Hi, my name is Charlie and I am a 21 year old trans man living in the UK.

For years I have had felt awful gender dysphoria. I finally came out in late 2017 and have been living as a man since. Luckily I have very supportive friends who have been so great to me with my social transition.

I have wanted to start HRT for years. Years. To the point that it is a need to help my dysphoria which is killing me. I hate looking in the mirror - the person I'm looking at is not who I should be.

Over the past year I have been to three or four different GPs, desperate to get referred to the GIC. I know how painfully long their wait times are to begin with, but at least being referred is a start, right? Well, every single doctor has flat out refused to refer me. The last one telling me that my 'mental health' is too severe for the GIC to consider prescribing me hormones. My dysphoria is one of the main reasons for my state of mind, and I would have around two years to seek help if she were to refer me.

I am at my wit's end. I have pushed so much to try and take a step further to my transition, but I'm being shrugged off everywhere I go. Which is why I'm hoping to go private and use Gendercare - I've been told that I should have more luck with them.

The initial appointment with Dr. Lorimer is £300, with a follow up appointment being £150. As I will be travelling from Sunderland I would need to take public transport as I can't drive.

I'm a full time university student that can't work due to mental health conditions and chronic back pain. Anything helps! Thank you for reading ♥️