Overturning AS Diagnosis

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I am in the UK.

I would like to know if anyone knows how to go about initiating the overturning of an Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis. I was diagnosed young, around 14, and there is simply no way in hell I have this condition. I am now 20, and quite simply have none of the symptoms present when I was diagnosed; I've have a girlfriend, one of many, I have a large social group, two jobs, I'm in my last year of a physics degree, not so much as a hint of OCD, my irrational love of Star Wars is completely overturned and if I was once face blind I'm not anymore. My clumsiness and instability also vanished when I want from BMI 30 (obese) to BMI 22 (physically pristine). It was all a gigantic f**kup.

I have had an army medical, and whilst it was the opinion of their doctor that I do not have Asperger's Syndrome, I have been placed on remedial action until they are able to contact the diagnosing doctor (complicated by the fact that he no longer practices) or I am able to get my diagnosis overturned. My GP is looking into this but she admits that due to the workload family doctors have and the fact she's never actually seen anyone attempting to get their diagnosis reversed, I'll probably be able to work it out faster myself.

So if anyone has any information please reply with it, it'd be very much appreciated.

I have been wondering the same thing.

Anyway, welcome to WP!

Thanks, I hope a prompt loss of my diagnosis will make my welcome short!

Get a second opinion from any doctor who specializes in autism spectrum disorders.

Are you the omniburger? You exist on all asperger's threads everywhere all the time?

In any case, on psychforums you didn't answer whether you know this works for the UK. As I mentioned our healthcare systems are radically different; it takes months and sometimes years to get to the right specialist (because you have to go through a pre-designated care pathway based on your observed symptoms, starting with a GP. You can't simply choose to visit a specialist because a regular person does not have the required medical expertise to decide what type of doctor needs to see them). Whilst I can see why this is the case for diagnoses, I certainly doubt this is the case for reversing a diagnosis. There simply has to be a faster way; no system could exist with that level of inefficiency.

And yet I have the feeling that somebody is about to appear and let me know it does.

I go to AFF, the psych forums, here, zomgaspies, I2, and ASD Relationships.


I lurk here more often. One of my obsessions and I am on the internet all the time.

ASD relationships. That one must be slow.

Why don't you just phone NAS and ask them? That would surely be a faster and more efficient way than posting here.

While I certainly can't say one way or the other for you specifically, the portrait you drew does not necessarily exclude AS diagnosis.
Just saying.

Nothing excludes AS diagnoses, they're incredibly vague and I am not even personally sure if the condition exists, but that's neither here nor there.

And I am not phoning NAS. I don't feel I have the condition, and they're primarily for supporting people who actually have the disorder from what I can tell. I don't have AS or autism, and especially with regards to autism I'd hate to bother a charity who have a lot of real work on their hands.

It's probably like has already been stated by Spokane Girl, I likely need to see a specialist. Sadly in the UK that is a very, very long process. The price you pay for some semblance of equality I guess, and right now doctors are inundated with Asperger's Syndrome cases, because everyone and their brother has the damned thing.

sorry I don't have any advice, but congratulations on achieving high function. if I could conquer face blindness I'd be ecstatic.

I imagine going to a specialist is the best way to rule it out. decent docs seem reluctant to overturn a dx without full assessment.

It occurs to me that there is criteria #3 (I think), that says there must be significant impairment -- so if you aren't impaired socially, occupationally, or educationally, then the dx shouldn't apply. Or at least that's a good argument to present whoever will do the reassesment. If you really want it off your record, I don't know the system well enough, but be careful about getting a label of "residual AS" or similar -- I've heard of that happening.

I am confused as to how the Army got this information in the first place.

Was it just on some report your GP wrote?

I think here in Australia you'd just go and see another Psychologist and get them to do a letter, unlabelling you. It would be quick as you pretty much get in within a month and then pay for it privately.

Edited to say, I would be investigating the record keeping side to things.
Is it some NHS system which means things are permanently on your medical record in the UK?

The military background check is the best one, really; it's the federal government, the all seeing eye when it comes to its own citizens.

Anyway, to answer the OP: just seeing a run-of-the-mill psychologist or psychiatrist and presenting your case, which if right, will allow you to get a written note or something else to show the army. These two professionals are the ones who diagnose it.

Is there a private clinic or dr. you can go to.In Canada, although they say that health care is public and universal, there is still private practices, clinics, specialists, and dr's kicking around, especially in Alberta and Quebec.

Not even the "exclusionary" criteria such as an absence of qualitative delay in the acquisition of speech, and an absence of delay in the acquisition of self-help skills during early childhood development? Nor the absence of either clinically significant impairment or distress?