Hey Phil, welcome to the Forum. I am not familiar with the VA treatment plans since I am British but I do know it's a problem in a lot of american sufferers of PTSD. You admitted there is a problem. I am technically an OIF veteran (I was a instructor in basic medical hygiene, first aid and a paramedic when I was injured but am now a doctor so not very military considering.)
Medication is an aid to stabilise your behaviour while you come to an understanding of your problem. Its not a solution, its a stop gap. The best analogy is the hole in the dyke story from Holland. Medication plugs the leak but doesn't fix the dyke. I was on medication but I was weaned off courtesy of another problem (go see the other sections of the forum to find my terrible vice :)) but am still on vicodin because I have neuralgia from my injuries. I regularly regulate my own dose cause I know its addictive and if it becomes too much I spend a holiday without any vicodin with just me, some TV and 3 days worth of food that I like to get over it. My way of being in control is to do live a very differently structured life.
I am a doctor myself and I will tell you one thing. We live in a world where knowledge of medicine is becoming easier to acquire. One of the things I did and it helped me understand it was I looked at my medical list and then sat with my therapist asking "about their suitability" and drawing up a plan based on what I know and what he knew. It gave me a lot more control over it.
Now I understand that its a different situation, however what you can do is read up on your meds from "good websites" (be wary of homeopathic websites, IMHO they aren't upto much good) and then have a conversation with your therapist. Different therapists prefer different methods since they too are human and sometimes their judgement may be upto poor training, apathy due to over work (as I understand it the VA is a stellar organisation in theory but poorly funded, run and badly regarded by the previous admin as a lovely way to cut costs.)
Just remember that most of us will listen. We may not understand since "I realised that no PTSD sufferer is the same so our ways of viewing the disease are different". So my scientific logical structured existence may work well for me. But for others its a prison to temptation since medications have a high chance of abuse and because self control is difficult. Its a case of recognising what works for you with your therapist and working constructively.
I was lucky, my first therapist was smart and friendly. She recognised my PTSD early and I got treatment for it early because they figured it would happen anyways. My current one is one of those who lets you get on with it and keeps an eye on you rather than interferes with what works. When I enquired about my medications and that I was interested in stopping it he helped me devise a plan to wean myself off without the side effects while keeping an eye on my health.
