Get tested: Aspergers/HFA/ADD

[Deleted User]

I went my GP on the verge of suicide 17 years ago, after 5 years of being victimised at work. I didn't know what Aspergers was at that time, but I'd had the odd snipe or two about being autistic.

The psychologist told me that it was my own fault that I was being victimised, but refused to say why unless I resigned from my job. After I quit work they just said "some questions don't have an answer". More recently I was told that I never will get an answer, so I wrote to my MP. All I got was a letter from the DoH saying "why don't you talk to your doctor".

The problem is that I got written off as a neurotic from a broken home after my parents were divorced 46 years ago. They're now so blinded by their prejudice that after I was diagnosed with a heart arrhythmia in 2012, cardiology just denied that I'd ever been taken to A&E at all, and discharged me.

If they can deny I have a heart condition when I do, then they could deny I had Aspergers if I did , too.

sh0597

It does help to have an idea of what you think your problem is. You need to see a GP and present a list of symptoms. It's the effect these symptoms have on your daily life that is important.


It won't be a quick process unless you have the money to go private.

Elan

@jack_pott & Indie Kid
Your experiences sound so disappointing. I do believe it's very difficult to get taken seriously by most authorities in health and social care.

@indie kid
urgh I know the making bullet points thing should work right, though even with a paper guide if the GP is aggressive, I don't stand a chance, like if you jump in/dismiss/interrupt me when I'm talking the thought/words just evaporate and I get lost.

On a side note: I was thinking of contacting the NAS/http://www.autism.org.uk/about-autis...diagnosis.aspx, do you have experience with them? What was it like? Are there any charities you would recommend?

@lemontart
I collected and am set to print off descriptors thanks

@Prinzessilein
many many thanks for your post, with it I have decided to try my GP, in the process of trying to be prepared I have become more informed and your reasons perfectly encapsulated my feelings

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Before edit was: can someone suggest a specialist

Indie_Kid

NAS are useless when it comes to adults. Certainly not a charity I'd deal with again. They only care about autistic children and their parents.

bigspender1971

Indie Kid-I dont think that's the case. Push for Action here http://www.autism.org.uk/news-and-events/news-from-the-nas/government-announces-think-autism.aspx is all about adults and not children.

Indie_Kid

er, it is true. That's my experience. They couldn't give me any information (and completely ignored my question) regarding my rights RE: discrimination and they gave me completely wrong information regarding another issue I had. I'm not the only person to have said that. I can think of at least another person who has had the same experience - absolutely no help from NAS at all, despite asking.

skater_kat

it took me 2 years from first suspecting ASD to getting a NHS diagnosis. you have to persist with your GP and if they don't help, register with a new one. also the mental health team assesses you and unless you have a specialist ASD unit then it may be a struggle.

i agree with indie kid, NAS are useless to me, they have no services in my area at all. i have used their 'helpline' which is not helpful at all.

it would help you if you have someone who could help you through the whole process, do you have a relative or friend who could help? or is there a local disability charity you could approach?

good luck

Indie_Kid

bigspender1971 wrote: »

Indie Kid-I dont think that's the case. Push for Action here http://www.autism.org.uk/news-and-events/news-from-the-nas/government-announces-think-autism.aspx is all about adults and not children.

Push for action is to force LAs to support us. Not holding my breath on that either. My LA and social services are both useless.

sunnyone

ASD is a life long conditions and I cant understand how so many people got through their childhood without anything being picked up at school?

I was refered to Ed Pyscology soon after I started school and I was seen regularly until I left school, back in the early seventies I dont think Aspergers was really recognised but they knew I wasnt "normal" so I had lots of tests (which I enjoyed strangely enough)

I had a serious car crash when I was 23 and as part of the compensation claim you have to see many diffrent specialists and one was a Pysc. and as soon as he met me he recognised my Aspergers and he refered to to a Pyscologist for diagnosis.

I didnt ask for a diagnosis, I disnt really want one because to me its just my personality, not a disability.

As posted above, what do you want from a diagnosis?

Indie_Kid

sunnyone wrote: »

ASD is a life long conditions and I cant understand how so many people got through their childhood without anything being picked up at school?

I was just diagnosed with other stuff. No point even considering attempting to get a diagnosis as a child - parents had enough problems getting my brother diagnosed and enough problems attempting (and failing badly) to get me diagnosed with other things. A lot of us (me included) hide the issues we have. I used to attend a local group which started off with 8 people, which was fine. We then ended up with a load of people, which I struggled with; so had to leave. I think in my case, it's a mixture of not fitting the streeotype of what Autism is (I'm a female and males and females are different) and my other disabilities.

My dad did tell me that he did wonder if I had ASD when I was 12. You also have to remember that many of us have been diagnosed with other things first. Almost everyone I know with ASD has been diagnosed with depression / another mental health problem. I was diagnosed with OCD at 16, depression at 18 and then again at 21. I remember from the age of 14, a friend claiming I have Autism. Needless to say, his response when I told him was "I can't say I'm surprised".

I was refered to Ed Pyscology soon after I started school and I was seen regularly until I left school, back in the early seventies I dont think Aspergers was really recognised but they knew I wasnt "normal" so I had lots of tests (which I enjoyed strangely enough)

Aspergers wasn't recognised until 1994, I do believe.