Went to the doctors yesterday...

[MarknotGeorge]

... for the first time since the driving my car through my father-in-law's garage door and trying to walk to Elliot House via the Trent & Mersey canal last month. Anyway, changed tack from the last visit and left Karen at home (she provides too much moral support) but we sat up the night before and carefully noted down how I felt. Not being on a bit of an upswing like the last couple of times helped too, I reckon.

 

So, she's referring me (she knows not where yet, but it won't be directly to someone who deals in adult ASDs as there no such person in my area), and she's given me 10mg of citalopram a day - both to help me deal with the wanting to lash out, and to lend weight to whoever she refers me to.

 

Let's see where this path leads...

[adamsmum]

Well done. Sounds like you'r getting somwher. Hope all go's well

[phasmid]

Well done. That cannot have been easy, but you did it. Fingers crossed that your GP finds the right 'someone' to send you to.

[something_different]

well done

[Steve_colour-se7en]

Hello MarknotGeorge,

 

Well done, it's not easy Diagnosis as an adult is I feel, is very personal indeed as such there is only yourself who can make the decision to seek a formal diagnosis. Some people, it would seem cannot and will not move forward without such, there is also the person will not require or see the need to follow this path.If you do decide to follow the route of a formal DX ist is not always easy. First step would be to seek advice from your GP, however not all GP's are familiar with ASD's below a link on Important facts about autism and Asperger syndrome for GPs

 

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=128&a=2225

 

Here is another link Diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders - a brief guide for health professionals

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=118&a=2224

 

Help with a diagnosis and ways to bring up the subject with your doctor, remember this please that, Asperger syndrome isn't widely heard of among GPs. The typical route for getting diagnosed is to visit your GP and ask for a referral to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=225&a=3341

 

 

Steve..

 

I think the boy means well but he is distinctly inclined to be inattentive......

Tutor of Winston Churchill to Lord Randolph Churchill,

Winston's father

[ceecee]

Hello MarknotGeorge,

 

Well done, it's not easy Diagnosis as an adult is I feel, is very personal indeed as such there is only yourself who can make the decision to seek a formal diagnosis. Some people, it would seem cannot and will not move forward without such, there is also the person will not require or see the need to follow this path

 

I agree with Steve in that diagnosis as an adult is a personal thing.Some adults feel they have no need for a diagnosis and others such as yourself feel they require one.Don't give up and hopefully this will lead somewhere. <'> <'>

 

I would also say that gp are nowhere near as familiar as one would first think with aspergers but they should be able to refer you onto someone who does have knowledge of the condition.

[ceecee]

Sorry tried to quote half of what steve had said and got a bit muddled up

[UltraMum]

well done - hope your path is a straightforward one with few bends

[MarknotGeorge]

well done - hope your path is a straightforward one with few bends

 

It's been a twisty one so far. I wondered about having AS quite a while ago, when I knew someone who had been diagnosed, and decided to find out about it. Back then I was 'just' extremely shy and awkward, prone to stressy behaviour. I was working at McDonalds after getting a cr*p degree (I was unable to focus), living with mum and dad and no girlfriend till I was 26. I met my wife, Karen, about 5 years ago, and she had some books on AS, (I think because she had just dropped out of a nursing degree at the time) and this rekindled my interest. After she moved 180 miles from Kent with her 3 children to live with me, we decided to go to my GP.

 

 

I was referred to the Community Mental Health team, who had dealt with me when I slashed open my wrist after an argument with a girl I was seeing a few years ago. According to the Clinical Psychologist, some of the team didn't believe in AS, and that as I had a girlfriend (now my wife), a job and children (by this time number 4 had been born), I was fairly well sorted and they could do no more for me.

 

New house, another baby, new job, new GP. He referred me to the CMH team again, who asked him for further details and when he'd replied (without telling me), wrote back to him and told him that 'as there was no change in my presentation' that they'd do nothing again.

 

I didn't know all this until I went back to see one of the other GPs at the surgery (the one I saw Monday) a few days before the car hit the garage. I went armed with Karen, information on AS and the address of Elliot House. She tended to agree with the CMH team, and said that she would look into a diagnosis but coudn't promise anything.

 

After the crash, I spoke to my group leader at work, who got me an appointment with the OcuupationalHealth nurse, with a view to looking at getting some counselling. I've got private healthcare through work, which unfortunately doesn't cover this sort of thing. I found out from a fellow AS sufferer on the forum at DigitalSpy, where there's a 14 page ASD appreciation thread which K and I post in and find supportive, that he got help with his diagnosis from work. Unfortunately the nurse told me there wasn't much they could do till I had a diagnosis.

 

Since then things had been stressful. I've been snappier than usual, and Karen has admitted that she hasn't been as supportive as before as she has had problems herself. Luckily, my car insurance is covering the damage to the garage door and the contents (all the kids bikes were in there ), so Christmas with the in-laws wasn't too bad. K was worried that I was getting a bit obsessed with AS, which she felt was turning the GPs off, so suggested the feelings-based approach. I think she was worried about what would happen if I saw someone who told me it wasn't. Hopefully now someone will work out what is wrong with me.

 

Anyway time for a donut and a citalopram.

[ceecee]

Marknotgeorge

 

Hope you get something sorted out soon and you start to feel better keep us informed.There is plaenty of support on here. <'> <'> <'> <'>

[elaine1]

fabulous, lots of luck. <'>

[MarknotGeorge]

I've been off my computer for a week or so, just didn't fancy going on it. I've been reading about AS, and reading my Underground books. Anyway, in the three weeks since I started the tablets, things have improved a bit, in that I don't feel more chilled at work. I still get the jitters, though, and I'm more dozy than usual, which is something that Coke sorts out.

[madmooch]

Good Luck, hope everything goes well <'> <'>

 

 

Clare

[lindy-lou]

I've been off my computer for a week or so, just didn't fancy going on it. I've been reading about AS, and reading my Underground books. Anyway, in the three weeks since I started the tablets, things have improved a bit, in that I don't feel more chilled at work. I still get the jitters, though, and I'm more dozy than usual, which is something that Coke sorts out.

 

wow good luck with it all,i do hope thats the fizzy kind of coke

[MarknotGeorge]

wow good luck with it all,i do hope thats the fizzy kind of coke

 

The Cherry kind, for preference. Would propranolol help with the jitters?

 

I'm not exactly fussed about losing out on alcohol, to be honest. I don't go out much, and when I do, I kinda prefer the idea of driving home in my shiny new car, rather than queue with the ###### at the taxi rank. And drinking at home makes me sleepy.

Edited February 1, 2006 by MarknotGeorge