How did you seek out diagnosis?

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For those of you who came to understand Asperger's as adults, how did you go about getting an accurate diagnosis? I know there are a billion so-called professionals out there waiting to lay all kinds of labels on people. What were your experiences with doctors? How did you find a good one?

Thanks in advance for your responses. Obviously, this is the place I am currently at, and I would like some context on it all.

I was diagnosed in an emergency room in Tucson, AZ. I was allergic to the heavily metallic dust there, and there was a drought and dust advisories. I was getting bad during dust advisory periods, getting lost, getting disoriented, etc. I went to an emergency room eventually where the psychiatrist on call had been working with AS children. He said the way I talked, etc. was classic AS. He examined me and we had a few follow up appointments afterward. He did a history on me, and we talked about some of my issues, but no neurological testing.

It turns out that certain things, like that metallic dust allergy, and certain foods and things make me behave more AS -- my speech deteriorates and I become lower-functioning, if I'm on a bad diet or have allergies or other sensory disruptions.

But I knew I was different and "knew" I had AS for about a year before that. I never thought about getting a diagnosis before, tho. I would never have paid $3,000 for an assessment, as some people have done.

How did I seek out a diagnosis?

Very carefully.

First, I stayed away from my insurance carrier. No sense having something like this go on some kind of "permanent record."

Then I made a few discrete inquiries among some trusted friends in the psychology field, until I found one that specialised in Autism Spectrum Disorders, and explained my situation. Fortunately, that person had already made a preliminary (e.g. "Unsolicited") diagnosis and was looking for a way to approach me. After a few sessions, the "Official" diagnosis was made, and the friend made some recommendations.

We're the only two people that know ... and I paid for it with a free business security system.

I didn't, my parents forced me to get diagnosed at about 13. And even then, it wasn't for a few years that they got it right, by then I had already been tortured by misdiagnosis. Now I just get the occasional "I hate you, stop treating me as a disorder and start treating me as a person" coming outa my mouth.

Fnord, thank you. That was the kind of response I was looking for.

It gives me some insights into the workings of it.

I've never had much to do with doctors, and trying to negotiate something like getting a proper mental health diagnosis seems like a terribly complicated thing.

I'd appreciate any other such stories or advice.

find a professional who is well versed in ASD's. Dont; just go to any old psychologist or any old doctor. Contact your local or regional Autism society if there is one and ask them. They usually know who is up on the info and who is a dud (to put it bluntly.)

don;t just go anywhere. it can cost you and the people you are speaking to may not know enough about the specifics of ASD's or AS.

I haven't yet been diagnosed but I found a doctor in my area on aspergers.com, I called he takes my insurance, I just need to get a referral from my gp at the start of next year. I'm so anxious about the process I'm wondering what to expect.

not sure what part of Florida you are in.
florida resources:

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/suppFL.html

yeah follow Millie's advice.
I live in Orange county. I contacted the UCLA autism center. I asked them how much for a dx. $2800 I believe without extra svcs which I don't think you are asking about anyway. thought it was too much. they gave me some referrals.
haven't used either of them yet.

http://www.autism.ucla.edu/index2.php

one guy who was recommended to me by a guy from an aspie meetup costs about $800.
I think you may even be able to get a dx by someone who works for Florida Rehabilitation svcs but call to find out if interested. But that's probably the low-quality cheap route.


Also I'm trying to see if I have NLD as well plus I'd like to know what else I have , if anything. I don't think UCLA would've done an NLD evaluation. I do have coordination and visual-spatial problems at the very least. Anyway to dx NLD, one needs a neuropsychological evaluation which I don't think can be done by a psychiatrist.

However, a psychiatrist can dx Asperger's. and I think a psych can too but check on that. one of the people referred to me by ucla was a psychiatrist so didn't want him.