hi, my name is jake. i'm trans, and i could really use your help.

i'm 25 years old, and i've known i was trans for most of my life. i came out over a decade ago, but it took some time for me to find the resources and support i needed to begin medical treatment (or hormone replacement therapy). in february of 2025, i found a clinic who helped me start my medical transition. i was incredibly fortunate that this clinic was a 501c, and they had the funding that allowed them to offer medication through their partnered pharmacy at no cost for patients (as long as that patient was insured). it was a little bit of a difficult start: i first began with testosterone cypionate injections, which is the generic form of testosterone. after my second injection, i developed a severe topical allergic reaction to the carrier oil, cottonseed. in the interest of preventing a potential, more threatening allergic reaction, my doctor swapped me to the only alternative that exists: testosterone enanthate (sesame oil, as opposed to cottonseed). this medication is only manufactured as a brand name-- not a generic like cypionate.

i've done really well since i started hrt nearly a year ago. i feel more at home in my body, and more confident about the sound of my voice. my anxiety and depression have also decreased significantly. i was incredibly excited to hit this new milestone on february 7th, 2026-- but some unforeseen circumstances developed that were entirely out of my control.

in november 2025, i received a letter from my insurer stating that they would no longer cover medication fills through the pharmacy my clinic uses starting december 1st. i panicked immediately. at full price, this medication is nearly $700 for four shots, or one month of medication. i called my doctor and the preferred pharmacy numerous times. each phone call, i was told that the letter was a mistake. i called and messaged enough times that i was made to feel like a nuisance; eventually, after several reassurances that the letter was a fluke and a mistake and that my meds would continue to be covered, i believed them.

i received my medication as normal in late november 2025, and i took my last shot on january 2nd. i waited for my refill to come via mail. it didn't. i called the pharmacy again on january 5th: it turns out there were two rounds of letters sent regarding discontinued coverage, and one round was illegitimate. the other wasn't. that one was mine.

since monday afternoon, i've tried everything i can think of. i called my doctor's office and left message after message. i was told they have another partner pharmacy that they could try to send my prescription to: i hadn't heard anything back, so i called that pharmacy today. they can't fill my medication: supposedly, they aren't licensed to distribute 'controlled substances', which testosterone is considered.

i called my dr's office again. they seem just as confused as i am-- and, worse, they don't have a solution. at this point, their only recommendation is to fill the medication through a local pharmacy-- at full price.

one month of xyosted is nearly $700, even when run through my insurance. i live paycheck to paycheck: i don't have the financial means to afford $700 for medication every month. with my insurance (which is linked to my job, meaning i can't look on the marketplace even if i wanted to), i will have to pay full price for all of my medications until i hit my in network deductible, which is $4,000.

this is a staggering amount of money. no one in my family has excess to support me like this; my father died a few years ago, and my mother, who is in her 60s, still has to work. earlier this week, i applied for the xyosted copay assistance card, and i plan on trying to run it tomorrow at the pharmacy to see if it will save me any money. the copay assistance card states it will take no more than $125 off the cost of each fill. even if the card does go through, my medication will still cost nearly $500 monthly.

at this point, i'm exhausted. i'm scrambling to think of something i can do, but it feels like i've exhausted all of my options and i have nowhere else to turn. i am due for my injection in less than 48 hours. i am on a high dose of testosterone-- 100ml-- and although it wouldn't be life-threatening for me to go cold turkey, it would be incredibly uncomfortable physically, and absolutely devastating mentally.

so i'm asking for help. funds are tight for almost everyone right now-- this isn't something i'm doing lightly. i want to keep living a better, healthier, happier life, and this medication has helped me do so. if i satisfy my $4,000 deductible, my xyosted will only cost $45 a month. this is something i can handle on my own.

i've always tried to help others when i can, and i hope that maybe some of that good karma will come back to me in my time of need. thank you for reading if you've made it this far. i know it's a cliche, but truly, anything helps.