HOW WERE YOU DIAGNOSED?

[Chewie]

I have to admit that I have 'self diagnosed' myself with anxiety. It had a lot had to do with this forum and you very helpful people. Tons of you share some of the same problems that I have and I took a lot of comfort in that.

 I would like to know what events led to others on here actually being professionaly diagnosed with anxiety. Is there a series of tests that an MD would perform? Does a psychologist have to diagnose you?

I ask this because I am very soon going to be seeing my doctor about this problem and I want to have as much info as I can on the subject so that she will pay more attention to what is actually going on. Most doctors just seem to rush you along, whip out their prescription pads and say they will see you in a couple of weeks.

[learning to cope]

I had a couple of people who are close to me and are in the medical field suggest that I may have had an issue with GAD after I had what was thought to be a nervous breakdown. I began therapy shortly thereafter and was diagnosed through observation with GAD.

[bababel]

I too haven't been "officially" diagnosed with anxiety.  I've been to a zillion doctors about my symptoms because they are so scary and they order tests and then when the results come in they just tell me that I'm healthy.  Not one has said, "I think this is all anxiety." 

I'm still waiting for my diagnosis too!

[Kryztle21]

I was one day folding laundry and then my left arm went numb and i started getting dizzy and chest pain...i was rushed to the hospital thinking i was having a heart attack....I was givin ativan and have been living thru this 4 2yrs ad 4 therapists.

[ironmary]

After many doctor visits about how I was feeling, I was given a brochure about GAD and then the doctor suggested that this is what was causing everything.  Then she suggested medication, which I wasn't ready for...yet.

[Zeus]

Had severe anxiety issues since I was 14.  I went to the library back then (the internet was non-existent at the time) and self diagnosed myself with an anxiety form of Neurosis -- they don't even use that term any more.  For years I tolerated it even though I suffered immensely from anxiety and worry.  The anxiety got to the point where I started to have physical problems such as GERD, IBS, stomach ulcers, and very bad headaches.  Finally I went to see my family doctor about the headaches and after some discussion he prescribed Paxil -- which turned my life around almost 180 degrees.  He never did give me an official diagnosis of GAD but after all my research I knew I had it -- I fit all the criteria to a "T".  About 18 months after that I really wanted to get an official diagnosis so I went to a psychiatrist.  After a few visits he told me I was dealing with GAD.  By the way, other than getting a diagnosis from him, I never did receive any counsel or advice or help.  After spending hundreds of $$, I walked away from him no better than when I first met him.

[JJP]

I started having physical symptoms when I was 22, saw countless doctors and had countless tests done. All of them revealed I was fine, and a few of the specialists I had suggested that I may have anxiety. So I asked my family doctor to set me up an appointment with the hospitals psychologist. I first met with a social worker at the hospital who said I definitely had GAD. I was then set up with the psychologist at the hospital who confirmed this. And then I started getting therapy from another therapist who AGAIN confirmed GAD. They say I have a straight forward case even though my physical symptoms are bad - which is why I've never went with medication. I'm 25 now by the way.