Deciding on Medication and Preparing for Transition FAQs
Can Minoxidil and Finasteride be taken together for hair loss prevention?
Yes, some treatment regimes do prescribe minoxidil and finasteride together, particularly for treating male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). This combination is commonly used because the two medications work in complementary ways: How They ...
How can I get injection supplies such as needles and a sharps bin?
We don't include injection supplies in your prescription, and they aren't shipped as standard by Smartway. If you require these alongside your Smartway prescription, you can request them directly from Smartway. If your GP prescribes for you, they'll ...
I have a medical condition. How can I tell if it's safe for me to take gender-affirming medications?
GenderGP uses a questionnaire to identify medical conditions that might affect the safety of taking certain medications. For example: - People with heart disease won’t be recommended spironolactone. - People with liver disease won’t be recommended ...
Are estrogen injections available in the UK?
No, unfortunately, estrogen injections aren't available in the UK. This will be explained when you fill out the form to request your Treatment Recommendation. Unless you're planning to get your prescription dispensed overseas, you won't be able to ...
Is it possible for me to obtain only progesterone through your service?
Yes, you can specifically request progesterone through our service if you prefer to focus on a single hormone treatment. When you submit your gender-affirming care request form, simply specify that you're seeking a Treatment Recommendation or ...
What should I do if I don’t know which medication to choose?
If you're filling out the gender-affirming care application and aren't sure which medication to choose, you need to book an appointment to speak to a doctor. We work on an informed consent model, which means we need to know that you're confident in ...
What if I want to take two different formulations of medicine (e.g. pills and patches or gels and injections)?
There's no evidence that this has any benefits and the current clinical guidelines don't recommend this. The blood test results would be unclear as to which preparation should be increased or decreased. We recommend that you use a single formulation ...
What happens if I think I am having side effects from my medication?
Our Knowledge Base lists the side effects of all the gender-affirming medication so you can immediately see whether the symptoms you're having might be due to the medication you're taking. You can then decide whether to stop or continue. Luckily, ...
I live in England. How do I get my healthcare summary from my GP?
You can use the NHS App or log in through the NHS website to access your GP health record. This is a record of your personal health information. Most people will automatically be given access to the more detailed information from November 2023 ...
What if I am on injections and having troubles getting them?
If you're finding it difficult to access your injection medication, please ask the team to advise on the other options available. All of the medicines that we use can be given to you in different ways. For example, testosterone injections can be ...
What do I need to do before I start hormone therapy?
Hormone treatment can be started once you have thoroughly thought out what you want to achieve from the therapy, understanding both potential consequences and potential benefits along with how they relate to your goals. Considerations may include ...
Do I need hormones to transition?
Everyone has a different perspective on what they want to achieve in terms of their transition. You don't necessarily need hormones. It depends on your goals. For some, social transition (presenting themselves in line with the gender with which they ...
Which antiandrogen / testosterone blocker should I take?
The best blockers are the GnRHa medications which can be taken as a nasal spray or an injection but they are expensive if you're funding them yourself. If your funds are limited and you're trying to reduce the effects of testosterone, finasteride is ...
Do I need to stop my contraceptive pill before hormone therapy?
Some contraceptives have estrogen and progesterone and it makes sense to use a progesterone only if you are undergoing masculinization. This is so that the testosterone can suppress the estrogen and reverse and stop feminization. Testosterone alone ...
Do I need to have scans and X-rays?
You don’t need to have any other investigations, scans, or X-rays. Some services do routine bone scans on young people, but bone density is only at risk if you are on blockers for too long without having hormones. To prevent bone density loss, we ...
Do I need a blocker if I am masculinising?
If you can afford it, the GnRHA nasal spray or blockers are very good at suppressing the ovaries and stopping them from producing estrogen. However, if funds are limited, testosterone is often enough (with time) to suppress the ovaries, stop periods, ...
What if I want to preserve my fertility?
Taking hormones can affect your fertility, especially while you take them and maybe even if you stop them later. Many people do go on to parent biological children after stopping hormones, even temporarily. However, if you do wish to preserve your ...
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Do I need a diagnosis to join GenderGP?
No. At GenderGP, we don't "diagnose", as we feel it's disrespectful to your identity. You are the expert in your gender experience, and being trans isn't a medical condition. However, before starting treatment, you are required to have an Information ...
Cost of Private Prescription Medications and How to Estimate Your Expenses
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What is a Treatment Recommendation?
A Treatment Recommendation is a written report, based on a person’s self-submitted personal and health data, which is analysed in accordance with current research, clinical guidelines, and best practice across the world. This, then, creates a ...
Progesterone for Feminising Hormone Therapy
Summary What is Progesterone? Progesterone is a hormone that everyone’s body makes. It plays a part in periods, pregnancy, and breast growth. It can also help transgender women in their transition, especially for breast growth and lowering ...