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I joined this site to find possible answers. I don't have a clue if I have asperges or autism or not. There is around a 14 month wait to be assessed. Is a long story but if I have it it is mild, and it is more to try to find out if one symptom I have had ever since I can remember is linked to the autistic spectrum, as seemigly all other possibilities have been explored over the years.

I forgot to say "Hi" in the introduction... "Hello!"

Welcome!

My autism is quite severe, in that I can do a lot of stuff normal people can't or won't do.
For example I've been working continuously for decades and have saved a lot of money.
Last time I went to a hair stylist she didn't know anyone that had been working at one place
for more than 15 years.

What helps if you have autism is to find and reduce sources of stress in your life. You don't
need a diagnoses to do that. Someone will suggest what works for them and if it sounds like it
may help, you may want to give it a try.

Thank you so much for the welcome.

Work... At the moment I am not working as things got a bit too much. I could go to try to get a job but the thought of signing on is too much for me, so I have no direct income other then selling some of my collection of model trains. (In the past I went mad collecting them and in the recent years without an income, (Or when I have had work it has been very low hours part time work which half the wage goes into travelling, all at minimum wage (Sometimes below as I often do far more then is expected... and them more is expected from me etc))...
So when I need car insurance or things like that I sell some of my trains. I am ok with this as... When I left a good full time job which paid well (Things got too much for me... Long story.. Was surreal as I almost ended my life doing something silly when tiredness caught up with me, so I quit the job after 9 years, though I felt ready to move on after 5 years), the cost of model railways was zooming up. I felt so dissapointed, but I found a brilliant answer. I changed to modelling in 7mm narrow gauge where I found it so much easier and cheaper as I can make my own things rather then buy them. Hence I am keeping my 7mm narrow gauge collection and selling all the factory made 00 gauge model railways. It provides me money when I need it (Though I have let things go rather cheap on occasions and even given a few things away) and gives me the space I need, as when I left the decent job I had to also sell my house, pay the mortgage off from the sale and move in with my mum. I ended up with a barn full of my bikes which back then after 100 bikes I stopped counting, and my bedroom and old caravans were full of my things.. The majority of the bikes have been scrapped or given away etc. Only a few bicycles were roadworthy. I will keep five... Or that's the plan. Still have quite a few but not many.
My mum does not drive and we don't have any nearby transport links, as the nearest bus stop is two miles away which is a walk back up a steel 1 in 4 hill, which as my mum is a pensioner, she can no longer do it and carry shopping etc... And when I get energy loss I find I also struggle, so selling my trains keeps me with a car on the road.

Anyway, the last few years has been difficult as I think I get stressed which gives me almost sudden energy loss, so working is almost impossible at times. I have never claimed sick as to be honest, I don't know how. I just quit jobs when things get too much and only take the odd temporary job. Recently I refused as the replacement car I bought (I sold the last one which was in reasonable condition with a new MOT as I had insurance, tax and MOT at the same time and not enough money. As it was 25 years old I got £200 more then I bought it for a few years ago so I could get another car)... when the replacement car had issues. A few weeks ago I was very brave. I booked a table last minute at a toy and train fair and I sold enough of my model railway collection to use the last car as a part exchange. I now have a lovely little car with a strong diesel engine which reminds me so much of a class 37 or a class 50 (A train) when I drive it. I am thrilled!
But I will need a way to survive in the future when my 00 gauge train collection runs out. My mum is concerned how I will cope if she dies one day.
The last two or three years I have had throat closing up issues as well as the life long energy loss issues. The throat closing issues gave me concern. It is as if the whole if my insides are pushingup to close my throat. I know certain foods gave me heartburn so I was looking at what foods effected me. Artificial sweenters do effect my throat. However, it is as if there must be inaard stress inside me somehow. (In the past for years, I seemed to regularly habe the runs and though it was assumed to be some sort of allergy it may have been nurves, as I often had issues with it when nurvous.

Welcome to WP!

Thank you ever so much. I hope you can excuse me writing too much at times.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Welcome to Wrong Planet. You have throat closing issues? Do you snore at night? If so it might be GERD.

Not sure what GERD is. I am not aware if I snore or not.
About three or four years ago I started getting acid reflux. Yhen if I ate or drank certain foods or drink my throat would start closing up. I assumed it was an allergy to something. Fruit or any artificial sweetners and also nuts would set it off and grapes seemed to be the worse culprit.
I have not really had it now for a month or two or if I have it has been it has not been enough to notice. During the winter months I drove to A&E once. (I found that if I had cold winters air I could breathe). Two thinhs may have helped. One was tablets to reduce heartburn... They stopped it for a while the first time. It could be an allergy as more recently I was given antihystamine things which take a lot longer to act but it does calm down on them. It could be that my body is under stress as in the back of my mind I should look for a job so I can get an income. However, in recent years the re-occurring energy loss which may be linked to stress (My mum said I was often stressed when I get it...)... Maybe stress when I take a job or the panic of going for an interview etc. I nearly didn't go the last time and they wanted me as I had worked with the company on and off before. I had to drive a few miles out to calm down, and come back about half an hour to an hour later to make an appearance! All was ok as there was no time limit that day. Was just seeing the manager who is a great guy. A new manager there now. Also, I upset someone without knowing it when I worked there before, as I was eecovering from an energy loss situation and I heard him plainly talk to me where I asked him to repeat it a few times... As somehow though I heard him the information wasn't going in. I said I understood him but I was being polite, and I then messed up and did the very thing he didn't want me to do. (Is only looking back at the situation as I later could tell I had done something to upset him.... It took months after I left (Temp part time work) to realize what I had done. I usually use my mind deeply to think of every possible time that I may have done something wrong.... It took a while to work it all out what had happened.
The company asked me back but when I was asked I didn't have a car that was really suitable for travelling the 16 miles as that car had things that needed sorting. Also, I didn't want to work where I upset someone. The other store of the same company I used to work for I did a few years of part time 12 hrs a week but I believe I may have upset a certain guy in there who did my hours, as I would have to work around 2 hours a day extra without the pay to keep my job, and they changed my hours so that it cost me just as much to commute then the pay was as the 12 hours were spread evenly troughout the week where they had been over just two days a week.

GERD [gastroesophageal reflux disease], is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the ring of muscle between the esophagus and stomach. Here is a link to that condition. Gastroesophageal reflux disease

I had developed GERD. I used an over the counter medication called Prilosec to control it. Over the years I had gained a lot of weight. I had a weight loss operation 6 years ago and dropped 120 pounds. Losing the weight has cause that condition to go away, threw it into remission.

Gerd can be a serious condition and you should seek immediate care under the following circumstances:
Seek immediate medical care if you have chest pain, especially if you also have shortness of breath, or jaw or arm pain. These may be signs and symptoms of a heart attack.

Many thanks for that. I will keep it in mind. About six years ago I had a bit of a scare (Rare for me as I do try to be relatively active especially cycling (Which at one time was my main transportation so I was doing 100 or more miles a week). My mum, brother and I were in the bottom field playing tennis with an elderly lady. Was just fun. It may have been bagminton. I tend to find running or jogging difficult, but I can usually cycle or walk miles, especially cycling, as I can regulate my energy levels a little easier. I don't know why, though it maybe because I once had very muscular legs? Anyway, I had to retiee and take a rest leaving the elderly lady, my mum and brother to it. Then they decided to walk up the drive to the chalet we use in the top field... I was just up from our house walking when I had my heart suddenly jump up and down. It did it once but it felt quite a jolt. All I could do was to lie on the ground. I managed to raise a hand and as due to the energy loss symptoms they were used to me doing that they just waved back. I prayed and then about half an hour later they came back down, and by then I was ok. I did have a feeling like my body had been cut in half like a line which lasted for about three months. The morning after I tried to book an appointment to see the doctor. I had found it hard to get anyone to believe me before. With that doctors surgery they had far too many patients per doctor. We had to phone at exactly 0830AM as if we phoned earler it would be redirected to an emergency line and they are not amused. If I left it a minute later the phones would be jammed up for at least half an hour with all appointments gone.
Well, this was a day like that. I told the receptionist what had happened, but she said I would habe to try again the next morning. As we are in the countryside, the calls made from the town itself seem to get priority so every day was the same. I asked if there was any way to book an appojntment in advance but no. Every day the same. After about a month and a half I tried phoning only about twice a week. Eventually about eihht months later I had an appointment, and the doctor told me off. He said I should habe seen him straight away. I was speechless as I was shocked. He said there was nothing he could do and that was that.
Well, I changed doctors surgery to a sligtly nearer one, and this one is in a different world. I may have to aait a few days, but I can get seen, and also taken seriously. As my uncle (Dads brother) suffered a condition of the heart where skin grows around the tube from the heart and goes hard and it has been found others on that side have it and that side of the family had a history of early deaths from the age of 43 onwards, we were supposed to be checked for it with the last doctors surgery but no one contaced us. However, after raising the concern with this new doctors surgery they had me checked at the local hospital. There were also concerns with the other side of the family as my mums dad had heart issues and his dad had a heart attack when he was in his early 20's. He was told to take it easy and he lived to 98! My grandad died of a heart attack at 73.
I was given a very thourough series of checks feom one department to another at the hospital. Everything was clear and I was told I have a totally healthy and good heart. So that's a relief.
My doctors surgery are keeping an eye on me as with thw old doctors I used to have blood pressure too low. The old doctors said to eat as much junk food as I could to bring it up, as it was thought that the energy loss issues I get could be due to that (I was cycling between 100 and 250 miles a week back then so maybe why my blood pressure was low). But as I foud it harder and harder to cycle due to energy loss etc, where most of the time I didn't feel up to cycling, by the time I changed doctors they found my blood pressure was a little high. They had me checked with a monitor that I had to wear for 24 hours. As I hared wearing the thing it was stressing me out so it is probably that that caused me to have high readings! I hated it strapped to me!
Well, every six months they check me and the last few times it has been ok. The nurse checks me and I am not stressed. I was in school with her brother (She is about two years younger). Her bother I was in school with sadly passed away about ten years ago years ago and a few weeks ago another brother passed away. Poor lady. Anyway. I can relax with her when my blood pressure is taken. I just hope she and family are ok. At least she has a husband to look after her in such a difficult time.

To sum up. I have had my heart checked... Various tests... (One they had a machine with these pads to put on my skin). Many blood tests for different things over the years tryingto find the energy loss cause. I think I've had the lot!
I first had it when I was seven but before that I used to get tempers. My dad disciplined me and looking back I am very greatful as the tempers were destructive, but all the anger left me after discipline, but I ended up with these energy losses instead. (Yes, my dad really loved me and no, he would not take discipline too far. A smack on my bottom... Usually the threat was enough!)

May has passed by quickly. Quite a lot has happened since then. The months vrooom by.