A reader notes:
I’m seventeen years old (my birthday is in March, I am turning eighteen years old in 2008) and I’m wondering lots about obtaining estrogen and other things as a minor. I read your website so much about obtaining medicines as a minor and it’s helped me so much that it’s just wonderful, oh, thank you so much! But I wanted to ask some questions about maybe obtaining them from online stores like inhousepharmacy.com? I am wondering lots if I started obtaining medicines as a minor, when I am finally allowed to have a physician would they be able to supply me official estrogens and other things? I am worried that they might think I am unable or unfit to take estrogens because I “sneakily” took medicines before. I am also wondering if it is better for me to wait until I am eighteen (because I turn 18 in March), but I am very scared so much of growing more masculine in six months and I’m very worried. Do you have any suggestions?
My reply:
Thanks for writing! Many physicians will continue your prescriptions under medical supervision after you start them in an unsupervised way. Their reason is usually part of a harm reduction model. In other words, physicians have taken an oath to “do no harm,” and many interpret that to mean it is less harmful to have someone on hormones medically supervised rather than having them taking them on their own.
If you decide hormones and antiandrogens are right for you, don’t let concerns about future problems finding health services stop you. It may take a little looking around once you are an adult, but it shouldn’t be difficult to find a physician who will continue your hormones.
She followed up:
I am just very worried that if I obtain medicines as a minor, it isn’t against the law, is it? If I order estrogen from online and when I’m eighteen I tell my physician thingies about why I started taking medicines unsupervised (if I’m unsupervised) and other things, would I be arrested? I am just very scared, because I am moving overseas once I turn 18 and I am going to start a new life there and I do not know what to do. Maybe I’m just mean and I haven’t read all of your website and the pharmacy websites yet, but my psychologist talked to a therapist about me being 17 and wanting to be myself and the psychologist said “It would be a problem” if my parents didn’t know about me wanting medicines and things. I am so sorry to bother you so much! I’m just so worried…..
My reply:
You will not be arrested.
The worst thing that could happen now is they stop your prescriptions at the border and confiscate them before they reach you. You would lose the money, but that’s it. That doesn’t happen very often, though.
The worst thing that could happen if you tell a doctor as an adult is they won’t be willing to fill your prescriptions. Then you ask others until you find someone.
Your psychologist is right that it would be easier if you did all this with your parents’ support, but that won’t be an issue after you turn 18 in a few months.
More information:
* Obtaining hormones and antiandrogens as a minor: overview
http://www.tsroadmap.com/early/transsexual-hormones.html
This is talk, not advice. See Terms of Use for details.
[note: this page was ported verbatim from tsroadmap.com and is presented for historical purposes. It may not reflect current views of the author or any people and organizations mentioned.]
Original URL:
http://www.tsroadmap.com/notes/index.php/site/will_unsupervised_hormones_as_a_teen_make_finding_a_doctor_as_an_adult_hard/