I have a diagnosis of schizophrenia currently. I also have a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment. My doctor claims that it is the sz that is responsible for the cognitive impairment. I am suspicious that it is alzheimers. My pdoc tells me not to self diagnose. There is a history of alzheimers in my family on my dad’s side. My pdoc doesn’t care. He insists I don’t have it. I feel that I am more bipolar than anything. Or, at least schizo affective minimum. What do you do when you question your diagnosis? I am a veteran and I go to the VA Medical Center for care and I see a VA pdoc. I get all of my meds from the VA. I don’t have any other insurance but the VA. And my pdoc happens to be the director of psychiatry for all of the VA Medical Centers for the whole midwest region. I trust my pdoc. but, somehow, I don’t believe this. I have a diagnosis of generalized anxiety too and I know that anxiety can make you distrust you Dr.s diagnosis.
I haved received so many diagnosis over the years. Been accused of faking commiting fraud then in turn told I was unable to live alone and take care of myself. I’ve learned just keep my head down and cooperate.
I’ve never went to a hospital for my disorder but I am certainly psychotic so at this point in my life I’m not going to lie.
I just stay away
Your’e right, probably not a good idea to argue with them.
I’ve always been a very independent person and that is difficult to deal with I guess. But the more cooperative you are the sooner they leave. My friend taught me this in group home 
Poor thing past of pneumonia but she survived the system.
I am diagnosed with sza-depressive type, major depressive secondary. At first I didn’t want to believe it. How could he possibly say that I had schizophrenic tendencies? I was not aware of what others perceived of me. It took months of therapy to make me realize- or open my eyes to the fact that I was a text book case of the disorder.
not really, i just accepted after i was forced to take meds,
but now i am glad i was
i also have GAD and take med for that too
I have always questioned my diagnosis, because psychiatrists question it all of the time.
My current psychiatrist is no exception, she is really confusing me when she basically tells me that I have both bipolar and schizoaffective - I am probably on the scale, where bipolar meets schizoaffective - so I share both set of symptoms.
It gets so confusing that I try not to question it anymore, it would drive me batty
Your pdoc most likely may decide between one or the other someday. Once upon a time, I was diagnosed with severe depression. Then, later, it was changed to bipolar. Then again, it was changed to schizoaffective, bipolar type. This diagnosis held for over 20 years. Now, my diagnosis has recently been changed to schizophrenia, residual type. So, a pdoc’s assessment of the situation can change considerably over time. The question is, will you ever believe your pdoc’s diagnosis? If you have GAD, you may not.
I don’t question I am prone to paranoia but I do question my diagnosis of paranoid PD. This is because I am what I call a "fearful paranoiac " and I do not seem to fit the very negative descriptors for paranoid PD. If an intelligent revision of the criteria occurred to cover two subsets ie (1) aggressive and hostile paranoiacs and (2) avoidant and fearful paranoiacs then I would be more willing to accept the diagnosis.
Are paranoid PD people aggressive and hostile type paranoiacs?
If you read descriptors for the diagnosis it’s certainly portrayed that way.
Thank you…
Do you ever bring that up with your pdoc? The note that you are not an aggressive or hostile paranoiac?
I try to avoid anything too deep or challenging with my pdoc. A past history of questioning put me on bad terms with the pdoc etc and words like " awkward,demanding and troublesome" got thrown about. I try and say as little as possible to avoid a repeat of such abuses, and to keep from things descending back into open hostility.
My current psychiatrist feels that short term/smaller picture presentation is Bipolar… but my long term/bigger picture presentation - social and functionality, I present myself as Schizoaffective.
My therapist says I’m sz and my pdoc says sza. I trust my therapist’s diagnosis because she gave me a reason that made sense. I do question my diagnosis from my pdoc because he said I was too high functioning to be sz. I also have no mood symptoms. It wouldn’t bother me that my pdoc thinks that except my negative symptoms and cognitive symptoms he says are depression. The treatments are different for a mood disorder compared to a thought disorder. I feel pdoc’s label people sza when they don’t know what is wrong and have to pick a label. That has been my experience anyways. 
i accept my diagnose of schizoaffective disorder by psychaitrists, but imo i dont have it, i feel well everyday, even bouts of bliss sometimes…i accept there opinion
for the longest time I did.
My diagnosis seems to be in the process of changing. But my doc gave me an idea that is helping me cope.
As I age my body changes… as my body changed… so does my brain. So as my brain changes… my brain illness might change too.
Considering I’ve been swinging with in a week these past few weeks… I can dig it.
I’ve been going from flat numb and drained … into… Irritated and sick of people… a bit agitated… and then wake up and find myself euphorically giddy.
I’m not anti-med, but facing the idea of adding more… 
I’m accepting that.
I hate to admit it… but I do enjoy the euphoric energy spikes… I can get so much done. I feel amazing when it hits. But when it wears off… my soul hurts.
I do know… that is a warning flag. So it’s time to take the matter seriously and do what I know to be right. Mood stabilizers will be added soon.
LOL. I understand.