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Should I keep fighting my diagnoses?
Just take the AS diagnoses and move on 60%  60%  [ 6 ]
Keep fighting it because you're not AS 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
It's just a label, why do you even care? 40%  40%  [ 4 ]
Total votes : 10
04 Oct 2007, 3:26 am

So my new shrink has diagnosed me with AS too and I still doubt it just like I did when I was 16 and 17 so I kept telling my shrink stuff of why I can't be an aspie and he tell me things back to me the reasons why I am.
She tells me I would still be the way I am without the hearing loss because it doesn't effect the other part of my brain AS does. She also said I would have been a little professor without the hearing loss, every aspie is different just like every person with blue eyes is different and the sterotypes is bullcrap. "Oh you're not into computers so therefore you don't have AS" "Oh you're not good with math so therefore you don't have AS" "Oh you're not into machinary so therefore you can't be AS" etc. All bull she says.
But I have told her on this forum I see some people saying lot of people on here don't have AS so it makes me wonder if they think the same as me because they said lot of people so I could be one of them who doesn't have it either. She said it sounds like I am going to a forum that is unhealthy for me that makes me confused about myself and give myself doubts. Sure very few poeple have doubt my diagnoses and lot of people haven't according to the polls I have done on here when I asked what was wrong with me and one of the options was "No you're just an NT who is messed up" and I was surprised when it had zero votes.
Should I just take the stupid AS diagnoses and move on or keep fighting it and trying to get the correct diagnoses of what is really wrong with me. If I really don't have AS and I am diagnosed with it, I feel I am living a lie and I am lying to everyone by saying I have it even though everyone says it's not lying and only one person has said it is which was one of my online friends. I say now "I doubt I have it and I think I have PDD-NOS instead" so I'm not lying.


Grrr I just want to get over this confusion.



Tim_Tex
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04 Oct 2007, 5:19 am

I feel you should do whatever you're the most comfortable with.

Tim


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Zwerfbeertje
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04 Oct 2007, 7:18 am

Apparently she sees sufficient AS traits to warrant that diagnosis above PDD-NOS.

If it wasn't for the specific exclusion of other PDD diagnoses, PDD-NOS would be inclusive of both Kanner's and Asperger's forms. In a way, the AS diagnosis implies PDD-NOS, so I guess you could use that, or just ASD, or 'a mild form of autism'.

I'd just take the diagnosis and use it to help define the strategies you use to cope with your difficulties. Between AS and PDD-NOS these coping strategies would be the same anyway.



MrMark
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04 Oct 2007, 7:19 am

Are you going to lose health insurance benefits due to this diagnosis? It seems like you're very concerned with what other people say or think. On the other hand, if a better diagnosis would get you better treatment... What do you think you have? What do you think would be a better course of treatment?


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04 Oct 2007, 10:07 am

ITs funny how so many doctors don't know what their saying.. Do you seem more autistic or more towards mildly autistic? I was having the same problem after I got diagnosed with PDD-NOS, every doctor by me, neurologists, psychologists, psychaitrists, developmental pediatricians, Autism specialists all told me PDD-NOS can mean two things, for me it meant, it was worse then Aspergers, because I wasn't high functioning enough to be considered Aspergers and was not severe enough to be considered just Kanners Autistic that PDD-NOS fits, now their saying you can also get the diagnosis of PDD-NOS if you have some mild traits of autism, so they slap a PDD-NOS label on you.

I went back and got rediagnosed because I was considered more kanners, just not severe, thats why they diagnosed me with HFA in the end, well to them its more just "Functioning Autism" rather then High functioning. If you seem like your more autistic or more severe then Aspergers then maybe you should see if you fit the HFA label, if you feel your more towards mild, maybe you fit the PDD-NOS label, its weird. I talked to a couple Autism specialists at the hospital I work at, and there like most adults now are getting the diagnosis of PDD-NOS, because autism is more a diagnosis they give to children, and the adults that should have got diagnosed with Kanners autism when their children, usually if their not diagnosed yet, will get the diagnosis of PDD-NOS because it would mean their still more severe then Aspergers, but a lot of children are getting the diagnosis of PDD-NOS because their more on the lines are borderline autistic(have some autistic traits) so they slap them with that label.

Which I really don't understand, so basically pdd-nos can either mean more severe then aspergers, or not quite aspergers not quite autism- borderline autistic. Theres a huge arguement with a lot of people about PDD-NOS not being a real label, but it goes both ways, it depends on the person. I just can't wait until 2010 when everybody will be under Autism Spectrum Disorder, to rule out pddnos, aspergers, hfa, lfa... It will be easier to just say I have ASD, and say its either mild, moderate, or severe... Thats my opinion!


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AnnabelLee
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04 Oct 2007, 10:13 am

Accepting and researching my diagnosis actually helped me. Initially I fought it too, due to the stereotypes.
May I make a point about the computer/math/engineering obsessions? Keep in mind many males are obsessed with these things or talented in them to start with, and that most aspies/auties are male. My obsession/talents? Psychology and music. It isn't WHAT you are obsessed with or talented in. It is THAT you obsess! Further, why ARE you fighting this? It does not change who you are. It merely explains issues you have or are dealing with. It helps you further understand an aspect of yourself and your personality. Self awareness is ALWAYS a good thing, though it can be painful at first.
I suggest you consider the diagnosis with an OPEN mind, and research it further. Remember, just as autism is a SPECTRUM disorder, so is Asperger's Syndrome. You may be mildly Asperger's. She would not be pressing this diagnosis if she were uncertain. It took me 3 years to accept it. I now consider that wasted time.


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KimJ
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04 Oct 2007, 10:30 am

Fight what? Why are you going to a psychiatrist if you aren't going to believe one? What's the point of a diagnosis if you aren't going to accept it? If you did fight the "AS label", would accept a different label? Why?

I just don't understand this type of analysis. Do you feel you are better than your label? Worse?

The point to a diagnosis (aka label) is to get help for whatever you're lacking. Understanding autistic traits leads to finding effective coping mechanisms. It can eliminate other possibilities that lead to ineffective treatment. You are lucky to have a psych that knows about AS and isn't calling you something else.

"Living a lie" occurs when you believe something fully and do the opposite. Or never, ever questioning your lifestyle. Like doubting religion and pretending to be religious. Or being gay and marrying the opposite sex and talking like a homophobe. If you are honest to your psychiatrist about your traits and she is honest about your diagnosis, then you aren't living a lie.



siuan
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04 Oct 2007, 10:37 am

It seems there is agreement on your diagnosis among different professionals. You got a second opinion, so to speak, and it's the same.

Do you want to hear something different? You've argued your points to the professional, and the decision/diagnosis remained the same. You're not living a lie by saying you have AS, you're living in denial by saying you don't. I think it would be healthy to accept it and move on. Does it make a big difference between AS and PDD-NOS anyhow? (ret.)


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04 Oct 2007, 10:44 am

I have no doubt a lot of people are falsely labeled with AS, because it's relitively new, a lot of people are turning to it to explain a very wide range of symptoms. So my advice is to not focus on the details accosiated with AS but with the actual symptoms they say are linked. Look into your childhood, find patterns of behavior you have and put them into AS and non-AS groups. Once you've done this you'll be able to confront the doctor a little more effeciantly than 'well I don't have this symptom'.

Also understand that there is nothing wrong with having aspergers. It's just a name for a pattern of behaviors, nothing more.