Just got my Diagnosis today (4th Oct).

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I approached my doctor who was very skeptical and I quickly discovered that he didn't really know anything about AS. I asked for a referal (through the NHS) to a Aspergers specialist that was recommended to me by the National Autistic Society. He refused to do the referal stating that 'we don't do things like that!'. He was going to get me evaluated by a team of general psychiatrists that visit his health centre. I was really worried about this as I've heard lots of stories of people getting misdiagnosed.

I rang the NAS back and explained the above. They wrote a letter to my doctor that explained about AS and why I needed to get a diagnosis through this particular center. This did the trick. Not long after I recieved the appointment along with a copy of Simon Barron-Cohen's A.Q test. I filled this in and sent it back. Two things that I noticed on the appointment letter were that there was no mention that the appointment was for an AS diagnosis and they also said nothing about having a parent go with me. This is important for a proper diagnosis as they need to ask the parent in-depth questions about what you were/are like from pre-school to present day. I rang the centre and they confirmed that it was for AS and that I needed to bring a parent.

I attended the appointment with my mother and it lasted for over two and a half hours. The doctor interviewed me on my own first for about half an hour. He asked me about my backround and interests (not suprising it took me all of two minutes to get on to filmmaking and cinema! ) he was curious that I am a writer/director. I explained that I find it really hard to deal with 'the film industry' (bloody frightening actually ) and that as a very 'detail-orientated' person, I tend to build my stories from the ground-up rather than making a general overview (i'm also not too thrilled about conventional plots and genres). This means that it takes me forever to write a script as I am obsessed with getting the details right. I think in a non-linear way, finding connections between things that an NT would problably think were un-related as opposed to linear, sequential plotting. (this whole Aspergers and imagination thing is a topic in itself. I deeply resent the implacation that aspies 'have no imagination'. we do, just look at the talents of a lot of people on WP!).

After this he called my mum in and proceeded to go through the diagnostic questions (this was like a telephone book and there were hundreds and hundreds of questions). Some were addressed to my mum and some were to both of us. The first ones were regarding my birth and pre-school developement, i.e. when did I learn to walk, talk etc. He then asked questions regarding how I interacted with other children and then moved on to what I was like at school (school was hell for me)..

Please bear with me guys as it was such a torrent of questions that its hard to remember everything! - when we came out my mum said that she felt like she had just been 'put through a wringer'!

He asked about behaviours both as a child and now; hand flapping (check! ) walking on tip-toes (yep!) rocking (you bet!) dyspraxia (oh yes!). He also asked about my routines and if I get disturbed by interuptions to my activities or changes to them (absolutely!). He asked about sensory issues and if I have an over-active mind (yes to both). There were also questions about socializing and empathy. At one point he remarked that I was looking into his eyes. I explained that I was actually looking at him from the sides of my eyes (using peripheral vision) as focusing directly on people is very painful to me - I can do it but I have to force myself and I feel stressed and tired afterwards. My mum said to him that she was forever telling me as a child to look at people when I was talking to them. She also told him about my habit of standing way too close to people when i'm talking to them and the way that I follow someone from one room to another if i am talking to them, rather than wait for them to come back..

At the end of the questioning the doctor spent about five minutes adding up the scores. He said that I do meet all the criteria for Aspergers Syndrome. He said that he would write this up into a report and send me a copy of the diagnosis as well as sending another to my doctor. He said that he was going to try to get me to see a psycologist who deals exclusively with Autistic people so that I can get help in dealing with my day to day issues (he said that access to this kind of help is very hard to get in my area ).

I was very emotional. I thanked the doctor and told him that for the longest time I thought that I was insane or schizophrenic. It was such a relief to me. He reasured me that i'm neither but said that it's easier for them to treat Schizophrenia than Aspergers.

I should mention that not all people can get diagnosed in one appointment. When I rang the centre, they said that depending on how things went, I may have to come back for a second appointment. I think that doing the AQ test beforehand and having my mum there really helped to arrive at a clear result.

Last edited by autodidact on 05 Oct 2007, 12:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.

very Irulan! - It's a difference as much as a disability though!

Last edited by autodidact on 05 Oct 2007, 11:33 am, edited 1 time in total.

Hang on in there Aurum! - my thoughts are with you!

D= I dislike my parents. I hope they don't HAVE to be involved, because I don't want them knowing.

I don't think that it's 100% essential, it's just that it helps the doctors to get another perspective on your actions from someone close to you. The thing about parents is that they can answer questions about your early development. You can still get the diagnosis but I think that the process would be much longer.

I wonder if my mother went through the same with me with my psychaitrist when I was going for a diagnoses. I wished I remembered mine. Took us more than one session for him to decide if I had it and he said it was the closest he could get to for a diagnoses and told my mother to take the diagnoses and use it to get me through school and give me the education I need. So basically I don't really have it. I probably have more than that.

You'll find that although knowing you have AS is by no means paradise, it's better than living in the shadow of uncertainty and ignorance.

So... while things will be better, don't have an initiative's delusion of the future holding nothing but happiness. Often times you'll find that your fellow Aspergians cannot offer the support you need.

I think people join this forum, thinking 'there has to be a guru Aspie on here than can answer any question I have, and that I can confide in.' But in reality, there is no guru Aspie (some I see on here like to pretend that they are, but their 'wisdom' is foolishness).

So even if you can confide in fellow Aspergians, and you can get that gold nugget of useful advice once in a blue moon, always know that your journey is going to essentially be very individualistic. It can't be any other way. If you believe it can, then you are in for poignant disappointment.

I do not think this for a minute my difficulties are not going to go away, but knowing why I am the way I am is a huge help in understanding life.

Of course. When I wrote that, I hoped you weren't a simpleton, but I thought the possibility deserved an acknowledgment.

Congratulations autodidact

..and a chance to condescend me and others in this forum! ;



I accept the notion that we are all on individual (and difficult) paths but please, don't go insulting people's intelligence.

I haven't insulted you thus far, I was contributing to the discussion.

This is an insult:

You are petty and unperceptive.

Absorb it. Meditate upon it. Be insulted by the truth.

by putting down and belittling the opinions of others as foolish?




And your's would be what exactly? I find your tone offensive and rude.



Charming. Truth is relative. As is perception. I asked you not to belittle other people and you get defensive and throw insults around. Quite 'petty' don't you think? - Take the chip of your shoulder and grow up!

Actually, it was you that started acting like a defensive child. You either refused or are incapable of seeing that when I came into this thread to post, it was to offer my thoughts.

Most replies you'll ever get amount to 'oh congrats!1'. I was pointing you in the right direction now that you're diagnosed, without knowing you beforehand. That meant it was best that I went down the route of speaking to you like somewhat of an amateur at least.

Offering your thoughts is one thing. I don't have a problem with that. Making out that your opinions are 'Gospel' and belittling anyone who disagrees with you is another. I saw exactly what you were saying. I stated the following..



..i was just offended with the way you said it. If i've un-intentionally upset somone I appologize to them and say that no offence was intended. I don't petulantly throw it back in their face, like you do.



Anyone who says otherwise has no grip on reality. Really? why do you feel the need to be so disrespectful to the opinions of others?


This nasty attitude of yours is baffling and not just restricted to this thread. I've been looking at some of your other postings;




This is nasty and offensive.




WTF!? Barbed advice followed by contemptuous bile!.

What about your attitude on this thread? - it was a totally un-provoked attack;

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt43826.html

I pity you. You've got serious problems. It's obvious that you've come here to troll people, make snidey comments to them, disrespect their opinions and feelings, and then slap them down with petty self righteous abuse. You're a moron.

Last edited by autodidact on 05 Oct 2007, 7:40 pm, edited 4 times in total.

BUT HEY, one person here spoke of being almost timid, because s/he felt s/he didn't measure up! At one point, people here spoke of advanced vocabularies, math abilities, memories, etc.... And I think of how I used to be, which still wasn't as nice as what some here have, and settle for where I am at now.

Besides, you won't get diagnosed unless you want to know, or it can benefit you.