Posted by fachad on February 25, 2003, at 15:44:24
In reply to Is diagnosis important ?, posted by White Stone on February 25, 2003, at 15:06:30
> I have definite symptoms from several different disorders... He seems to be trying to arrive at a more conclusive diagnosis based on how the medications effect my symptoms.
>Is this normal? Is a diagnosis important?
Don't get me started...here's my take on your situation, lifted from another post a few months back:
>Anyway, if you want to know my opinion, AD's are indicated when depression is primary and anxiolytics when anxiety is primary.
I'm somewhat skeptical about the validity of DSM-IV diagnosis. I think they are a convenient way to group symptoms and present something “scientific” sounding to third party payers, but I don't think they are as valid as medical diagnosis like streptococcus caused strep throat.
The one thing I absolutely don't buy into at all is medication treatment specificity in psych disorders. By that I mean I don't think one class of meds is always indicated in one class of disorders.
Benzo's probably help some depression patients. Mood stabilizers help some anxiety patients. ADs help some OCD sufferers. Stimulants help some depression patients, and that does not necessarily mean those patients "really had" undiagnosed ADD all along.
The diagnosis are somewhat questionable, but the specificity of treatment concept is a carryover from the germ / antibiotic medical model and it just does not hold water in psych disorders.
It's a real shame in that it limits the possible treatments that are tried and also results in a diagnosis in the event of response. "Oh, I guess you really had (whatever) disorder, because you responded to (whatever class) of meds. Now expect these symptoms too, because they go along with your disorder."
>Anxiety patients go through life thinking that that's just the best meds have to offer without having been given the freedom of choice to try bzd's on equal footing with ssri's and similar drugs.
Yes, and they have to PAY more for those less effective SSRIs, too. And depression patients go on from one ineffective, side effect laden AD to another, without trying stimulants, unless there is some indication of ADHD, or without trying benzos, unless there is evidence of GAD, or whatever...
The whole post that was taken from is here:http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020408/msgs/103154.html
And if you're in the mood for another diatribe along similar lines, take a look here:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020307/msgs/97442.html
poster:fachad
thread:203746
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030224/msgs/203763.html