[heathers3ofus]

I saw the pdoc today and was prescribed Xanax and Efexor. I haven't filled them yet, and don't think I will until I return home from my weekend retreat. In the place where he would write down my diagnosis, instead he wrote a code number. I was pretty upset about that. Is that normal? If I call them and ask them what it stands for tomorrow, do you think they will tell me? The doc was very cold and unfeeling as I answered his questions. I guess he should be, but I still want to know my diagnosis. Thoughts?

Heathers

[Taonuviel]

Sounds like the first pdoc I saw. Well, you should be able to find the diagnosis online, try here on this site. Sounds like depression with either anxiety, PTSD and/or DID - especially if your name refers to you having other personalities.
I don't know about that pdoc... might want to look for another, although he could have just been having a bad day, or sometimes it's easy for our perception to be off, and he may really be ok. I couldn't tell you. Sorry.

[darkeyes]

By all means, you call them about anything you do not understand about your DX and/or meds. You have a right to know. I do know besides a DX on my invoice(s) there is a code that is applied with each diagnosis, so do not be alarmed, but he should of told you what your DX is, and for the future, anyone reading this I urge all to always ask the pdoc or other physicians any questions in regards to their DX or prescribed meds, you have the right to know.
The codes (I may be wrong) are universal, at least that is what I have seen in invoices I have had that I paid upon services, the insurance companies can quicker access the info by using the code(s) as well as the doc's staff or a group's staff, etc. I also believe there is a book they keep them in along with the DX that it applies to.
Ask him what he coded you as, I can alos check myinvoices if you have a number from the paper they give you or invoice.
You take care now, and try to get some relaxation

DE

[PaigeTurner]

it is standard clinical practice to list a CODE for the diagnosis. it's used for insurance billing, etc.

if you really want to know the diagnosis... you can see if your pdoc will answer that question directly. or you can look it up yourself, in the DSM.

keep in mind, diagnosis codes impact insurance coverage. i don't know the context of the paperwork on which the code was recorded... but... as with many practices in which clinicians need to secure compensation for their fee... or seek to protect their patient's ongoing insurability... these codes are used STRATEGICALLY.

they function for many purposes... and aren't, necessarily, the be-all, end-all of your clinical profile.

[dexter]

I think it is not only important to know your diagnosis but for your doc to explain it to you. If you can look it up in the DSM and be satisfied with the answer then you are fine. But if you have ANY questions your doc should be more than willing to answer them.

I met a woman once who was diagnosed with bipolar who was all freaked out about it. It turned out the reason she was freaked out was that her doctor never discussed her diagnosis with her, and it was only by reading her form that she found out she was diagnosed bipolar. The part that freaked her out though was that she had no idea wha bipolar disorder was! No idea what that meant or what kind of impact that meant on her life. After talking about it for several days she was able to understand the illness as opposed to just having a label stuck on her. She really didn't have very much fear at all regarding the illness, it was the unknown diagnosis that scared her. IMO that was a pretty poor lapse from the doctor / administrative staff. I hope it was just an error on their part and not their regular practice.