Poll What Was Your Diagnosis/Misdiagnosis Prior to PTSD?

[vietnam2nd]

i had many miss diagnoses. the only one that was right i am bipolar. i take medicine for that as well as for my ptsd. i was called psychotic and pernoid schizophrenic.

 

[lrs]

I was at a rapid detox center, accompanied by my mother. If I remember it was around Easter of 1998. I was addicted to hydrocodone cough syrup, and my life was going to hell in a handbasket. The day before the actual procedure the head honcho did a psychological evaluation. That night he came in told my mother and I that he suspected I had PTSD. It was kind of awkward. I was a little shocked to hear it, but we both knew what was up with that.

 

[fin]

I was told reactive depression, have been treated for manic/bi-polar depression and then told again they were mistaken reactive depression.
Six years ago I was diagnosed with PTSD and put on short term (supposed to be six months) meds. My psychiatrist left and I didnt find out for over a year-I was waiting for a follow-up but they kept saying waiting list. At this time I had some CBT therapy but it was short lived as my H/A was short funded.
I know I was lucky to get what I had.
After four years of increasing meds which pushed me down further and allowed my abusive partner to further violate me I said no more.
Unfortunately I started two years of Psychotherapy which was the wrong kind -I didnt know! I thought someone would see something wasnt right if it wasnt right!! But no it just got worse and while I had been told before starting it that it, might not be right "they will just sit there and you will go on and on, nothing will change" I am directly quoting there. Well I was also told that that was the only thing available to me in my area. So as I knew I was getting worse and desperate I took it up.
It was during this period my support worker changed (and by that I mean I got a new support worker) and he realised when I started freaking out more that I might need some more help, and so set me up with some CBT from an EMDR specialist to help me just cope with what the other therapy had brought on. At this time I was diagnosed with Complex-PTSD
I was supposed to start EMDR in March-May of this last year (2008) with that same psychologist. She had prepped me ready to start and then they froze her post.
I have since begun being assessed (the last 2-3 months maybe) by a new psychologist and hope to start work with her in the new year(2009). The thing that I am tying not to think about is that she has no relative PTSD training.
Ask me about mis-diagnose, slipping through the net. spiralling traumas as a result of not really being able to trust my own judgement to ANY extent.
And then being made to feel that I was wrong wrong to be trying to get any more help. That there were other people in the world...I already knew that. I really did.. but I kept getting pushed around from one support worker to another and never really getting the right treatment.
I think maybe this sounds harsher than I mean it to... but I just realised that I am really the only person that is going to fight for me. And that I am really fighting now for my life.
I cant believe I just wrote all that
I think maybe I have some triggers, maybe some fear, frustration, desperation showing- just slightly. I hope that was more assertive than anything, and I really am truly sorry if it didnt come across that way.
fin x

 

[Lisa]

Diagnosed with reactive depression when I was 17.

Diagnosed with PTSD and Major Depression 2 weeks ago, at the age of 23.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I was misdiagnosed as bipolar II for 5 years.

I have extreme mood swings. However, I never go manic or hypo-manic. I am just a very moody person. Always have been. It was horrible to be known as "that moody little kid" when I was young.

I have anger issues. When the anger is directed outward, I am very vicious. When it is directed inward, I hurt myself.

I have insomnia that comes and goes. I've been a horrible insomniac since the age of 17.

 

[Lionheart]

I was first diagnosed with fragmented personality disorder.
~Lewie~

 

[naturalfirebrand]

Depression

I am not depressed. I have taken every anti depressant you have heard of and quite a few you have not. This started in 1986.

The only thing any of these drugs did was give me every negative side effect on the list. Not one did anything possitive. I liken it to if the only tool you have is a hammer just bang away.

My sister is still pushing the depression label on me. It is easier for her to see me as depressed because people get that way, no reponsability. For her to acknowlege my CPTSD she might have to look at her role in it.

I have no contact with her. A therepist once told me if you put your hand in the fire and get burnt whay would you continue to repeat the action?

Linda

 

[Jubilation4Me]

In the mid-80's, I was diagnosed with anxiety issues. I was given medication and took that for a very short period of time. Several months later, I was hospitalized for a few weeks and given medication for depression. The doctor's couldn't really decide what disorder I had, but it was very plain to see that I, in fact, was suffering with severe depression. I was also informed at this time that I had intense anger and rage issues. This totally blew my mind! I just couldn't understand how I could be diagnosed with anger issues! At that time, I wasn't able to understand that I was in fact angry and had been for most of my life. I guess I just turned it all inward.....on myself!

A few years later, I was hospitalized again with symptoms of depression. I only stayed in the hospital a few days this time. I was informed by the doctor that he thought I was suffering from Bi-Polar and that's what he decided to treat me for. I took medication for that disorder and tried to make the most of my life........totally over-medicated and zombie-like!

A few years after that diagnosis, it was suggested to me that I might have PTSD. I read everything that I could find on PTSD and I just didn't feel that I actually fit the disorder. At that time, most everything that I read centered around a military-related cause, and even though I knew that I fit some of the criteria in the diagnosis......I just didn't think that it really applied to me or my situation. So, I just chalked that up to another mis-diagnosis!

A few months ago, I stumbled onto some information about C-PTSD. After reading over the material, I instantly knew what was really and truly wrong with me! BINGO!!!!! Finally, it all made some sense! Luckily, I was guided to this site, and I've been so fortunate to be able to learn so much more!

 

[cat]

My GP was treating me for chronic fatigue syndrome & depression until I found the courage to tell her what other symptoms I'd had for the previous 4 yrs, somehow I had convinced myself I was imagining them.

 

[Fennel]

I was misdiagnosed as having just Major Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. One therapist thought I was even borderline. The GAD diagnosis was mostly because my flashbacks manifested much like panic attacks. The therapist who thought I was borderline was going by my behavior when I would trigger. I used to bite and hurt myself when I triggered heavily. Finally when I started talking about my traumas my therapist connected the dots and gave me a diagnosis of C-PTSD.

Fennel

 

[anni]

Hi,

I was very fortunate, and had no idea that others had so much struggle with this. It must have been awful.

I was diagnosed without anything else being discussed, so was certainly lucky there.

Take care,

Anni

 

[This Ends Now]

I was diagnosed as a kid. My first T told my mom that my symptoms would go underground and re-surface again later... so I was able to get therapy for some of the trauma.

Since then PTSD is the one thing every doctor, social worker, psychologist, therapist, and psychiatrist has agreed on. Sometimes they also say there are co-morbid issues... depression, anxiety, panic disorder, bi-polar, and most recently DID. I am not sure if it is that those things co-exist or the symptoms overlap. At least there is one solid diagnosis that can be agreed upon.