Introduction to VA Providers

[sirsir]

Well I'm just starting treatment for PTSD with the VA. I have been doing this for about 3 months and it seems as if they are passing the buck. I have seen one social worker, one nutritionous, 3 mental health Dr. and one rating Dr.. I have tried 6 different meds. and am currently taking 2 meds. Please give me some insight on your VA experence.

 

[morgan]

My experience with the VA tends to be a more positive one than most. My clinic provides great care and I have a therapist that I wouldn't trade for the world! This is just not the case for everybody.

The VA is currently (and has been for the last fifteen years) trying to improve thier care and especially provide for all the ptsd sufferers they receive but, the are overwhelmed because of Iraq and are just not cutting it completely.

The VA does have a wonderful program at The National Center for PTSD in Menlo Park, CA. It's usually about 2 months long and well worth the time you spend there. There is a waiting list but Iraq vets have priority right now. You can google ptsd and I think you'll find it right there at the top.

I went through the program and it literally changed my life. I still use the tools I learned there and it makes all the difference in the world regarding my symptoms.

This is all the info I have. I hope it helps some. I wish you the best of luck with this.

Take care, Morgan

 

[2quilt]

I hate the VA. The staff do as little as possible, keep me in the dark as much as possible when I am treated so badly that the staff member should be arrested and put in jail; they cover up so many attacks and protect the predators instead of the veterans. They dump pills on the vets so much that of course there will eventually be drug interactions, which would send the vet into the ER or the morgue. The VA makes veterans wait way too long to get just a tiny bit of medical care, with no followup (unless you call the ER a kind of followup) and hope they get mad enough to stop coming.

 

[vietnam2nd]

i know their are bad va hospitals their mistakes have been on the news. i am fortunate i have recieve great care at the va hospital in desmoines. i hope they get their problems at the va solve as all veterns deserve the best care for what they have done for this great country.