change in diagnosis

I am very confused and worried. I was diagnosised with Bipolar in 2001. I have had episodes of depression and hypomanic since the age of 17. Major mood swings, psychotic syptoms throughout the years. Several hospital admissions. I agreed with the diagnosis as i had done independent research and also worked in mental health. I have been seeing the same consultant psychiatrist every 3 months over the past few years. However i saw a different psychiatrist last time and received a letter today, the follow up letter that goes to the GP which i dont usually get a copy of. The diagnosis stated on the letter is chronic recurrent depressive, chronic anxiety disorder, apart from the confusion and anger about changing my diagnosis without discussing this with me. I am very worried about how this may effect benefits and my pending reassessment with ATOS. Any one else had this happen and should i know be extra worried?

Carole

A change in diagnosis like this is bound to be upsetting, particularly if you believe it to be wrong. If it matters to you to keep your previous diagnosis, you could ask your GP to refer you to a bipolar specialist.

However, for benefits purposes it shouldn't matter.

If you are on DLA, it is based on your care and/or mobility needs, not your diagnosis.

If you are on IB, you will get it on one of two bases. You either get it for fitting certain criteria as to what you can or cannot do, where diagnosis is irrelevant, or you get it on the basis of an exception for people with severe mental illness, where again the specific diagnosis is irrelevant, it is the impact on your functioning that is relevant.

ESA follows the same principles. Either you meet certain criteria, irrelevant of diagnosis, or you get it on the basis of risk to yourself or someone else, which is also not based on diagnosis.

In short, it's not the diagnosis that matters for DLA, IB or ESA.

Thank you for that survivor.

Thanks Carole and survivor for posting this, you have put my mind at rest. I am in a similar position to you Carole.

carole wrote:

I am very confused and worried. I was diagnosised with Bipolar in 2001. I have had episodes of depression and hypomanic since the age of 17. Major mood swings, psychotic syptoms throughout the years. Several hospital admissions. I agreed with the diagnosis as i had done independent research and also worked in mental health. I have been seeing the same consultant psychiatrist every 3 months over the past few years. However i saw a different psychiatrist last time and received a letter today, the follow up letter that goes to the GP which i dont usually get a copy of. The diagnosis stated on the letter is chronic recurrent depressive, chronic anxiety disorder, apart from the confusion and anger about changing my diagnosis without discussing this with me. I am very worried about how this may effect benefits and my pending reassessment with ATOS. Any one else had this happen and should i know be extra worried?

Carole

this field of practice more than any other gets drs coming up with different results as for getting a second dr to see you and he could well find something different as has been said its not what they say is wrong with you that matters its your needs ... there is also so much overlap in diagnoses

the good news is this new diagnosis has one special word in it that does more good than harm and thats the word chronic IMO

chronic refers to a persistent and lasting medical condition.

the other has the word swings which imo means good times too

now of course you would like to be as fit as a fidle and in full time work but if you cant anything that strengthens your postion has to help