The VA and TRT
We all know that the VA is horrible. It’s really rather undeniable and should be touted as a fact rather than an opinion. The VA in theory exists to provide health care as well as assistance returning to a normal or at least quasi normal existence after their time in the military. More than that the VA exists to provide care to those who risked their lives for every man woman and child living in this wonderful country. Why then do some make statements such as “I have been dealing with the VA ever since I left Vietnam, and honestly I can tell you that the VA is by far the most stressful thing in my life. (Glaser, 2012)”, it seems unfair to ask a person to risk their lives for those that they do not know and then when they are hurt in that attempt to ignore or to neglect their medical care needs.
As mentioned in my last post Testosterone Replacement Therapy has many advantages, likely the most beneficial of those advantages is improvement to the cardio vascular system of individuals on TRT. Recently a study by the VA that included 83,000 veterans showed that veterans with low testosterone who had their testosterone restored to normal ranges using medication had a lower risk of suffering from heart attacks, strokes and death from any cause than those who did not receive treatment for their ailment (Research, 2015).
Just reading that one would assume that TRT treatment for veterans in particular may be a good idea, especially when one considers that three months of TRT treatment will generally cost less than $200 and will very likely lower the need for other medications that are used to treat ailments that TRT can improve.
Why then is the VA prescribing less testosterone treatment to our nation’s heroes? While this nation is facing an epidemic of males who are lacking seriously in the male sex hormone veterans seem to not be receiving the treatment they need according to recent VA studies. A full 47% of males in care from the VA suffer from low testosterone, a rather scary number that said the number of veterans receiving TRT has dropped in recent years from 31% to 28%.
I happen to be in an odd predicament with the VA, I have low testosterone, my T generally tests around 340 which is 8 below acceptable ranges for males age 20-80. Think about that at age 34 my testosterone levels are not acceptable for a 80 year old male (Research, 2015). The VA saw my low testosterone levels and sent me to an outside endocrinologist for diagnostics. I received a prescription for testosterone from my Endo Dr. and took that prescription to the VA, at which time they took more blood and performed a rather invasive examination of my prostate (I love waking up heading to the VA and having a Dr.stick a finger up my bum) and then my prescription was submitted. Two days later I get told the VA will not honor the prescription from the specialist they sent me to. Why you may ask?
Let me explain, I have PTSD, meaning the VA gives me tons of meds for all kinds of conditions related to my mental health namely depression and anxiety issues as well as some seriously bad nightmares and insomnia. These medications allow me to kind of function, I’m scare of social situations and always sad but I’m not trying to kill anybody. Well it turns out these meds may cause lower testosterone levels, and because I’m on the meds that cause the problem the VA will not treat my Low T.
Makes complete sense right?
We caused a problem but we don’t want to fix it, as such you will have no sex drive, higher rates of obesity and chronic depression that could be easily rectified by giving you one simple medication but we won’t do that.
Basically at this point I apologize for the tirade but I’m going to ask something of those that read this. I know time is short and we often don’t have time to reach out and help others, that said I ask that you do one thing for the veterans that have defended your freedom write your Congressional representation and complain that Veterans are not receive the TRT treatments that they need. Veterans as a whole will generally suffer in silence please do something to help them.
To find your rep go to http://whoismyrepresentative.com/ .
Bibliography
Glaser, J. (2012, January 20). The Veterans Administration Health Care System Really Sucks. Retrieved April 24, 2016, from James-Glasser.com: http://www.james-glaser.com/2012/p20120120.html
Research, V. (2015, August 10). Study of 83,000 Veterans finds cardiovascular benefits to testosterone replacement. Retrieved April 24, 2016, from US Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.research.va.gov/currents/0815-5.cfm
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