diagnosis problems

I'm a survivor of severe chronic peer abuse [physical and emotional], and was a child witness of domestic abuse as well as enduring some myself from the situation.

My ex workplace nurse agreed I have CPTSD, as did my ex therapist.

My psychiatrist said my illness is "really PTSD", that I have some Borderline symptoms, but it's really PTSD.

I've had several dreams lately confirm the diagnosis, as in I'm given a piece of paper with it on kind of dream.

Then... it wasn't even mentioned on my follow up letter from the psychiatrist.

I spoke to her, and she said she's not sure I meet all the criteria [it's probably the kind of trauma I went through is 'wrong'] And she doesn't want my treatment to change. So she's not listing it.
She said I had been traumatised, but my Anorexia Nervosa is the major result [no no it's my hyper vigilance but...] which she wants to see treated...

This is the NHS, so not really anything I can do?

Do you need any more information?

first dont panic. breath. many people are having the same problem of conflicting diagnostics. your location uses more than one diagnostic manual. the ICD10 and the DSM5 do not have the diagnostic ...........label........... Complex PTSD. which is what your location is using.

short version... the label CPTSD came from many treatment providers using the term "complex" when talking about PTSD in situations where there was long term abuse, or long term PTSD problems.

this evolved in statements like....

your PTSD is complex (meaning has many different PTSD elements to it)
you have a very complex disorder called PTSD (meaning the PTSD symptoms keep coming back and there are lots of them because of long term problems, abuse and...)

which then got shortened to the now familiar but not yet in any diagnostic manuals term....

complex PTSD

which now many call CPTSD.

in reality it is PTSD but the problems associated with your PTSD is long term and chronic (keeps coming back) stemming from long term traumatic events.

PTSD just means you have nightmare, flashbacks anxiety, depression, and sometime ........maybe...... some dissociative problems that are not the kind that fit into a dissociative disorder category. The C means these problems are long term, from long term trauma.

I have CPTSD too but my location does not call it that, here where I am its called Acute Stress Disorder and many others depending upon each persons individual PTSD symptoms.

my point it doesnt matter what the label is that they have to give you because the label CPTSD is not in any diagnostic manuals. what actually matters is the problems, treatment for the problems so that you can feel better soon.

someday maybe the diagnostic manuals will have the actual disorder name but until then we all get the displeasure or pleasure which ever it may be, being labeled individually based on symptoms and problems not pidgin holed into a diagnostic label that isnt in the books yet.

Thanks. Yes, I get that. The thing is, she's not diagnosing me with PTSD either, even though she originally said I have it.... I have all the symptoms, just different, more than one, trauma.

It matters to me because my diagnosis should be accurate, and reflect my experience truly.

sometimes it takes many changes in diagnosis, not having one then having one this one changes to that ... well you get the point sometimes people dont get the exact and right, accurate diagnosis right away...

heres something that you can do though to get accurate or at least relatively close diagnosis. ... you can ask for diagnostic testing, this is a whole process of tests both mental and physical and also academic. a complete diagnostic evaluations do not just test for one thing, it is a process that looks for all mental disorders. when you complete the process you and your treatment provider will have a good picture of what your mental disorders are at the moment that you answered the questions, did all the tests.

I agree that accurate diagnosis is important ..

Also from the uk

Sorry you have troubles too....

I didn't tell her about when I was 26 and ignored a major gas leak from my boiler, it didn't blow up and I did get in mended eventually. But I woke up one night struggling to breathe before I did. And also I'd burned candles and incense in the room next door.
I could have died.