In order to transition you will need to be in very good health - fit as well as healthy. Remember, before starting any diet or new fitness regime make sure you consult your local GP first. If you have not exercised in a long time - start out slow and easy. You have plenty of time. A transition can take many years to complete so there is no need to force yourself to crash diet. Besides crash dieting just does not work. Similarly there is no need to go crazy trying bulk yourself up with excessive weight lifting. In both cases slow and easy wins the race - done to the extreme and excessively you will very quickly burn yourself out and become despondent with your lack of results. With crash dieting you will only put the weight all back on again once you start eating again. Excessive exersise can do you more harm then good.
Transitioning is a complete change of life and lifestyle. That change should also include your dietry habits - eat healthy - stay healthy. Being fit and healthy will also enable your body to recover faster after any major surgery that you may decide to have. Thirty minutes daily exersize will improve your health and wellbeing. "Have not got the time, so you just cannot do it?" Rubbish. Get up thirity minutes earlier in the morning and do it then. Go to bed thirty minutes earlier if you do not want to miss out on those extra few ZZZZzzz. The point is you can make the time if you really want too. Ask yourself: If you cannot take this seriously enough to start looking after yourself properly with a little bit of exercise and a good diet, how can you expect to get to the end of this journey safely?
During the transition process you will need the services of a good and understanding GP General Practitioner - Doctor . Your GP will monitor your general health - Blood Pressure, Kidney function etc. to ensure that there are no side effects from hormone treatment. Your GP will also be able to assess if you are in good physical shape to start hormonal treatment in the first place. It is highly recommended that if you are currently self-administratimg hormones, that you stop and seek advice and help from your GP. You may read on the web of stories of people who self-administer hormones and declare that they have had no problems and as such they do not need to consult a GP. This is an erroneous and misleading statement to make or believe. There are two reasons for this - You will rarely or never hear of someone who self-administered and ended up sick or dead - why? Mainly because they are sick, or worse - dead. The person who claims that self-administrating has not done them any harm has no idea what damage they are doing to their body in the long term. Just because they are fine now does not mean they will be fine next week, next month or next year. And you will never know if they continue to be fine or not as they could be dead and thus will not really be able to tell you.
So do the sensible thing - stop and see your GP. You have probably waited a long time to do this so you might as well do it right first time. You should also note that your GP may very well not have much information to hand on what to do or how to help you. They may of heard of the condition, but not be aware of what is involved. This is no big deal as they can read up on it. If you are informed you can help point them in the direction of some appropriate reading material. Together you can draw up a plan to follow. Do not get annoyed if you GP refuses to assist you - if they flat out refuse for whatever reason either ask them to refer you to a doctor that will help or just try another doctor's surgery. Keep trying until you get the doctor you need. However, if your doctor refuses to endorse/help due to an under lining medical condition - heed their advice. For example if the doctor refuses to monitor your condition while you self-medicate due to the fact you are over weight, quit self-medicating. Go on a diet, get fit, lose some weight then when you have done as they requested, re-engange your doctor to devise a plan that suits your needs. No one wants to see you kill yourself doing this, but if you refuse to listen to good sensible and practical advice, then on your own head be it. If you have a soSO: Significant Other - Wife/Husband/Life Partner and children to support why go that extra mile in being stupid?
If you feel up to it and can discuss your plans with your GP, you should request that they carry out a full medical examination. Follow their advice. If you do not want to use your local GP, use a non-local one - you do not even have to give your real name if you do not want to. If you have not already engaged the services of a councillor request that your GP referres you to a councillor with experience in dealing with GID.
The links section contains a list of Doctors/Surgeries that have some experience in dealing with patients with GID.
