Appointment tomorrow morning

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My parents were not involved in my diagnosis. I am in the UK. My diagnosis states that early history may be lacking due to the lack of their involvement but there is sufficient other evidence to strongly support a diagnosis of ASD/Asperger Syndrome. I provided details of my early development gleaned from a conversation with my mother (though she did not know why I was asking for this information) and my school reports.

Yellow banana, the parents or someone that knew you extremly well as a little child growing up must be asked about you. Parents/close family friends have to fill out questionnaires about you, or come along to the assessment. Yes also school reports help, but a serious assessment is only if everything and i mean absolutely everything is taken into account.
For example... did you have language delay? if so then you would have HFA and not Aspergers, onlY your parents could tell the psychiatrist that, this is why I feel your assessment wasn't really much of one compared to mine, these days the typical assessment is performed how I explained mine was done.
Maybe get a second diagnosis and make sure it's done thoroughly. check out ARC in Cambridge and info on assessment for Aspergers/HFA.

I had a few single words at age 2, but then didn't speak until I was 4 at which point I started narrating everything I did for about 6 months (as in, for example, "I'm putting peas on my fork now. I'm moving the fork to my mouth. Now I'm going to eat the peas"). I clearly didn't understand that language was for communicating. Then I shut up again and although I now speak a little more, I am still regarded as very quiet.

I have had two diagnoses - one by a psychiatrist with interest/experience in ASDs in adults (this was a very thorough assessment - 4 hours of contact, many questionnaires to be completed outwith this time), the second by an autism specialist at the local autistic society (this was to confirm the first assessment and was 2 hours in length) who noted that I also have difficulties with the volume of my voice, my intonation, my use of gesture, limited facial expression etc. The resulting diagnosis from each was "Autism Spectrum Disorder". The first psychiatrist did not classify further, the second decided Asperger Syndrome was appropriate, but also stated he preferred the more generic Autism Spectrum Disorder label (as do I).

There is no question, based on these two assessments, that I have an ASD. I do not want to have an ASD, but I do. It causes me a lot of problems but at least I understand now where those problems come from (something which I did not understand for the 38 years I was without a diagnosis). I am happy I have the diagnosis not the condition.

For various reasons, it is not possible for everyone to have their parents involved in the diagnosis ... even though that would obviously be the preferred option.

-General reply as it'll take me too long to quote-
My mum can be involved whenever necessary, that is no issue.
If necessary there is 2 other people I could also get to give their view point. (Although I've never mentioned it to them).
I suspect aspergers, it might not be because I'm not a trained psychologist but I feel quite strongly that it is that or something. A diagnoses would put pieces of my life together that I can't explain and at least give me some direction.

I ruled out HFA as I had no actual language difficulties, just social and other related 'symptoms' (I don't like that word when talking about ASDs, traits I should say).

I first read into aspergers almost 4 years ago whilst I was going through a depressive stage and it just made sense. I read as much as I could and wrote pages down and explained to my mum etc. I just never did anything about it, and it bugs me sometimes just not knowing why I don't quite feel the same. Although I think I've learned to hide my discomfort quite well, sometimes not.

I have got another appointment. I saw a psychiatrist at the start of the year mainly for depression, because I was way too anxious and in a crap place that all I could do was answer his questions and my head kept going blank so we didn't really talk. So he noticed a lot of anxiety (and the depression) and prescribed Zoloft.
When I went for my appointment yesterday the doctor was very nice and didn't make me feel uncomfortable, she said she will refer me back to the psychiatrist, got another appointment for 8th November with her to talk more and she upped the Zoloft to 100mg
I'm in Scotland by the way and this is the process so far, for me at least.

A thorough assessment will require input from the parents or someone who knew you in early childhood very well, otherwise it can not be determined if your symptoms (traits) had been present at early childhood, while an ASD diagnosis (let alone a more specific one, like the famous Asperger's) would require it without doubt. There are conditions that may mimic ASD symptoms that may be only present in adulthood, examples include schizophrenia, schizoid personality disorder, social anxiety, avoidant PD, etc. The treatment may vary according to the actual diagnosis, so there's a reason to it.

I was diagnosed with PDD-NOS, and even though my parents provided valuable information about my childhood, yet the psychs decided they didn't know enough about my childhood at age 38 to diagnose me with any of the more specific ASDs, including Asperger's.

Exactly! thanks for that.

Yes, hence why I am going to find out!
If I am not then I don't know.
But when I've said it makes sense for my life I meant as far back as I can remember, things I could never understand before I started reading and understanding autism and aspergers over the years. I also have an autist friend/acquaintance and have met a couple of people with ASD to different levels. Its not something I would disclose to everyone if it were the case, just very select people who would be of relevance. It would be a sort of starting point of where to go, I'm not sure what my thoughts will be if not. Not because I want a condition, but so there is clarity in my head, even just a little bit.

Maybe you have just HFA but not necessarily Aspergers, depends on whether you had language delay or not.Only your mum/dad can answer that.