New Member Question

[Sparkles]

Hello,

My name is Caroline. I think I have PTSD. I have to go to the doctors tomorrow to register as a new patient, which is something I’ve avoided doing all these years, and hopefully after they do all the necessary new patient stuff (bloods/urine) I will finally get to see a doctor.

To be honest I’m not sure how I should approach the situation. Do I directly tell the doctor I think I have PTSD or skirt around the ‘title’ and tell him my problems/symptoms and see what he says? I think there are flaws in both approaches. Or do I simply tell him I need to be referred to a psychiatric doctor? I don’t even know if that’s the right term to use!

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Caroline x

 

[anni]

Hi Caroline,

I think it would be good to tell him you suspect PTSD might be an issue. For one thing, if you do have it, it can affect various tests since PTSD does sometimes have an affect on our bodies. Some of the really astute docs tend to pick it up this way, anyway-I had one do that once, and was astonished! :) Who knew?:)

It's hard for me to bring it up out of the blue, so I know it's not easy but since you've gotten this far it would be a good thing. if you ask for that psych refarral he'll probably ask for the reason anyway? Docs do have training with anxiety disorders, and will probably surprise you by his/her helpfulness as to the next step. It's a relief to have made that step too, even if somewhat intimidating. :)

Hope it goes well for you, and take care!

Anni

 

[cherryblossom]

Hi Caroline,

Welcome to the forum. If it were me, I would tell your doc your symptoms and let him or her do the diagnosis, or referal, as apropriate. Many general practitioners can be too quick to diagnose, without all the real facts. PTSD is not easily diagnosed due to the many differet facets of the illness, such as depression, insomnia, anxiety, agrophobia etc. It is easily and often mis-diagnosed, and for that reason I wouldn't go to see a doctor saying, "I think I have PTSD". I would tell them all the facts and your circumstances, and symptoms, and let them diagnose the problem. PTSD, or any other psychiatric disorder should only really be diagnosed by a psychiatrist. PTSD is one hell of a crappy illness, and I hope you don't have it. But self-diagnosis is never recommended here.

Until your appointment, there is plenty to read here, regarding PTSD.

All the best to you,
CB

 

[Sparkles]

Sorry but I have another question.

Can flashbacks be trusted as the truth? I had a flashback earlier which prompted me to remember an incident I’d forgotten about but it also ‘filled in the blanks’ so to speak surrounding the incident and in doing so opened up a whole chasm of questions I know I will never find the answers for. I mentioned the flashback to a close friend and he said it may not be a true incident, but the mind playing tricks, like for example, someone with dementia who recalls something happening yesterday that actually didn’t.

I don’t want these flashbacks but if I can’t rely on what they make me relive then that, in a sense, leaves me even more crestfallen. I do remember the incident in which my flashback took me to, I just don’t understand why when I knew I’d been abused, that I hadn’t linked it to my abuse a long time ago before I forgot it.

So, in short, can I trust my flashbacks?

 

[amethist]

Hi Sparkles

Welcome to the forum.

As a carer I cannot really give you an answer to your question about flashbacks not having had them myself. What I can do is tell you that my husbands flashbacks are always connected to his accident, though they do sometime change, as in different ending, different location and even slightly different events happening than actually did take place at the time.

You will be able to find a better understanding about them if you have a look at the section dealing with flashbacks and disassociation.

[DLMURL]http://www.ptsdforum.org/forums/69-Flashbacks-amp-Dissociation[/DLMURL]

You can link to it by clicking on the above link. I hope this helps you to see how they can effect you.

Take care and good luck.

Amethist

 

[anni]

Yes, I didn't know until joining here that some people have flashbacks which are different. Mine are always. always precise and are quite specific and 'factual'. The information here has been helpful hearing that things are different, really with sufferers. It was even astonishing to me, after years of this dam thing, the physical manifestations which can be associated, I had no idea! All I can say is that for some reason being able to have all the resources here by way of solid facts has been comforting for some reason. I do hope it is for you!