Diagnosis

[Rosa]

is it typical for doctors/therapists to give diagnosis's to their patients? While my doctor has said I have Major Depressive disorder and PTSD, but when it came to the big one (bi-polar) he said he didn't like to use labels and that i 'have the characteristics of bi-polar'. Do you think he's just afraid to tell me the truth? Do doctors usually tell patients the truth? I was just wondering as i thought this was a little odd. I honestly don't care either way, as long as its treatable, but it would affect me in knowing if its treatable for good or just treatable for the rest of my life.
as always
Rosa

 

[Meg]

Re: diagnosis

Hi Rosa

I think it depends on the doctor/therapist, how closely someone 'matches' the criteria for a diagnosis, and also, to a certain extent, on the patient/client. If you would like to know more about the treatment plan your doctor has you on, and/or his reason for kind of 'softening' the diagnosis of bipolar, I would ask him about it if you feel comfortable to. Maybe he wants to see how you progress in order to be certain that a diagnosis of bipolar would be correct, especially if your 'characteristics' are on the threshold of the diagnosis.

Best wishes,
Meg

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I agree with Meg. Diagnosis is not an exact science nd it is often the case that an individual may show certain chracteristics or symptoms that could suggest more than one diagnosis. In the case of bipolar disorder, differentiating between that diagnosis and unipolar depression, borderline personality disorder, adult attachment disorder, etc., can be difficult - often, one arrives at a "final" diagnosis only over time with additional observation.

 

[Rosa]

thanks for your replys. This makes since sense he has already suggested that I have major depressive disorder. so it could be i just have some charactistics but not the actual condition of bi-polar. I guess these things just take time, but like I said I don't so much mind as long as I'm getting better.
In friendship
Rosa

 

[Kanadiana]

Hi Rosa,

The same sort of "non-commitalness to a diagnosisi" is happening with me in a way, but on physical stuff. One rheumatologist report calls it "probably due to fibromyalgia" ... and my current rheumatologist calls it "pain disorder" ... because they need more information before they can decide that that's the problem, though I fit almost all of the "criteria" for fibromyalgia. In others words, the final assessments are not clear yet and their "diagnoses" reflect that. I have rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, "fibromyalgia" (which often goes with RA) ,degenerative disk disease, and we aren't done assessing yet.

Docs don't want to diagnose until they're sure ... and sometimes that takes a while and lots of assessing to find out, and I know how frustrating it is to have to wait it out for when something definate is diagnosed therefore they know what meds and treatments actually will help "THAT".

Hang in there, okay

K.

 

[Rosa]

thanks Kanadiana
I think your right and I'd rather not have a ''label' put on me that in the run doesn't apply.
Take care,
Rosa