Bad days of Asperger's/ADHD/Dyslexia

pink_numbers

This is a rant, and so please feel free to ignore me!

I am really fed up at the moment.

I was diagnosed with dyslexia, then ADHD. When I was diagnosed with ADHD, the doctor said I am most likely to have asperger's, but he couldn't test it, and so I should find someone else. He also took me off his books on the grounds that I refused to medicate my ADHD.

I have asked my local branch of NAS about where I could get tested for adult asperger's, with no reply. I have asked a lecturer who carries out training into adult learning difficulties, she passed me onto her colleague and I heard nothing. I have asked the disability services at my university, they couldn't help.

I feel very isolated, it seems that people don't care about adults suffering from these things.

sorry for the rant.

parapusher

Hi, I was diagnosed with AS at age 40, I asked my GP to refer me to a psychiatrist - actually I asked for a particular one, who had been treating my children (both autistic) and who specialised in autism.

The local branches of the NAS tend to only be parents of autistic/aspie children, and are not interested in helping adults with the condition. I've looked on the NAS website for you, as I thought I remembered a section on there for adults, but they have changed their site and I can't find it. You could try ringing their helpline see:
http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=819

Good Luck - now I have a diagnosis, I don't get any help - apparently I'm not disabled enough.

pink_numbers

Hi Parapusher, thank you so much for replying. I know what you mean, I've never received help for my dyslexia or ADHD either. They all say "well you got this far, you're fine", not realising that actually, you've struggled this far, and a little help would make a huge difference.

I will try the helpline and see what they say.

TaBunny

Hey there pink sorry to hear you're feeling so down but I'm glad you decided to come on here and let off steam it really is theraputic to let it all out and find solace with others who know what you are going through. Personally I have no experience with what you are suffering but do want to give you a cyber hug and hope that you will find help here.

kazzah

Pink - Your GP SHOULD refer you to your local Mental health service and there should be a psychologist/psychiatrist there who can diagnose you
but PLEASE don't think that once you ahve a diganosis that there will be LOTS of support for you.
My son is now 18 and was under the care of our local child and adolescent mental health serivecs and had good support from them- but at 17 he was too old for them and was discharged with a recommendation we send him to our local MIND group for under 25's - they are good there and offer social activities - but as for help with coping - there has been NONE and nor do I expect to get any - your area may be different, so DO press ahead with a diagnosis - but pelase don't think it will magically open doors........I don't think it will

Savvy_sewing

I have identical twins, aged 20 now, who both have been diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism when younger. I am fighting continually to get help. Mostly we slip through the net on help. The only help we now get is Teenage Support Workers from the social services, as the girls both have had babies. All live with me. I dont get any help financially what so ever.The girls disability money was stopped when they became 18. The carers element was lost when they were 16.!
I spend all my life trying to get them help, too no real avail. I wish luck to those adults on here but I feel very dispondent about help for the girls. We have spent the last ten years fighting all the way. I have become ill myself and worry about thier future. I now have Spondylosis and have just been laid off of work, having been off sick for the last 4 months, with related pain, and also with stress. Thats a laugh as I have even more stress now as the finances are running on empty half of the time.
(I have struggled to save my emergency funds at £1,000 as seen in my signature, but I fear it will soon be gone.!)

blackeberg

I've been looking into who can diagnose Aspergers in adults recently and there don't seem to be that many places within the UK. It's geographically limited but those living within the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire NHS region can get a GP referral to a clinic called CLASS - http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/clinical/class.asp.

I've heard about a similar operation in Reading but don't have any contact details.

pink_numbers

Thank you so much for all your replies!

Kazzah: I realise that my chances of getting any help is very slim, as I have been to two psychologists already who diagnose me of things (Dyslexia and ADHD) then basically tell me to get the hell out of their office, unless I want to go on medication. I am sorry to hear that you are having similar difficulties getting support in coping

Mooloo, it is amazing that you are doing so much for your twins, it makes a world of difference just to have someone that is willing to fight for you.

blackeberg, yes I have trawled through the NAS directory, to no avail!! Thank you so much for letting me know about CLASS

mummytofour

Hiya!

I am a mum to a son with ADHD and ASD. I have dyslexia and Irelens syndrome both just diagnosed and I think I may have auditory processing disorder... These things are all so over laping and I wonder about ADHD myself but it could just be my dyslexia. I worry as in total I have 5 kids and each and every one I am sure has something but where to start? Mine are something like this

child I am sure has ADHD and dyslexia
Child two I am sure has ADHD
Child 3 has ADHD and ASD
Child 4 has laungage problems
Child 5 has laungage problems probalbal ADHD and ASD

Its a nightmare and OP the only thing I have to say is FIGHT its your only option x x
Its soooo wrong but its the only thing we can do.

Can I ask why you dont want meds?

PolishBigSpender

So...only one of your children has actually been diagnosed with anything, yet you think they have all these problems?

It seems rather unlikely.

duchy

Perhaps if you had any genuine knowledge on the subject you might say something sensible or useful.
It isn't uncommon for siblings to show similar symptoms-sometimes because these conditions do run in families and partly due to mimicking and learned response from other siblings.
However as Mr Gump says "You can't argue with stoopid" so I shan;t bother to !