How many doubt that doctors can diagnosis. right?

[BusynMember]

With no blood tests and so many diagnosis. sounding the same, does anyone get the feeling that the doctors are guessing? I do! I think my son finally has the right diagnosis.--I just see pure Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in him. However, I know I've had ten labels for myself and, to be honest, I don't believe they really know what is going on. I think it's the same for our kids. They guess. They prescribe. We hope for the best. And sometimes, when their treatment doesn't work, did anyone ever blame YOU? "You must not be giving MY medications the right way...blah, blah, blah." LOL, they blamed me. Fortunately, I have a healthy skepticism for anyone in the psychiatric field and laughed it off. I have less faith in therapists of any kind than Psychiatrists and NeuroPsychs, because therapists are touting the latest theories, and they change like the wind. But I don't really trust Psychiatrists either. They are also guessing. Just a mild vent.

 

[mrscatinthehat]

I can relate. It's either that or once they "decide" what it is they aren't willing to budge or change medications without almost an act of congress.

Beth

 

[TerryJ2]

Oh, yeah, it's always Mom's fault.
Yes, doctors guess. But we assume their guesses are based on experience and not horoscopes. It is so very, very frustrating.
Hey, it's not just psychiatric docs, it's medication docs who can't tell the diff between Lyme Disease and the flu!
When we find a doctor who is compassionate, intelligent, well-trained, and curious, we are very lucky!!!!

 

[Hound dog]

Yep. All the time. Most of the time it depends on how good and how much experience the doctor has.

I believe Travis' dxes are right. Too obvious. I don't see how they missed even the Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) for so long, except most of the docs he saw had never heard of autism being a spectrum disorder.

Nichole's are also right on the nose. But then again I've had several psychiatrists tell me it so obvious in her that to miss it you'd have to be pretty bad. Hmmmmm, let's see 2 psychiatrists did miss it. lol

This is why I so recommend getting more opinions if you don't feel the diagnosis fits the child.

Believe it or not, you even seen this in other areas not just with psychiatrists and tdocs. My family doctor, well he's just not that good. Nichole and easy child's on the other hand is a fantastic doctor. Soon as we have insur again I'm switching to their doctor. And these guys share a practice.

 

[WhymeMom?]

Yep, I have always believed this.....just how they prescribe medications....lets TRY this medication, if that doesn't work lets try that medication.....oh, and uh side effects???? Well, watch for this, that and blah, blah, blah.....

Always felt difficult child was a guienea pig......

 

[BusynMember]

I think Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) isn't that hard to diagnosis. which is so appalling that it is often misdiagnosed, medicated like bipolar or ADHD, and the kids aren't referred for services. It's the bipolar/personality disorders/conduct disorder/ADHD/Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)/ODD that I don't think they know, experience or not. What one calls Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) one may call bipolar. It drives me nuts. I'm positive Lucas finally got dxd. right--but what took so long? What was with the ADHD/ODD and bipolar?
And I've had diagnoses I've never heard of...lol. It's such an inexact science.
I agree that this can happen with regular medical conditions that also have no magic "blood test." But Psychiatry and the neurological issues are ALL a guess...

 

[SRL]

My experience was very different. I made an appointment to discuss my concerns with my pediatrician. He took me seriously the first time and referred us to a developmental pediatrician who nailed the diagnosis on the head the first time (after taking in the data from the two speech/language clinics we were referred to). My difficult child was borderline Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) so it wasn't a slam dunk diagnosis and if my pediatrician had more of a gifted but difficult kid mentality he easily could have sent us the therapy/medication route.

The only thing I wished the developmental pediatrician had done differently was to refer us for a complete Occupational Therapist (OT) assessment right away--there were signs of both sensory and fine motor problems which it seemed he was compensating for but in reality it was us who was accomodating him. He could have greatly benefitted from starting therapy right away and I could have benefitted from the education.

More and more I think it's less about the *type* of specialist doing the diagnosis, but more about the quality and experience and thoroughness of the specific specialists you do see. I've mentioned here before that we have an ADHD clinic in a hospital in our region that I'd put up against anyone, including for their ability to pick up underlying and comorbid causes.

 

[mrscatinthehat]

OK I already responded but right now my assessment of these folks just went from not good to flushed down the toilet.

Beth

 

[SnowAngel]

I think its bad enough that many of our family and friends try and tell us how to fix our children and what we did wrong. Then you go to someone with a major degree and they aren't sure yet what your kid has. It looks like this, however it could be that.

I have 2 boys 1yr apart and one dr tried diagnosis my younger son off of his older brother's chart? I too feel like my kids are guinnea pigs. Some side effects are frightening and you never get detailed info because they rarely happen...well peanut was paralized on half his body after taking his 2nd dose of Abilify 5mg. He is fine now but man was I speeding to the ER.

 

[SRL]

I think much of the problem today is money driven. The primary concern of most parents first entering the process is which specialist is covered by their insurance company, not which specialist in the area has proven themselves most reputable among parents. Given the high costs in many regions, I can't say that I blame them but I often think it would save more money and headache in the long run if they went by parent recommendation instead of insurance company restrictions.

 

[Star*]

I would have to add:

Which Doctor (not witch doctor)
Which Residential Treatment Center (RTC)
Which Time

My son has been given 64 different prescriptions for about 7 different diagnoses. Every time he went to a different Residential Treatment Center (RTC) and saw a new Psychologist? We got a different diagnosis.

Some of them were:
ADD, ADHD, ADHD, PTSD, ODD, Encopretic & Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), Bipolar, Bipolar with Borderline tendencies, BiPolar with ADHD, Encopreses, and CD, Aspergers with ADHD, PTSD, ODD, and the latest and final diagnosis...

He's just a narcassistic jerk who will be a budding psychopath. :ill: with severe ADHD, PTSD and CD.

I currently suffer from Alphabetitis-diagnoses-incorrectis. :hammer:

 

[BusynMember]

Wow! I thought two wrong diagnosis. and ten wrong medications was bad!!!
The worst part, in my opinion, is how fast they pull out a prescription pad. Many say, "We'll see if this works" and I'm convinced it's because they don't know what's wrong, so they take a guess (usually a stimulant first).
I have found a vast difference in WHAT is diagnosed regarding Psychiatrists and Psycologists (and in advance, for those who don't know, I'm not a big fan of Psychologists, since in my opinion most aren't very helpful). To be fair, that's MY experience. Psychiatrists stick to the tried and true diagnosis.--depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, ADHD. Psycologists tend to get into the personality disorders and stuff that I don't really buy even exist (so it's also a matter of opinion). You can go to ten different professionals and get ten different answers. We did go for many second opinions, but sometimes that only made it worse.

 

[Sara PA]

Don't get me started.... :nonono:

 

[BusynMember]

LOL Ranger and Sara! :wink:

 

[crazymama30]

I doubt many docs, psychiatrists and reg docs both. I have had pt's go into ER and be told nothing is wrong (after a fall) you are just bruised, and days later they go back as the pain is horrible and they have a broken hip. I have heard of people being diagnosed with MS, and they have Lyme's disease. When doctors are practicing medicine it is just that, practice.

 

[OpenWindow]

My favorite psychiatrist was the one who said psychiatry was basically just a guessing game and medications were trial and error based on his educated guess.

We've also never had any professional (we've been to all kinds) tell us that they were sure of his diagnosis. Every one has said that this certain diagnosis seems to fit him the best, but they aren't convinced that's what the issue is. They think there's something else. Every single one, except two who refused to even give us a diagnosis at all because they said they couldn't certain disorders in or out.

He started with ODD when he was 4, then ADD, ADHD, DAMP, possible Asperger's, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), definitely not bipolar, possible thought disorder, maybe bipolar, and now the latest addition, Major Depressive Disorder.

So, yes, I think they are just guessing.

Linda

 

[guest3]

Oh well after todays appointment I have to say no they have no clue! I am tired of trying countless medications on my kid and having worse effects, I am frustrated at all of the "opinions" and "judgements" that come my way yet none seem to really help the problem. Sigh.................venting!