via other trans people
- Do-It-Yourself groups
- Blood tests
Hormones via the GP
There are now 300 GPs in the Netherlands who have followed a training course by Trans In Eigen Hand on prescribing hormones to trans clients. In principle, GPs can prescribe hormones, because they also learned about sex hormones during their medical training. However, many GPs (wrongly) think that hormone care for trans people is complex. That is why they do not feel competent and therefore many GPs will not do it. During the training by Trans In Eigen Hand (TIEH), GPs learn that hormone care for trans people is usually very simple. (In difficult or complex cases, they must refer to an endocrinologist, just as they do with cisgender clients.)
Please note: Many of these 300 GPs are willing to continue hormone treatment, but still will not start it without a diagnosis – even after the training of TIEH. If you want to start hormones at the GP, you will have to search longer in that list of 300 names.
If your GP finds hormone care for trans clients difficult, you can refer them to:
Hormones via abroad
At the moment we are not aware of any clinics abroad that prescribe hormones.
A clinic that is often mentioned is GenderGP in the United Kingdom, but this one is not recommended. They have hardly written any prescriptions for about a year now, but they do keep trans clients on the line, at high costs.
If you know of a good clinic abroad that prescribes hormones, please let us know!
Hormones via the internet
You can also buy estrogen and testosterone everywhere via the internet. Unfortunately, many websites are not reliable and do not supply the hormones or offer hormones of poor quality. If you choose this option, the following (English) websites are recommended:
The trans DIY groups in the Netherlands have little to no information about which websites are safe, because they cannot test hormones. Transharmreduction.org does have that testing capacity. In the case of self-medication with hormones of unknown or variable quality, blood tests are extra important (see below)!
Hormones via other trans people
Finally, you can get to know people through people who buy and resell large quantities of hormones. In this way, you are essentially outsourcing the research of safe websites and the creation of a crypto wallet to someone else. Whether you want to do this is something you have to decide for yourself. The most important question is: do you think the risks outweigh the benefits, or not?
Trans DIY groups are not allowed to put you into contact with people who sell hormones. But often there is a visitor at the meetings who can help you on your way.
Do-It-Yourself groups
In the Netherlands are several Do-It-Yourself groups, or DIY groups for short, active as well. These groups organize monthly meetings for trans people who decide to start with hormones themselves. They advise on what to look out for, provide information on how to inject yourself safely, and more. The two most important ones are:
- T-Rrex, Den Haag
Instagram: @trrex_denhaag
Email: trrex@disroot.org - Treny, Nijmegen
Instagram: @trenymegen
Site: treny.noblogs.org
Email: treny@riseup.net
Blood tests
If you follow your own path, you should also make sure that your GP checks your blood regularly. It is advisable to have a baseline measurement done before you start taking hormones, so that you know exactly what your original blood values were. On the page ‘Important blood values when using hormones’ on this website you can read exactly which blood tests you need to have done, and how often these tests are necessary. This information was written by a clinical chemist who has studied this subject.
Some GPs do not want to cooperate with blood tests if health care recipients buy hormones outside the system themselves. In principle, this falls under refusal of health care and you can file a complaint about this with your GP practice. If this does not feel safe, you can also switch to another GP who is willing to help with the necessary blood tests.
Self-tests
Good to know: there are also freely available self-tests with which you can test the levels of your sex hormones yourself. These tests are not reimbursed by health insurance and you must therefore pay for them yourself.
Tip: You can enter these costs in your income tax return. More information can be found on Meerkosten.nl.
Search the internet for ‘self-test’ and the hormone of your choice, because there are major differences in price. (And possibly also in the quality of the different tests.) We mention the following two random options:
- Home tests from De Hormoonkliniek
- Home tests from Mijn Labtest
When self-testing, it is important that you not only test the hormones, but also other blood values that show the influence of hormones on your liver and general health. (See the page ‘Important blood values when using hormones’ on this website.)
Tip: DIY groups can help you determine what to test and how to interpret your test results.
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