My doctors at the last VA I went to in a different state were referring me to see a cardiologist for things like stress tests, etc., especially for the orthostatic intolerance and possible POTS affiliated with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), for which I'm service-connected. But when I moved to the new VA, they just want to treat me generically with their women's clinic doctors. Initially, I was assigned to a PA, and I said I had too many complications that truly warrants a MD to treat me. So, after much protest, they finally switched me. But I'm still not getting the same referrals or treatment that I received at the VA in a different region/state. So I can't just request to see a cardiologist, despite my many attempts at discussing my issues. The doctors here all chalk it up to MST PTSD.

My fellow veteran sisters with MST experiences like me have all complained about that particular women's clinic and the overall VA, which oversees care for our entire state (it's a small state). We are all psychopathologized, so whilst it is important to ask our physicians about the most appropriate course of action, it is very challenging when our physicians don't take our requests seriously and instead pathologize most women when their husbands in this state get better care for similar heart-related symptoms (despite them being of similar age and rank). I don't live in a very friendly state or attend a very friendly VA system here.

I'm therefore left to fend for myself, ask online, research for myself online, and do what most of us women have to do in order to take charge of my own health. Sadly, we have to spend money outside of the VA to get the care we should be getting within the VA. It's there way of discriminating against women veterans without outright discriminating against us - especially those of us with MST-related PTSD on our military jackets.