I am very familiar with the VA hospitals. Go to the ER while you are feeling like this. If you feel your feelings are being dismissed, go to the patient advocate and tell your story. IF no luck here, go to the hospital administrator, don't call, just go. The VA's are working hard at patient satisfaction due to their past history, and want to be made aware of any problems. I am aware of this due to my husband's experience after surgery. It happened the night of his surgery, he asked me to go home because he would just be sleeping anyway, so I wasn't there. When I went to see him early the next day, I first went to see the administrator. I told of his problems the night before, and she went straight up to his floor with me. She was up there for an hour, and a few people were not happy. She encouraged us to always report when we feel we are not being treated appropriately, or accurately. You're not. Please hang on, you don't really want to die. Go to the hospital, and "thank you" for your service to our country!!!
Sorry your not feeling well. I'm pretty much in the same boat as you are right now. 18 years with this damn disease and I haven't been able to get near remission for the last 2 years.
Freaking meds just don't work anymore. I feel like a lab Monkey with all the meds I have to take. I will guess that you have already run thru a lot of different meds over many years. Do you have any ideas on what meds you might try next?
Any psychiatrist should take reoccuring suicidal ideations very seriously. If they can't change you to a psychiatrist who follows up and works with you and adjusts medications in addition to talk therapy and support so this doesn't occur it might be best to find out what other forms of coverage are available. You could find out more about coverage options at your local independent living center:
http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html