As an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who regularly deals with reams and reams of research about treating PTSD and its cohort injury, traumatic brain injury (TBI)--and as the sister of two veterans of the Gulf War--I am looking forward to reading this series.

However, I caution everyone reading: There is an enormous difference between care at the VA and care through Army medical. Diagnosis of PTSD or TBI in active duty soldiers vs. veterans is quite different.

Care for active duty soldiers transitioning to veteran status is further complicated by extremely poor discharge planning. Much of this, sadly, comes from an entrenched lack of cooperation between VA and DOD. The cruel catch-22 is that it actually serves an active duty soldier to seek a discharge because they'll get better care in VA for PTSD or TBI, but, if discharged early, they lose their income source. In addition, in most cases, their disability pay would be cut significantly if they don't pursue the case while still on active duty. (One can still pursue a case as a veteran, but it's much more complex and harder to prove.) The system of transferring care from DOD to VA, from a case management perspective, is seriously, seriously broken.

With all due respect to the hardworking providers in Army medical, care in VA is worlds ahead when it comes to treating, diagnosing, and supporting PTSD. Veterans have more resources and considerably less stigma reporting symptoms than do active duty soldiers.

Clark-Flory isn't saying that bio-identicals or compounding pharmacies are bad for menopausal women or all humans on Planet Earth.

She is saying that Oprah has tremendous reach, power, and influence, and that as such, she ought to not blithely shill potentially dangerous medical regimens without qualifying statements and real expertise that presents both sides of the argument.

Even pharma advertising is required, by law, to present a long list of side effects for the most innocuous of meds, but Oprah is allowed to say, "Every woman should read this book."

What every woman should do is realize: Every woman, every human, is different. What works for one individual in peri- or full-blown menopause will not be suited to another individual.

Read reliable sources of information (WebMD, CDC, NIH), listen to your body, make a list of symptoms, and TALK to your doctor. If your doctor isn't listening, then ask your friends and family members for a referral to someone who does listen. Alternative treatments are fine, but just as with Western medicine, they should be administered under the care of a trained, qualified professional (licensed acupuncturist, licensed TCM herbalist, licensed osteopath, etc.)

And remember to actually READ the articles.

Oh Heather....never, ever, ever stop. Even if you are mauled by a chimp and receive thousands of outraged letters from the lactose-intolerant, whoring sea-donkey readers here in the Saloniverse.

I am very much looking forward to reading your series finale wrap when the space opera that is Battlestar Galactica comes to its conclusion in a few weeks.

Until then, I have my Sunday with I Like to Watch to console me.

Now, I think I'll go have and Earth-friendly cappucino with my middle class privileged outrage.....

Santarpio's in Boston has managed to stay in business through the Depression, several world wars, the loft-ification of the surrounding neighborhoods, the building of two tunnels and an overpass, and a major international airport's not inconsiderable expansion.

It's not just that Santarpio's pizza is so good that I think it's made with the joyful tears of well-loved innocent babies, but the author is on to something. It's just pizza, after all...or is it?

Hmmm....so, let's see, I, along with the other "best and the brightest" who chose to work for the U.S. Government, don't need bonuses or high salaries to be retained? We're not the best and brightest, with our MBA's and other graduate degrees? We should simply be satisifed that we receive the daily scorn from those in private industry about how we are lazy, do-nothing goverment workers who are "lucky" to have a "secure" job?

Super.

This from a government-appointed person is such a slap in the face.

Thanks for this well-reported article. Just one thing: VA care and DoD care are totally different systems. Sadly, benefits in VA are contingent upon diagnosis via military medical prior to discharge.

Complicating matters is considerable lack of cooperation between DoD and VA. Transition from military medical to VA medical is hampered by a horrible transition system: lack of follow-up in care, poor medical records translation, etc.

Despite the issues, however, VA does as good a job as it can to treat vets with PTSD, and even if a vet hasn't had a previous diagnosis, he or she should see a VA doctor for treatment if the condition is even suspected. There is help available, even if military medical says otherwise.

Please take pains to distinguish that the two systems (however similar-seeming to the general public) are vastly different and intertwined only in the most tertiary ways. Vets should not be put off by seeking care for PTSD in VA--they will be treated and not turned away even though military medical might have done so.