Formal diagnosis.....of sorts.

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So I've been persuaded to go ahead with a formal diagnosis, with gentle shoves from various quarters. I go in expecting Asperger Syndrome.

We talk very quickly for an hour. I couldn't keep up with what I was trying to think about, let alone what he was trying to find out.

Diagnosis:
- Anxiety disorder
- Depression
- some traits of ADHD
- some traits of Aspergers

Huh.

Has anyone else experienced this? ("This" as in come out with all these other diagnoses you weren't expecting.) The AS has been acknowledged, but not nearly as much as I'd have liked. We didn't even have time to talk about half the stuff I had in mind (clumsiness, lack of multitasking, APD, etc) Should I go try get another diagnosis? or is it fine and am I being superficial and obsessive?

The comorbid conditions are not unusual, actually you major conditions in this case with respect to AS and this is pretty common which is why most of us recommned that people actually get a diagnosis as opposed to self diagnosis. 1.5 hours sounds incredibly short compared to the 3 days to 3 weeks of interviews and tests many of us go through so I think if I was you I would seek out a more comprehensive evaluation.

It's always hard to get a correct diagnosis from a doctor. The human brain is very complicated, and only you really know what's going on inside your head. I'd say try wait a few months to think about how accurate that diagnosis seems. If it doesn't seem right, maybe try to get a different one.

The diagnosis is not going to change you, no matter what it is. Other than investigating the possibility that the coping strategies for whatever you've been diagnosed with might help you cope with being you, I'd advise you to ignore it.

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Diagnosed but unconvinced... I reckon I'm just a rude and arrogant wierdo

My first profile read: nonverbal learning disability, sensory integration disorder, anxiety disorder, recurrent depression, some Asperger's traits.

I cried because I knew I had AS and I didn't feel the interviewer understood me.

Since then, three board certified psychiatrists, one psychologist and two therapists have diagnosed AS. One has me categorized as "moderate AS," and not mild.

Be patient. Sometimes, it takes professionals a while to paint a full picture of you.

Nobody can tell much after only 1 hour so that's really a poor interview at best.

Well, it's great that you had those anxiety and depression problems identified so that you can get help for them.

I don't know what to tell you about your un-diagnosis of AS though, as I personally have not been through a diagnostic session.

Was the doctor that you saw experienced in diagnosing ASD's?

As long as your charts indicate a diagnosis code of 299.80, then it is a formal diagnosis of Asperger's. I went to my neurologist for Migraine headaches and sound sensitivity. I was diagnosed with autistic disorder (299.00) as well as other things on my first visit. This is the second time in my life since I was a young child that I was correctly diagnosed. I guess my autism is that obvious .

1 hour? It took my Mum 6 years to get me diagnosed o.O.
You're lucky.
EMZ=]

I'm so glad I posted. I wondered if 1 hour was short.

garyww - Mmm. I read about the comorbid conditions somewhere. Something like 6 of them including OCD? I would have thought that was a common enough comorbid condition, but apparently he only diagnosed with AS because that's what I was referred for, and ADHD because I'd filled in an ADHD questionnaire. Left me feeling a bit trolled if you know what I mean! As if I could have said so myself if I'd had letters behind my name!

FlamingYouth - :). Mmm. It really is, isn't it. I wish he'd been more aware that I'd learnt all my life to try and cover myself up. I wonder what you look for in a person who's only survived by pretending to be normal. Normality surely?

cman_yall - thank you. :) see below.

cman_yall and pandd - I guess I don't really know why I need a diagnosis lol, apart from other people telling me I should get one. Specifically the forums, my lecturer, my doctor, and my mother. So I did. Mmmm. I guess the diagnosis is useful for getting me extra time/help for my studies/official stuff... and for being able to say what I have. I never really felt the urge to get a diagnosis, so I must say I just feel a bit cheated rather than like I'm having an identity crisis, for which I'm very grateful.

whitetiger - I honestly feel I am moderate AS too sometimes. I try very, very hard, and always have tried, to hide my traits. When I don't succeed, my family has (unknowingly) taught me to hide them, or discouraged me from letting anyone know about them. I guess my issue is that psychiatrists are so expensive - and I don't have any more meetings arranged!

Sea_of_Saiyan - Yeah he was supposed to be an expert on ASDs (at least, that's what the clinic is known for "Child, adolescent and adult autism") - although he signed his name above the title "Child and adolescent psychiatrist" so maybe he wasn't well versed in adults? I dunno. About the anxiety and depression, yeah I guess I am pretty happy about those (ironic as it may sound?). If only to prove to myself that everyone gets depressed. I think it must have been the suicidal ideation, apparently if you tell them you think about death you get the diagnosis! What will happen to all the realists!! Serious note - well, at least I don't feel like I'm going insane about those two anymore. And actually yeah, the anxiety in particular is a huge relief and means my family aren't as annoyed when I startle at something "unnecessarily."

cyberscan - I think they do things differently around here. What's 299.80? Mine wasn't a differential diagnosis, but a provisional one. I have no idea what difference that makes either! Mmm my GP said I most likely had AS. My lecturers said the same, and added that if it wasn't AS it was something else. Guess they know me better than the young guy with a crew cut with messy writing that said I had "some traits of Aspergers."

Thanks for all the replies. I had no idea people went through weeks/months/years of diagnosis.

Mine took less time than yours.
It was really just an assessment by an AS specialist....but she said I could treat it as a diagnosis and that she had interviewed hundreds of people and could tell pretty quickly from talking to me that I was an aspie....so I guess it probably doesn't really count all that much and I should really switch my profile to indicate "undiagnosed"...Still, at the time it was a big weight off my shoulders.

I got mine after about half an hour. He wasn't even a specialist. He just commented that I probably had Asperger's after I described all my traits and then dx'd me.