I'm a Vietnam Era Veteran who has recently addressed the issue within the VA healthcare system. My therapist has no experience with this. Are there any other vets using the VA system and do you have any advice or concerns. very soon I'll be 61 and have a very Andro body and male pattern baldness with a high widow's peak. I want to start HRT how long do I have to wait to ask them so agree to this?

Welcome to Susan's Place. If you are going private, Planed parent hood clinic will often do informed consent and through  a therapist it might require several appointments before a letter is issued for an Endo. Thought the VA, unfortunately it's anybodies. guess. I am in the Phoenix area where the problems with the VA were first uncovered and from what the papers say, long delays may still exist in the system.

A few VA centers have programs in place for transgender treatment but most have very little ability to deal with this. You might desire a private therapist or continue with your current one and do informed consent. If you have issues specific to being transgender, a gender therapist would be a big help.

We have a fair number of former vets on the site and I suspect a few will be checking in shortly when they see your post. Feel free to ask me anything you want and I will do my best to answer your questions.

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Hi Audrey 

Welcome to Susan's    Glad to have you here, join on in the fun

Hugs

V M

I found a thread you might be interested in. Try looking at the last page as there is discussion about VA coverage.
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,96755.msg708143.html#msg708143