Bipolar Support Group

I just started seeing a new tdoc and she can not clarify what diagnosis I am. She said all my symptoms overlap and it could be many different things. She is not questioning my bipolar diagnosis but other disorders I may have. Can she diagnosis me or does she just give feedback to my pdoc.

April, Pdoc diagnoses. Tdoc may give input. Tdoc would usually notice something then should refer you back to Pdoc. Hint, if she cannot clarify what diagnosis... she should probably not be diagnosing.

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I don't want a doctor that is practicing medicine, I want one that has actually gone beyond practicing to actually figured it out.

My tdoc can tell what dx's I have. She keeps in touch with pdoc and they work together. It is usually pdoc that says what you have, but a tdoc has a little more time with you to go over symptoms.

Ok. Thanks. Red you make a good point. If she can't clarify than she shouldn't be diagnosing. What would I do without your guys wisdom?? Thank you!

I was diagnosed by a pdoc and have had that confirmed through the years with both pdocs and tdocs. In the best scenario, they work closely together sharing information.

April,

My t-doc started out with the diagnoses of anxiety. She told me that she would need to get to know me better before she made any changes to my diagnoses. She told me that she likes to start new without preconceived diagnoses so she can listen and form her own opinions and diagnoses. Did you just start seeing her/him? If you did I think it is good that they are not rushing to diagnose you.

They don't prescribe medication so they don't have to be in a hurry, but yes I do believe that a psychologist who has a PhD is very qualified to diagnose a patient. To earn a PhD you have to continue your education for five years or so after college, as long as it takes to become a medical doctor.

Other mental health professionals can certainly submit a diagnoses to your insurance company but I personally would probably be less inclined to believe in them, especially if they came up with some off the wall crap.

edit to add: I was diagnosed by a psychiatrist and a t-doc while in the hospital. My p-doc prescribes my medication, so he gets the last say in the matter. I keep firing my t-docs so you might want to consider that when reading my post. LOL

Post edited by: forever, at: 06/19/2009 08:28 AM

Tdocs and pdocs can make diagnoses although pdocs are the ones you should rely on the most in regards to this. My old tdoc diagnosed me with PTSD, but the attending pdoc who oversaw my treatment when I was IP in 2006 diagnosed me with bipolar. Since then, I've had 4 other pdocs confirm my diagnosis of bipolar. (i.e. previous pdoc, attending pdoc while IP at a different hospital, pdoc I saw in December when I was looking for a new doctor and my current pdoc)

Neon, you can have PTSD and bipolar. Although the symptoms overlap. If there was trauma in your life when you were younger usually PTSD is added. I also have both.

Lainey,

That's true. I was diagnosed with PTSD 4 years after I was diagnosed with bipolar. My PTSD diagnosis was the result of 4 traumas I experienced from age 7-18.

Lainey,

Now I understand your post. What I wrote sounded confusing. What I meant is that the attending pdoc who oversaw my treatment in 2006 following my manic/psychotic episode diagnosed me with bipolar and 4 years later my old tdoc diagnosed me with PTSD. My tdoc thinks I've had PTSD over the past 20 years, but I didn't know it since I never discussed my traumas nor did I know what PTSD was.

Post edited by: neondreams, at: 06/19/2009 10:28 AM