Diagnosis questions

Crypts of the mind brought up a good point about diagnosis. How long did it take for you to get your official diagnosis? Have you ever been misdiagnosed and then it change later? Do you always believe the diagnosis? If not what did you do?

Yeah, outside of PTSD, I'm not sure what else I got going on. My T has said DID but I don't know if I believe that. I was misdiagnosed as bipolar. MDD is still up in the air.

Haha, at this point who knows what's wrong with me.

Oh well.

Anyway, PTSD was diagnosed over a year ago but was likely around for a while longer. As for anything else, like I said, they're still trying to figure me out.

I agree, just having one diagnosis is enough to deal with. Can't imagine how I would feel if they started taking more and more on. So many symptoms overlap though it's easy to see how there could be misdiagnosis.

Agreed. The overlap makes it a pain. I'm frustrated but not without an understanding of the circumstances.

I think diagnoses can be unhelpful, apart from going some way to planning treatment and in the case of private health insurance, being covered for treatment.

They seem to be arbitrary labels and maybe a poor attempt at trying to fit something to the complexities of the human mind. They don't describe conditions, like for example, appendicitis describes clearly, inflammation of the appendix.

I don't think I experience anything "abnormal", rather my coping systems have been pushed to the maximum and affected my ability to function.

My T has always tended to avoided labels and purely focused on symptoms. I think there are so many variations between individuals with the same "label".

Saying that, having a label, for me, is reassuring, in that it tells me I am not imagining all these things and that they are recognised.

So recently in the last year CPTSD seems to have been the best fit for me.

I just want them to be sure before putting a label on me. Also I want to know so I can do my own investigating on my condition and see if I can help do something about it. I've toned down from that a lot because I have had to accept I need help with it

Officially my diagnosis (for billing purposes) is GAD. My therapist and I have agreed that my actual disorder is CPTSD. I also (I think) have PTSD related to events with my daughter in the last couple years.

I'm not all that concerned about the diagnosis myself. I'm actually reducing my therapist visits to once a month for awhile right now. Kind of regrouping to see where I want to go with this and my insurance company was balking at paying so I'm waiting to see what happens with the latest bills I've submitted.

My diagnoses are DID, CPTSD, Anorexia nervosa and major depressive disorder. i was diagnosed with DID earlier this year, all other diagnoses I have had for a few years. I struggle with the DID diagnosis a lot but I also know it is true... a lot.

I have several different diagnosis and don't even remember what they are. The reason is so they can give me the best meds to treat my disorders.

Insurance ugggggg. Is there a VA facility near by?

It can be very confusing for sure. Glad you know that the diagnosis of DID does apply , at least you know what you are dealing with.

Oooo that is an issue with myself. I hate taking meds and I guess that's why I want them to make sure of a diagnosis before putting me on more meds. I think sometimes they are too quick to throw a pill at something rather than addressing the problem. But that's just me. I'm on medications and some have helped, but I do ask a lot of questions before adding more on. That's true with medical doctors as well. I wish the VA would work more with holistic healing.

The thing with CPTSD is that it seems like it's not clear what the symptoms are. With it not being in the DSM it kind of leaves it open to interpretation. Though I've heard that there's a subtopic under PTSD that would cover CPTSD. I've heard several people say that that were diagnosed with bipolar instead of the CPTSD. Don't know much about bi polar to know how the two would be so close.

Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) symptoms and diagnostic criteria

There is a small VA clinic nearby, but I've never actually signed up for services. I think the insurance company will come through in the end. My therapist is out of network for our new insurance company, but she was referred to me by my last insurance company. The new insurance company doesn't have the best reputation for getting providers signed up easily so a lot of providers in the area have opted not to even try.

Thanks Amyjay I was just looking at that info. and I think I was confusing bipolar with borderline PD . Thanks for clearing that up but I might do it again That was a good article , thanks!

One thing to note that if you have Obama care type of insurance you can't use your VA healthcare. But if you have private insurance without subsidies then you can. Like if you work for a private company and have insurance through them. I learned that the hard way.

Interesting, Thanks for the weblink, I found it helpful. I don't know what my T diagnosed me as. I know he has something, cause the insurance wouldn't pay without a diagnosis, but I haven't asked and I don't know if I want to. I know the doctors tend to diagnose me with PTSD, and then they never want to see me again. I know I have dissociation problems sometimes, but nobody knows or cares about that. On some level, I'm kinda glad that I don't have meds, cause I think they sometimes make things worse.

I was diagnosed with ptsd at 17 at the hospital during a stay i had there
It was hard to believe ar first until I learned more about the diagnosis

Dissociation is part of PTSD, so I've been told. I agree with meds, any meds. If you can find a healthy way to cope without them like yoga or meditation that's great. As long as they are taking care of you and helping that's the main thing.

I also agree with this. I wanted to know so I could read on ways to help myself and try to make sure it was what they said. I do wish the DSM people would add CPTSD in. Maybe they will one day.

I have private insurance. I'd feel funny signing up for VA services, even though I would be eligible, when there are so many veterans who have no other option but the VA. I'd rather have them get the services they need.

I originally signed up when I had insurance. Just wanted to get the prescriptions through the VA cheaper. Then when I lost my insurance through work I got Obama Care and was told I couldn't have both. So I kept my VA benefits. There's lots of people there with private insurance and VA. You still have to do a brief visit with a VA doctor before they will fill your prescriptions. So you really wouldn't be keeping any veteran from being seen. In fact I really haven't met many that use the VA solely for benefits. Plus if people don't use the VA that means they can cut back manpower, so signing up really could help the VA and veterans. But it's up to you.