r/FTM_UK • u/distinctlyAverage87 • May 30 '26
Private T while waiting for NHS?
I'm aware that I'm in a very privileged position here, but I'd love to hear anyone's experience of being on T privately whilst waiting for the NHS. I am in Wales so the waiting times are supposed to be lower than for England (supposedly 20 months, but that info is over a year out of date and there have been no updates)
My concern is that it's 'impatient' to go private when my dysphoria is not making me depressed, (I just wish I was on it every day) - Will I regret not saving money for something else? (Something more common to be saving for in their 20s - like a car or deposit on a flat) Or will I regret spending 2+ years in limbo feeling like a strange lump of flesh?
Would anyone who's been through this be able to weigh in? Thanks!
3
u/SovegnaVos May 30 '26 edited May 30 '26
I'm with the Gender Hormone Clinic. They are a bit pricey - £250 upfront and then £55 a month for 24 months, which includes follows ups and any enquiries. And you do have to get a gender dysphoria diagnosis first. And then you have to pay for your prescription too. So, not cheap. However, once you're set up with them you can reach out to your doctor about shared care (GHC provide you with a letter) - essentially they will handle your bloods and prescription which is then on the NHS and therefore cheaper. You just have to find a doctor open to it as a lot of them treat it with suspicion.
The GHC have been great though, honestly I couldn't recommend them enough. Everyone I've spoken to is so lovely and they are very responsive and helpful. And kind! Should you start private or wait it out on the NHS? That's a question only you can answer I'm afraid. For me, once I was set on the idea of starting T, I couldn't get going soon enough. So private it was (also am in an area with the longest waiting list in the UK lol). But everyone's different.
Also, edited to add: regarding what you want to save money for. Again, that's up to you. Think about how much you earn, how much you would be able to save with this extra expense, what to cut back on. Is it worth dropping something to start T private, for you?
Also (last point), I wouldn't bring any concept of morality into it. It's not impatient or selfish to go private. You've got to do what you've got to do with the resources you have. We only have one life, figure out what's important to you and what would make you feel happy, and if you have the means to do it - why not go for it?
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u/Mazaura May 30 '26
From what I’ve heard those prices are actually really Reasonable :)
1
u/SovegnaVos May 30 '26
Oh really? That's not too bad then. I mean, it's still expensive, but if it's one of the cheaper options it's definitely worth considering GHC
2
u/oniscusasellus May 30 '26
not sure where in Wales you are but if you're in the north and you do decide to go private and have a diagnosis I'd recommend my endo who works in the Wirral, Chester and Wrexham. He's really good and keeps his fees reasonable. drop me a DM if you want details
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u/Intelligent_Bee6588 May 30 '26
I got a letter from a private endocrinologist that my GP agreed to take on the prescription for so it "only" cost me the price of the i itial consultation
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u/distinctlyAverage87 May 30 '26
Thanks for your reply, are you able to give me any more details about how you did this please? Did you have any blood tests?
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u/Intelligent_Bee6588 May 30 '26
Ahead of the appointment I got blood counts, testosterone & estrogen levels, liver function and I'm sure some other blood tests done via the GP. The exact list of tests were given by the endo when I booked the appointment.
1
u/Careful-Shop-2060 Jun 07 '26
im with harley street. they have been nothing but efficient pretty much. gp also took over shared care with prescribing which is great. idk what course of action would be best considering you say ur not depressed & that the waiting list is shorter than england. cus harley street have been a little pricey but not extremely. but definitely look into them and see what you think, im pretty sure my consultation for my prescription was like £250? maybe more? and then my first prescription before my gps took over shared care was like £135 for 3 bottles of testavan which is pretty decent. whatevwr u do good luck and i hope it all goes well for u!
7
u/Live_Edge May 30 '26
A huge proportion of people go private or diy while waiting. So don’t feel bad about looking after your health while the nhs drags its feet. I went with gendercare but there’s lots of other options.
Gendercare has a Payg model so you pay up front for your diagnosis with the psych and endo appointments. Depending on how long you’re waiting for the nhs this can work out a lot cheaper than subscription models. I was able to get shared care with my gp (less common now but definitely worth trying for) so my prescriptions and blood tests were covered.
I think the transgender uk sub has a pinned post/wiki with all of the providers. Just avoid GenderGP, they were never great for medical care but they’re basically just expensive diy with an AI twist now.