I have Asperger's, I think

[Ultimatus]

Hi, my name is Edward and I'm 24 years old. Around a year ago whilst feeling depressed I started looking for help, so I went to my favorite 'information gathering' resource - the Internet!

 

Whilst reading stories of others about their depression and possible remedies I came across Asperger's syndrome for the first time. Oh my what a shock, from reading the symptoms of this condition it looked as if someone was describing me! This was a huge revelation, that I wasn't just 'shy', 'weird' or 'geeky', I did actually fit in somewhere and there are others like me, it felt quite overwhealming in fact.

 

When a child and growing up I was painfully shy and only ever had one or two friends at school. I was bullied for being so quiet. I was scared of the sounds of lorries when they apply brakes, I couldn't stand the feeling of grape skin on my teeth or the sound a plate makes when placed on a table with crumbs (lol!) I used to hate going to Fireworks shows as the noise was so painful!

 

I have had 'special interests' ranging from sticks, crystals, 5p coins, star wars, martial arts, juggling, astral projection, weightlifting, nutrition and stock trading. People have always told me to 'smile' or 'cheer up' when I'm feeling fine inside. I have been in lots of trouble in the past from saying the wrong things or being rude without meaning it. My friends use to call me 'literal Ed' as I took everything literally.

 

I have never had a girlfriend, I am attracted to girls, however most of the time I'm just not that concerned with being in a relationship, though I would like one. I am (usually) happy by myself and my hobbies interest me more than people do, however I do have some good close friends for which I am very grateful for - I could not do without human contact. I do want to make new friends or have a girlfriend but find it difficult to initiate friendships, I also only tend to get on with people similar to me who think in logical ways.

 

Fast forward to today and I'm proud to say I am totally different to 5 years ago or even 1 year ago, my confidence has increased a lot but I still feel very different to others. My current job has helped a lot and it's probably no suprise that I work as a technical support analyst, very logical!

 

Woah this is getting way to long, anway (if you have read this far!), when I first found out about Asperger's I made an appointment with my GP who said he would refer me to a specialist. A few weeks later I recieved a letter along the lines of "all the local mental health centers don't cater for Asperger's Syndrome". I was dissapointed but pretty much left it at that and thought I'd just forget about the whole thing. Now however, I want to get a diagnosis, I am 99.9% certain I have this and I would like to tell my family. Unfortunately, I feel they won't take me seriously unless I have a diagnosis. At the moment I haven't discussed it at all, only a few close friends know.

 

So my question is, is it worth going back and seeing another GP or should I get a private diagnosis and how much does that cost?

 

I hope someone found my story interesting as thats why I wrote it.

 

[Karen A]

Hi ultimatus and Welcome to the Forum.

I am not an expert on the information you are looking for however there are a few people around who have experience of attempting to obtain assessment both privately and via the NHS as adults.Karen.

[NobbyNobbs]

go back to your GP and ask for them to find you somewhere that does deal with adult diagnosis, and when they say there isn't anywhere, ask them what they are going to do about it then. in theory, you should be allocated NHS funding for a private assessment if the NHS cannot provide one.

 

i had to fight and see i think 5 GPs before one was willing to refer me. one GP said that there were no diagnosis facilities, and yet another GP had no trouble referring me to the in-county specialist adult diagnosis department! in my experience, GPs generally dont know a lot about AS, and tend to say that you're wrong to cover up this lack of knowledge.

 

goodluck!

[baddad]

Hi ultimatus - welcome to the forum.

 

adult dx is often problematic. It's a bit of a postcode lottery, and a huge amount depends on the willingness of your GP to refer you out of area if there is nowhere in county etc...

 

There are a few adult members who have been dx'd - I'm sure they'll be able to tell you some of the geography. Where are you based?

Private dx is not the best route if you do have alternatives, even if it means a longer wait/extended battle.

 

L&P

 

BD

[alanm]

Hello and welcome.

 

Very best of luck with the dx. Can identify with much of your story, especially the school / teenage bullying aspect.

 

All the best, Alan

[Tally]

Hi Edward, and welcome to the forum.

 

I am an adult diagnosed with AS 2 years ago, aged 25.

 

It can be immensely difficult to access adult assessment for AS. If you have a history of mental health problems, they may pin all of your problems on those. They may also feel that it would not be a useful use of resources if you are coping well now.

 

I had so much trouble and in the end decided to go private instead of fight. I was advised the cost ranges from £300-£1000. I paid £600.

 

Even a private psychologist may require a referral from your GP, though your GP may be willing to refer you if you are paying. They are also likely to want to speak to your parents about your early childhood development, as they need evidence that the condition is lifelong.

[TheNeil]

Hi,

 

I was in a similar situation to yourself (I'm 34 and was dx'd three years ago) and going to see the GP was the first step (I went prepared and came up with a list of how I felt I met the diagnostic criteria). Although she didn't claim to be an expert on ASDs, she did listen and was happy to refer me to a specialist.

 

Sadly the NHS took so long that I ended up going down the private route after waiting a year and being told that I would then have to wait a further 18 months for even the initial appointment (and, just like you, I was very much made aware that there were/are no services for diagnosing AS where I live - if they thought that I was 'worth it', then I'd be referred to another specialist outside of the PCT...but that would probably take several years ). For me I was driving myself mad with the 'not knowing' so I felt that I had little alternative .

 

It's a few years ago now but I was looking at anywhere from £250 to £1500. If you want to find out more then I'd suggest visiting the NAS website as they can supply a list of psychologists that they give the 'thumbs up' to. Then it's just a case of contacting the ones near to you and seeing what services they offer, how their diagnosis process works (who, if anyone, you need to take along with you, how many appointments are needed etc.) and, most importantly, how much they charge.

[Ultimatus]

Many thanks for the input guys.

 

I would be interested to know what actually happens during the diagnosis if anyone wants to share?

 

TheNeil, do you have a direct link to the NAS page with the list? I've had a look around but can't find it, thanks.

 

I'm in Surrey by the way if that helps.

 

Cheers!

[call me jaded]

Oooh NAS Surrey branch is very good. I'm just north of the river and have admired them for a long time.

[TheNeil]

Not a problem. The Autism Services Directory on the NAS website allows you to find services in your area.

 

As you're in Surrey, this is the direct link.

 

If that doesn't help then you could always drop them an email (via the Contact link on the NAS website) - they've always been really helpful whenever I've needed to contact them in the past

[Ultimatus]

Thanks very much for all your help, it's much appreciated!

[suz]

Hi Ultimatus, and welcome.

 

I joined this forum a couple of months ago, I'm undiagnosed but think I may have aspergers and can relate to a lot of what you've described. I was terrified of lorries as a child because they seemed painfully loud, and also hated fireworks - still do if I'm honest! I was also bullied in school for being really quiet and was completely obsessed with doing my classwork and homework to the point of perfection, which other kids found very strange!

 

I live on the Surrey/Berkshire border and would be very interested to know what you find out about getting diagnosed in Surrey or surrounding areas. Where abouts in Surrey are you?

 

Keep me posted...

 

Suz

 

(And I'm also 25!)

[Ultimatus]

Hi Suz, I have pm'd you.