First Psychiatrist Appointment

[toughmomma]

Hey guys,

I was diagnosed with C-PTSD by a trauma therapist today. Initially we were just operating off of CBT, but my symptoms got really bad over the holidays - emotional flashbacks, body memories, nightmares, self harm, suicidal ideation- the list is long. I FINALLY got to see a psychiatrist (that my psychologist reccomended) for medications and after a 20min conversation she said she didn't think I have PTSD! She said I definitely need therapy and medication, but didn't give me any direction on what she thought my diagnosis was. This has got me in such a panic. I feel confused and so invalidated. Like what happened to me wasn't bad enough and now I feel stupid. Idk if I should look for a different psychologist, psychiatrist or what...

 

[toughmomma]

Hey guys,

I was diagnosed with C-PTSD by a trauma therapist today. Initially we were just operating...

Sorry - not diagnosed today. Diagnosed in December. Saw the psychiatrist for the first time today

 

[Hush92]

Hey guys,

I was diagnosed with C-PTSD by a trauma therapist today. Initially we were just operating...

I would go with your therapist's opinion over the psychiatrist's. That sounds weird, since the psychiatrist has the medical degree, but one of the issues I had with psychiatrists was that they didn't KNOW me. They gave me a diagnosis based off of a 20 minute conversation where I gave the absolute bare bones of what I experienced. A therapist sees you every week and you spill your guts out to them. They have a lot more information than the psychiatrist. A psychiatrist diagnosed me with a nonspecific psychotic and anxiety disorder. My current therapist helped specify that to psychotic depression and PTSD! (My diagnosis was so vague before! Wasn't helpful at all!)

See if your therapist can talk to your psychiatrist and inform them why they believe you have PTSD.

 

[Sideways]

I was seeking a psychiatrist weekly for 3 years before PTSD was added to my diagnosis, and it was another year before that became C-PTSD. It can be really frustrating feeling like you have to persuade them how bad it was, and how bad it still is. If the psych is backing away from giving a diagnosis after day 1, that's okay, let them get to know you.

And definitely cheering with @Hush92 - getting communication flowing among your therapy team can be sooo helpful. Your doc is asking different questions than your therapist, and walks to a different beat. If you've got a psych who has the time and ego that allows for hearing what your T has to say, talk to your T about opening up those conversations. Your T can tell your psych what you've been saying, in the jargon that will make it easy for the psych to accept, without you having the trauma of repeating it all again to someone you barely know.

They don't need to agree and have a big campfire sing-along from the get go. But if you can get them working as a team, you get further, faster.

Hang in there - it must feel invalidating, but it's just a hiccup:)

 

[toughmomma]

Thank you both. I was really difficult to listen to the Psychiatrist because she didn't give me any other suggestions as to what I could be dealing with

 

[Seasounds]

Sorry for the rude and insensitive treatment!

You can go to another psychiatrist, who may give you a PTSD diagnosis. You can negotiate your diagnosis, and even go to the ICD 10 codes and read the requirements for the diagnosis. ( too tired to look up the specifics). Clearly listed, stmptoms perisiting..after 6 months of trauma, or trauma trigger, having anxiety and depressive thoughts, insomnia, anger outbursts, avoidant behavior-assoc. with trauma, etc.

Some psychiatrists place a diagnosis upon us, others let us describe our symptoms, and share with us, which diagnosis fits our symptoms, and they tell us why.it fits us best. I'd get a second opinion, for the sake of someone who related to you, with more compassion and intelligence.

Since I knew my diagnosis stemmed from trauma, I was adamant about a PTSD diagnosis, rather than a Generalized Anxiety Disorder diagnosis. On the surface wither could've fit.

You could go back, and ask, "Why?" Also, I've learned from this forum that different medical systems, how to say, discourage giving out certain diagnosis, if it is possible, because with certain diagnosis, a condition may get more visits per year, and that could tax the system, etc. speak up for what you want, ask questions, know that you were smart and that the psychiatrist was disrespectful to you, during a vulnerable time!

Hope the forum's comments and my comments help.

 

[digger]

I think it's worth going back to both the psychiatrist and the therapist and asking them both to explain their reasoning for you.

and after a 20min conversation she said she didn't think I have PTSD! She said I definitely need therapy and medication, but didn't give me any direction on what she thought my diagnosis was.

It's possible that she just doesn't want to jump straight to diagnosis based on only twenty minutes with you but that the indicators you gave her in that time didn't point to PTSD in her opinion. I think it would be useful for you to hear her explain that though, if that is the case.

Talk it over with your therapist too.

 

[Riot]

I just wanted to chime in... I see a psychiatrist, and he's the only mental health care provider I see. He pretty much nailed the PTSD thing after our second session. I see him twice a week now, and he pretty much doesn't press anything and is pretty sensitive to my feelings about it. I just wanted to put that out there, for whatever it may be worth to any readers.