The doctors told my husband that he had the beginning signs of PTSD and my friend who has it says he sounds like he has it.... but the doctors took back that he has PTSD.... what's up with that???

Did they offer an alternate diagnosis? Maybe it's just general depression, or they don't have conclusive enough signs to actually start medicating/treating him for such a strong disorder.

I would go get a 2nd oppinion...from a doctor of base

Was he actually diagnosed? did the doctor give him a reason why he thinks is not PTSD anymore? Does your husband thinks he has PTSD?

If they say it's the "beginnings" of PTSD then it's not oficially PTSD,there's a lot of criteria for diagnosis, including time period, most likely it's daignosably "acute stress" which is the START of PTSD. After SIX months of the problems and them causing adverse affects in his life then it is DIAGNOSABLY PTSD. I suggest he get help NOW so that these things don't get worse, because more often than not they do. It's GREAT that he went in early to see what's going on. That's encouraging, and because it's early he can prevent it getting much worse. There are some resources posted in here.
It won't hurt to get a second opinion if you wish to though.
Good luck and we're here for you!

PS- if you want to tell us, what exactly is going on ?

Also, if it was a PHYSICIAN as opposed to a psychologist or psychiatrist (the difference- psychiatrist is an MD and leans more towards medications. They are also able to prescribe whereas psychologists can't except for in New Mexico and Arizona right now.) then that's why he "took it back." He's not qualified legally to make that diagnosis.
I looked in my DSM-IV-TR (That's the book Psychologists and counselors use to diagnose mental disorders) for you and found exactly what the description is. This is what they will look for to diagnose the problem. Note that they don't have to have ALL these symptoms, just a specific number. ;)

Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
There is no laboratory test for PTSD. The diagnosis of PTSD is based on the clinical history of the patient and the occurrence of a traumatic event. A diagnosis of PTSD cannot be made without a clear history of a traumatic event.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) specifies the symptoms and criteria for PSTD in its Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders:

Diagnostic Criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following were present:

The person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others.

The person’s response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror.
Note: In children, this may be expressed instead by disorganized or agitated behavior.

The traumatic event is persistently reexperienced in (or more) of the following ways:
Recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions.
Note: In young children, repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the trauma are expressed.
Recurrent distressing dreams of the event.
Note: In children, there may be frightening dreams without recognizable content.
Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring (includes a sense of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative flashback episodes, including those that occur on awakening or when intoxicated). Note: In young children, trauma-specific reenactment may occur.
Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.
Physiological reactivity on exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.
Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness (not present before the trauma), as indicated by three (or more) of the following:

Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the trauma.
Efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the trauma
Inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma
Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities
Feeling of detachment or estrangement from others
Restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to have loving feelings)
Sense of a foreshortened future (e.g., does not expect to have a career, marriage, children, or a normal life span)

Persistent symptoms of increased arousal (not present before the trauma), as indicated by two (or more) of the following:
Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Irritability or outbursts of anger
Difficulty concentrating
Hypervigilance
Exaggerated startle response
Duration of the disturbance (symptoms in Criteria B, C, and D) is more than 1 month.

The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

APA. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. 1994. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Another tool used to evaluate symptoms of PTSD is the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), a self-reporting questionnaire that assesses the nature of trauma, the patient's current condition, and the prognosis. The CAPS also helps identify associated conditions or complications, such as guilt and an impaired sense of surroundings.

Differential Diagnosis
Other conditions cause many of the symptoms experienced in PTSD and these conditions must be ruled out. Additionally, conditions such as substance abuse and depression develop as complications of PTSD. Ultimately, the distinguishing factor is the fact that the patient has experienced a severe trauma.

Some of the conditions that must be ruled out include the following:

Adjustment disorder
Depression
Panic disorder
Substance abuse or dependence disorder
Furthermore, malingerers — that is, people who falsely claim to be traumatized—sometimes feign PTSD symptoms in order to win money in a court case as compensation for "emotional suffering."

Course
The course of PTSD is often determined on when the person begins to experience symptoms.

Immediate Onset

Better response to treatment
Better prognosis (i.e., less severe symptoms)
Fewer associated symptoms or complications
Symptoms are resolved within 6 months
Delayed Onset

Associated symptoms and conditions develop
Condition more likely to become chronic
Possible repressed memories
Worse prognosis
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About 50% of those who have acute onset of symptoms recover within 6 months. Roughly 30% develop chronic symptoms that may affect them for the rest of their lives. Others experience intermittent periods of symptom severity and remission.

Hope this helps!

well they told him he has combat stress and anixeity(sp?) and he was having night terrors as well.... then was the whole homicidal and suicidal tendencies.... but anyways, they told that the next week they'd put him on meds.... well he went back the next week and he'd just got off the phone with me, and they said oh you don't have PTSD anymore, you are fine becuase you are happier.... and he told the doctor, "that's because i just called my wife you idiot!" and yea, it's been a fun deployment with his superiors and their wives......

maybe get him into a counselor or get a second opinion.

we just gave up.... if he has anything they find it in his post deployment eval....

Combat Stress and anxiety are the start of PTSD and as far as him being happier so it's not ptsd.. wow, that dumbss should be kicked in the stones!

like i said we gave up.... matt's unit is retarded anyways

GAH! >< This is why I get SO ANGRY at the damn military! Grrrr...
okay, that being said, LOL, this is why I want to specialize in this and get a GS job. Blech!
If you think you need help, I would get it elsewhere. PLEASE don't give up!
This is important! There's a lot you can do even without a diagnosis!

trust me his unit is retarded. he treatened to commit suicide and they put him on suicide watch with a loaded gun.... he cut wrists and told him he was ok..... so that's why we gave up

I'm so sorry! but please don't give up! even if he feels he gives up do what you can to get him to see someone else. By what you are saying he does not sound ok. I really hope he gets the help he needs.

yea, i've gone to everyone, and i've told everyone, and all i get is threats and people saying my husband isn't a man or my old frg leader saying he's a spineless pussy.... >.< i hate it, i jut wnat him home.... and he's talked to everyone up high over there and they go back to his platoon sgt and say the only reason he's acting this way is because he wants to come home

Maybe you can at least learn a little about PTSD for when he gets home...from what I've seen, it's hard for people to get a diagnosis for PTSD when they are still deployed, maybe that's part of why they will not give him a straight answer. Just stay after the issue once he gets back, because it can take a ridiculously long time to get the diagnosis, etc...it took 18 mos for my best friend to get his disability status for severe PTSD.
Good luck, girl...God, I wish I could help you, it's so hard...

I would get a second opinion

I'd recommend reaching out to www.thesoldiersproject.org they may be able to help.

well, we aren't too worried about it because he's not really different toward me..... :sigh it's hard to explain.... plus he's getting out next year...... i really wish he was able to go into the airforce.... because it's the one thing he'd want to do..... since i don't think he'll be able to do what he wants...... ugh....

They should also have a front line psychiatrist. I don't want to be melodramatic but giving up isn't an option. If he's homicidal/suicidal/ slitting his wrists.. he could DIE if you give up! I'll talk to my dad (a flight surgeon in the AF) and see what resources I can come up with.
Do you mind PMing me and telling me where he is? Kate

I have PTSD, and I think its usually pretty clear cut if someone is suffering from it or not. I would go get a 2nd opinion if you feel that he truely has it.

yea, me and hubby have 2 friends who have it hardcore. and i talked to them about it and everything and they both agreed that he should be put on rear d then be over there. ugh. well all that happened in kuwait, before he even went to iraq. but he's been home for R&R and he's doing a little better.... not so much, but like very very very very little..... :sigh i hate not hearing from him.... i'm starting to think i'm getting more and more depressed..... ugh, i'm starting to really not want to do christmas at all..... :sigh

i'm so pissed.... i know matt's not going to tell anyone how he really feels except me.... and he's not going to get the proper treatment and his superiors don't understand that we NEED to talk to each other because i have bi-polar he has PTSD and UGH the army or at least his UNIT is PISSING me off!!!!!:vent:vent:vent

Honestly? They're trying to take back the diagnosis so that they don't have to pay for / deal with his PTSD. It's very hard to get PTSD pushed through with the military, and sometimes it's hardly worth it 'cos they don't have the proper resources to deal with the number of soldiers / military coming home with it.

They'll try to lump his PTSD into an Anxiety Disorder so that they don't have to pay out for both. :shrug

Don't let them get away with that! It'll be a fight, but... don't let them get away with ignoring the problem 'cos they don't wanna deal with it.

no, it'd be hubby trying to get them to him out the quickest..... he'll lie and say he's fine, nothing is wrong with him.... ugh, i swear that boy'll drive me up the wall!!!! lol i mean i know he wants to move, but i don't want him to not get the treatment he needs to get better.... last thing i need is for him to fly off the handle and the army not do shit about it because hubby said he was fine.... ugh.... silly hubby