Transgender hormone drugs struck 'like lightning'

A transgender woman said she feared for her life when undergoing hormone treatment.

April Welsh from Blackwood, Caerphilly county, collapsed just weeks after she began taking gender reassignment drugs in September 2015.

Her health deteriorated to the point she spent two weeks in hospital - she said more information was needed for those having hormone therapy.

Aneurin Bevan health board said it was sorry she had these concerns.

"I didn't realise how much trouble I was in until I started collapsing," the 33-year-old told an S4C documentary.

"When I started the hormones, it started off fine at first, and I think it was about a month or so in when I had my first attack."

At first, she thought she was having a panic attack, but when seizures followed, she realised it was not just anxiety: "It struck me like a bolt of lightning."

Ms Welsh said she was not made aware of the possible side effects and there was not enough support for people receiving hormone replacement therapy.

"I knew it wasn't going to be a walk in the park. The tipping point for me was when I did fall ill and started reaching out, there was nothing there."

April said she hid her "alter ego" when she was a child

As a child growing up, Ms Welsh said she kept her feelings about her gender secret for years.

"I'd never heard of transgender - I didn't know people like myself existed. By the time I got into my late teens, I started hearing little bits and was like 'oh God - that's me'."

After coming out to her family, she decided it was time to take the next step and was ready to undergo hormone replacement therapy.

"I had a few hiccups - my health started deteriorating - a loss of energy, severe headaches but I just thought it was part of the process.

"I thought you know, it's quite invasive treatment I thought, you'd expect some sort of side effects," she said.

• 'Never been so sure about anything'

• The story of two transgender children

• 'I'm a trans woman - ask me your invasive questions'

After becoming ill, Ms Welsh's treatment had to be delayed before she was eventually transferred to London's Tavistock and Portland Hospital.

She said: "I didn't expect the treatment to go that way, I definitely feel safer now, under an endocrinologist who has had a lot of experience with transgender patients."

An Aneurin Bevan University health board spokesman said: "We are very sorry to hear that April has concerns regarding the treatment she has received. We would ask that she makes contact with us directly so we can look into her claims."

• Drych: Merch fel Fi, 5 May, 21:00 BST, S4C