Going in for a diagnosis next month-what do I do to prepare?

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Thanks for all the responses! I'm not quite sure what to take along (or even for sure what this appointment is-I THINK it's going to be a full testing session). I guess I'll try to archive some stuff I've written on these forums, as that's probably the best I've ever written this stuff out, and hopefully this guy will be good. There aren't really options around here-at least this guy has a couple of adult AS patients (although they might be much worse than me, or might have completely different symptoms, or...)

Like gwenevyn and others mentioned, I can fake it pretty well in terms of eye contact, trying to hold a semi-normal conversation, etc. So I'm a bit worried about that type of thing too-that he won't realize with something that I'm kind of manually thinking through how to do it, not reacting instinctively exactly (although some of it is almost instinctual now with a lot of practice).

At any rate, I'll post back next month, assuming I don't chicken out! I guess really there's not much BAD that could come out of it, aside from him claiming I don't have it, I'm just a freak.

Yeah going to be undergoing this myself soon. I am praying my father will answer any questions they have as my mother is being difficult about the whole thing. It is very nervewracking, but my only wariness comes from bad experiences with psychs and the fact some of them really do seem to look down on those who see them, undermining their intelligence.

Yeah going to be undergoing this myself soon. I am praying my father will answer any questions they have as my mother is being difficult about the whole thing. It is very nervewracking, but my only wariness comes from bad experiences with psychs and the fact some of them really do seem to look down on those who see them, undermining their intelligence.

Wolfpup,

Well, I was never diagnosed, but believe I am AS, have evolved in a way, and the battery of tests I had seemed to cover a lot of what many here refer to when they talk of AS tests. I went before AS was a possible diagnosis. ALSO, a LOT of AS people seem to have the same failings I do and suggested what I would do, etc...

SO, what do I suggest?

You know what AS is, so look through your life, and find evidence. WRITE IT DOWN! Take the list to the doctor with you, and your mother and/or father.

What they did with me, and apparently others, is gave me an IQ test, talked about my interests, had me build stories from pictures, etc... I was even there because my school saw a social deficit! I don't really know why they would check coordination, etc... even though that COULD be one symptom. What they did with me obviously tested IQ, imagination, communication, social skills, development. All would be things a SERIOUS psychiatrist would need to checkout for AS.

Oh geez, I am going to feel so self conscious doing this!

This morning I kind of asked my mom if she was going to come, or how that was going to work, since I'd heard they ask relatives stuff.

Well...this is REALLY disturbing and weird-she told me they had told her not to tell me that she's going in ahead of time to fill out forums. Why the HEY wouldn't they want my to know that?

Then when I asked her more about it, she claimed that maybe she had misunderstood.

Soooooo this is already disturbing to me. I don't take secret garbage like this well, and it's doing nothing to enhance my confidence in this guy I'm sure there's SOME good psychologist out there, but as a rule the people working in this field seem to be loons.

I just remembered something else my mom told me-I told her that really the two of us TOGETHER would be the only shot this guy would have of maybe understanding stuff about me. She said, yeah, that there may have been times when she thought I was normal, and didn't realize I was struggling with stuff.

Like she claims not to have realized how school was for me. Even in grade school, I had a harder than normal time fitting in and knowing what to say. I managed, but looking back I clearly didn't know what I was doing compared to other people. It just got worse and worse as I got older (and moving certainly didn't help either).

But she's going to say "Yeah, he was just fine in gradeschool, had no problems!". Talk about a cliche, my fourth grade TEACHER actually called me "The Absent Minded Professor", which was mortifying to me at the time

Darn, I wish I knew what they were going to ask. This'll probably be a complete disaster, but I need to move forward if I ever want help (and just to understand myself better).

Okay, I'm going to drive all of you guys nuts, sorry

I'm wondering-is it hard to diagnose someone if it's not super obvious? If they didn't have special help in school (at least not except for one thing in my last year or two).

If you get really nervous from anticipating the diagnosis visit, it will be aspy anticipation so be yourself, nervous and all.

My son had to go through the dianosis all over again when he turned 21 to get services. We just went through all of this almost a year ago. The psycologist had us both fill out identical forms about him. Then he talked to both of us and then talked to my son by himself. My son is very quiet. He rarely emotionally expressive, no outward behaviors that would draw attention to him.

wolfpup - as long as your doctor is familiar with adult symptoms versus childhood symptoms you should be fine. it's more a point of you explaining yourself and giving examples. i can be pretty "normal" when I need to be but if I let go and just be myself it becomes pretty clear.

i'm having the same problem you are actually (i'm in northern il). i'm not sure my doctor is qualified enough to understand me and i have to say i'm having a hard time explaining myself to her without feeling like an idiot. where are you in central illinois? i assume you're probably going to a doctor in champaign or maybe bloomington/normal.

My mom's going in to see this guy tomorrow at 1pm. Figured I'd ask if anyone has suggestions for what she should say or ask.

I go in this coming Tuesday, and I've still done absolutely nothing to prepare. I don't even know where the place is

Wolfpup, my son didn't prepare. He is very quet and polite.. No outward stimmy behaviors but he was diagnosed aspy enough to get social security.

I, on the other hand, was my typical motor mouth nervous self when he greeted me, completely opposite of how my son behaves. Maybe he figured, the mom is nuts so the kid has to have to picked up some of those genes. Who knows?

My mom went in for 50 minutes yesterday. She said the guy seems nice.

Apparently I'll have to talk to him for almost 4 hours (8ish to 12) and then take tests in the afternoon.

I'm going to screw this up so badly. I've still done nothing at all to prepare for it.