How did youget diagnosed with AS?

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I am not diagnosed with AS yet, but I fit nearly every single criteria in one way or another. My psychologist recently had me take some assessments with T/F questions and scale of 1-6 questions on how strongly I agree or disagree with statements in regard to myself (i.e. "I try to have people around me.")

I question how accurate and pointed these assessments are, as only a few of the classic criteria of AS were even addressed. My psych has very little experience herself with AS patients, especially adult ones.

I would like to know how you came about being diagnosed, and was it one thing more than another? Did each assessment paint a general picture that led your doctor/psych to say that if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and walks like a duck, it must be a duck!

How will I know if my disgnosis is correct, especially since my psych has limited qualifications in this area?

Thanks!

Well, I don't think my answer is going to be of much help to you....

I was diagnosed at 15, at some point during my stay at the hospital where I was sent for manic depression treatments ( I wasn't eating or sleeping at all, didn't enjoy anything anymore, the whole world around me felt like a real-life nightmare that I couldn't awake from). I don't remember much about how they came to the conclusion that I have AS, or what tests they did me. Alot of it is kind of a blur now, but they came to the conclusion.

I was alot more immature back then, and so there were some things OBVIOUSLY wrong with me, which has since diminished or disappeared. But I still have problems that I suffer with, and now as an adult with AS, its hard to find the right kind of info about it that actually is useful for me. I'm still trying to find a good AS councellor and services to help me find my way in the adult world.

For you, well, it would really be to your benefit to find someone who has some experience with AS syndrome if you hope to get an accurate diagnoses. Hopefully it won't take almost DYING to get you somewhere where you can be diagnosed!

Good luck.

To tackle the second question first, you'll have a better chance of knowing if your doctor admits his lack of expertise and refers you to someone appropriate.

A REAL expert knows when he is out of his territory.

I was diagnosed at the age of 48 following work I'd done myself, prompted by a stray suggestion. It was something not far from a last resort, as other diagnoses and atttempts to treat depressive illness and despair had not been successful.

I did take pains to see someone who was a definite expert in the field, particulay as adult diagnosis is considered more difficult than in children.

In my case the multiple choice questions of more than one type were part of the standard assessment, but only part, and in any case gave consistent input.