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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

20yr Old Gay Son... Aspergers... ADHD ... Waiting List For SEX CHANGE ...Discovered PRESCRIPTION ONLY HORMONES in his bedroom..... I'm Still his MUM!!!

16 replies

MrsForgetful · 29/01/2014 12:01

Title says it all...

Everyday i go in his room and bring down dirty plates etc.
So not case of snooping ... and what i saw was NOT hidden .

2yrs ago he 'came out' as gay... last year announced on 'waiting list' for 'sex change' etc....

These tablets are NOT prescribed ... but ARE prescription only drugs.
ESTROFEM (hormones for feminisation from male to female)
Spironolactone for fluid retention (also worrys me in another way as hes lost weight and i often find uneaten food in room HIDDEN ... so i have concerns of eating disorder.

At 18 he was 'passed on ' from 'paediatrics' to 'Adult services ' for his ADHD/ Aspergers ... and at 20... he is still yet to see anyone fron 'adult services'

I am in West Wilts and would appreciate the guidance that i know mumsnetters will provide

thanks

p.s posting this in loads of relavent places incase someone can help

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MrsBright · 29/01/2014 12:10

Possibly helpful contacts here .... www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Transhealth/Pages/local-gender-identity-clinics.aspx

ThreeBeeOneGee · 29/01/2014 18:15

Do you mean that he is taking them without medical supervision? That's potentially quite dangerous as they do have side effects.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 29/01/2014 18:17

Or could he have been prescribed them without you realising? As he is an adult, I don't think they need to get your consent, or even inform you...?

MrsForgetful · 29/01/2014 19:45

thankyou both for replying x

I have spoken to him ... I have cried openly in front of him today expressing how scared i am that he will harm himself.

He was given the tablets by a friend who was prescribed them .

He has thrown them away .

But obviously that doesnt mean he wont get more... and just cos his friend has said that they were prescribed... does not mean that they were... they could have been bought online.

Me ... as he is 20 ... i do not have any rights ... but i have told him what i will do is write to MY doctor who is in same practice as HIS and explain what i see happening.

The doctor i know will not discuss anything with me ... but maybe my input will show the GP how desparate my son is to be taken seriously .

And the other thing i must do ... which is very hard after being mum to my 'son' for 20ys... is start thinking and referring to him as 'My Daughter' ... and NO ... unlike what u see on TV documentries... I had no idea as a child that he felt 'born in the wrong body' ... he supressed it well.

And i have to be honest ... after today ... i feel respecting his wishes is not such a big step as i felt before.

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ThreeBeeOneGee · 29/01/2014 19:49

Is there anyone you can talk to in real life about this? It must be a big thing to deal with, and if you are able to cope with it, then you will be in a stronger position to support your son/daughter.

MrsForgetful · 29/01/2014 19:59

i'm afraid i dont have close family or friends .. as being mum to 3 with autism gradually isolated me over the years ... but i do have 'online' friends - so i am not alone.
my husband and i have been together 27yrs... and hes finding all this harder to deal with than me .

me ... i would love to wake up in 3yrs and meet 'Our Daughter' .... but my husb cannot imagine this.

but one thing i do feel better about tonight than i have done for years ... is that despite all the upset ... my kids still open up to me ... maybe in this case not quite soon enough .. but there have been lots of hugs today x

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arabellarubberplant · 29/01/2014 20:03

www.gires.org.uk

It all sounds reasonably common, tbh. As long as you stay calm, and discuss appropriately, you will be far more helpful than getting hysterical.

I do understand it's a hard thing to come to terms with, and you are entitled to your reactions, but in all honestly, you need to sit down and think this through properly. Your son is still the same person, whether ultimately he transitions or not. You are entitled to your feelings.

Shriveling and dramatising and wringing hands isn't going to make it any easier for him to open up to you, and he probably does need someone to talk through.

Is he registered with a clinic? Ask him which one. He can't be on the waitlist for surgery as he hasn't fulfilled all of the criteria.

Stop being histrionic, and start educating yourself, as much for your sake as his.

If you aren't prepared to respect his wishes, he would be better off elsewhere. You don't have to agree with his wishes, but you have to stop being hysterical and start listening. Really listening. Not half listening and getting him to chuck pills away that you know are easily replaced.

And yes, I have a son with ADD and aspergers. And many times we have wondered if eventually he will start to become more gender fluid. He's too young yet, but you've known about this for a year at least. Why are you reacting in this manner? Surely you have been discussing it with him over the last year?

And clearly you missed the 'I understand why trans commit suicide' thread last week. Largely because of reactions like yours. Grow up, and deal with it. You are going to make the situation worse.

arabellarubberplant · 29/01/2014 20:06

Having reread, the cross post sounds as though you are coming to terms with it, and it's your dh that isn't. Apologies if I got the wrong end of the stick.

Do contact gires, and wobs, and try to find out where he is in the system. If he hasn't been referred to a clinic yet, that's the next step.

MrsForgetful · 29/01/2014 20:13

arrabella...

everything u ranted is what i have been feeling today .

i used to be on mumsnet all the time when they were all getting diagnosed with ADHD/AS ... and back then i was 'researching and learning' all the time.

so i need to do the same again ... and earn my position as Advocate for my son.

by the way ... i think 'gender fluid' is a brilliant term

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IAmNotAPrincessIAmAKahleesi · 29/01/2014 20:16

Mrsforgetful, I'm afraid I have no useful advice because this is not something I've ever experienced. But I just wanted to post to say that I think you sound amazing, so caring and supportive and understanding, I'm sure that will make a massive to your dc

It must be hard for you as well , please use any and all support available and don't feel bad if you struggle, it's a huge change for all of you

Best of luck to you all, I hope things work out well and all the relevant services step up to help x

IAmNotAPrincessIAmAKahleesi · 29/01/2014 20:19

And I think it's completely normal to panic if you find out your child is taking any medication unprescribed and without medical supervision

MrsForgetful · 29/01/2014 20:40

thats lovely of you to say ...

have researched a few support groups and am spending some time with my son on friday when he is not at college.

so hopefully today will have a positive outcome.

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Aethelfleda · 29/01/2014 20:52

Good luck OP.

If you (or your will-be-daughter) read web-comic blogs, there's a thought provoking one from a blogger in New Zealand called Rooster Tails about a trans-boy called Sam who's going through the whole gender identity life experience (with their partner who's also gender-fluid). It's very interesting, may be worth a look.

MrsForgetful · 29/01/2014 20:52

thanks for that... xxx

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KissesBreakingWave · 29/01/2014 20:53

Get him (still identifying as male?) on to proper medical support as soon as you can. What's wanted here is a proper diagnosis and supervised treatment: I know several trans ladies who've come through and are now happy, successful and fulfilled individuals (and one who's still as much of a dead loss as she was when presenting as male, oh well) and if it's some other condition then that's probably treatable as well. However, hormone treatment is a MASSIVE bodily change that needs to be properly managed by skilled professionals.

I can offer you the example of the mother of one of the trans ladies I mentioned, who is a thoroughly lovely woman, massively supportive of her new-minted daughter, who put it thus: "I had three kids. One of each." Not betraying any confidences there, said daughter used the line in her stand-up material...

MrsForgetful · 29/01/2014 21:04

friday ... when i am able to spend time discussing all this with him ... i shall suggest helping him via GP to get the referral for the counselling as 6months on ... there is no communication at all from any clinic.

by the way ... yes... i still say he/him/and use his birth name ... its disrespectful to do so... but there are 5 of us in this house and the younger 2 sons are struggling with this ... so i tend to avoid any 'feminine name use/reference' etc...

basically i'm split in two. god knows how he feels.

my husb is refusing to accept anything about this... and i have to be honest i'm only worried about my other 2 sons feelings ... not my husbands.

my attitude is i was 'born a mum' when i gave birth ... and will always be a mum ... 'genetic son' becoming 'daughter' is not the issue ... but 'transition' for US ALL AS A FAMILY is my responsibility .

everyone has the right to be who they want to be xxx

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