how did you get diagnosed?

[butterfingersbimbo]

well my sis has just been on the phone to me, her bloke happened to mention to her that he thinks she is very like el, but not just in the adhd kind of way......and to be honest, i can see where he is coming from. so this has got my sis thinking, she is on anti d's at the moment and has been for a couple of years now. however, while they have undoubtedly helped with her depression, she is still very very stressy......but its the things that stress her out ie changes of plan, routine, things not going her way that worry her......she has just told me that part of the reason why she was depressed is because of who she is, if this makes sense.......

 

so anyway, i have advised her to go back to her doc and explain to them that she wants more than an anti d script....and to ask for a refferal.....but question is, a referral to who?

 

thanks guys, hope it's not too personal a question!

[madmooch]

Hi, I asked H's psychologist this very question ( where do adult's get referrreed to) and I forgot what they were called But your/her GP would know - there's a special place ( adult eqivalent of CDU) which deal's in adult dx.

 

Maybe someone will know what it's called.

Sorry i'm not more help

 

Clare

[Steel Maiden]

I was referred to an educational psychologist, but I'm still at school. Not much help, sorry.

[Canopus]

My psychologist works at a university and is in the process of setting up an centre for AS that will include a diagnostics service for adults. If you PM me I can give you his contact details.

[JenRose]

Hiya,

When i asked to be referred i was referred to the psychiatrist adult dept at our

local hospital

 

Think my GP thought i had lost the plot when i said to her that i thought i could be

AS and she said to me "you dont seem the train spotter type of person"

 

Anyway i very fortunately saw a Consultant who was experienced in dx,ing adults

and he dx,d me after a 1.5 hour session, he fired questions at me and i insisted

that he send me the paperwork that he was sending my GP and it makes very

interesting reading.

 

He told me that in his opinion all GP,s need retraining when it comes to ASD and AS as

they are working to case studies from years ago and havent got the up to date information

my GP said to me that it wasnt genetic and i told her that it was and the first thing that she

said to me when i went to see her after the dx was "so did he say it was genetic then"?

 

And when i told her that he thought it was but that its being studied at the moment she said "see

i WAS right"

[madmooch]

Hiya,

When i asked to be referred i was referred to the psychiatrist adult dept at our

local hospital

 

Think my GP thought i had lost the plot when i said to her that i thought i could be

AS and she said to me "you dont seem the train spotter type of person"

 

Anyway i very fortunately saw a Consultant who was experienced in dx,ing adults

and he dx,d me after a 1.5 hour session, he fired questions at me and i insisted

that he send me the paperwork that he was sending my GP and it makes very

interesting reading.

 

He told me that in his opinion all GP,s need retraining when it comes to ASD and AS as

they are working to case studies from years ago and havent got the up to date information

my GP said to me that it wasnt genetic and i told her that it was and the first thing that she

said to me when i went to see her after the dx was "so did he say it was genetic then"?

 

And when i told her that he thought it was but that its being studied at the moment she said "see

i WAS right"

 

I think your GP needs a good slapping

That's shocking what she said

 

 

Clare

[Bullet]

I was referred by my GP and had an appointment with a psychiatrist, who has experience with diagnosing ASDs in adults.

Edited November 12, 2006 by Bullet

[TheNeil]

I initially approached my GP (fully armed with three reams of print outs filled with 'evidence') and she referred me to the psychology department at the local hospital (who, although not AS/ASD specialists, would probably have refered me to someone else)

 

Being impatient I then went down the private route after contacting the NAS for a list of recommended specialists

 

As for your sis BFB I'd have also sent her back to the GP but my approach would be to 'enquire' about the possibility of an ASD (going armed like I did) and see where that leads to - going in all guns blazing asking for a referal might not help relationships. Just my 2p's worth anyway

[florrie]

There is a place in cambridge but can't remember the name of it, run by a famous psychologist of asd in adults but I'm probably not allowed to name, and I asked to referred but the waiting list was full at the time, also he doesn't really acknowledge that it can present differently in females as he believes it is male brain orientated, also i got a list from national autistic society that can give you a list of people who can dx, but the first one I went to said I didn't have it without doing any assessment and the second one I went to said I did, after full assessment so they do vary in there understanding and perceptions of what asd is, but I think it seems to improving a bit now if other people are being dx as adults.

Edited November 13, 2006 by florrie

[cmuir]

Hi

 

In the first instance you need to go to your GP or speak to El's consultant about the possibility of having an ASD also. They will then refer to a specialist who is experienced in assessing and diagnosing adults with an ASD.

 

C.

[Tally]

If she is already in treatment for mental health issues, it should be relatively easy to get a referral to a psychologist - she may have to go through the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) and see a Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) first. She needs to make it very clear to her GP that this is a long-term issue (even if she might not have brought it up until recently), and that she feels that she needs more than medication. It might not even be worth mentioning Asperger's to the GP, since they are not the ones diagnosing anyway.

 

She could mention that she and other people have noticed a lot of similarities between herself and her niece, who is diagnosed with autism. It might also be worth printing off a list of symptoms of autism/Asperger's, and ticking the ones that she feels she has. The NAS website has several articles aimed at GPs or other healthcare professionals - your sister could perhaps print one off and highlight the bits that she feels relate to her.

[Steel Maiden]

Tally is right. And the bit about it being easier to be referred if you're already registered to a mental health service is very true.