I've got new insurance so I'm off to my appointment with the psychiatrist today. My new GP want me to be re-diagnosed. He only gave me 30 days of Wellbutrin to make sure I go. This is just as well. If our health insurance rules change (I'm in the US) and pre-existing conditions are able to disqualify me from coverage, this re-diagnosis will protect me from that. Maybe that's even why he's doing it because I heard him in the hall trash talking the new Florida governor (who is either an infantile baffoon or a Marvel villain) and his supposed "budget plan". Any way, I have to have a sit-down with a psychiatrist today to validate and possibly go through testing again.
I've written my list of behavior. It's two pages long (Times New Roman, size 10, in list format). The list I created about my behavior is overwhelming to me, so I included that, too. This is such a bother. I don't want to forget anything. They asked me on the phone when I made the appointment, "What kind of behavior do you have? Why did they say you had Aspergers before?" and my mind went *blank*. I said, "Uhm, I forget things and I have compulsive behavior..." "What kind of compulsive behavior?" *blank* "Uhm, leg bouncing, and, uhm.... other things." Total disaster. I need the list!
I have to keep reminding myself of what I'm doing today. Going over and over it in my head like a broken record: take kids to school, go see husband in hospital, leave in time for appointment, take kids to school, go see husband in hospital, leave in time for appointment...
Dear god. If I verbalized my internal monologue, nobody would ever question my diagnosis!
When I was diagnosed, it wasn't with my intention. I was thinking I was ADD and had Depression, and the nurse practitioner was going along with that suggestion but after many sessions with the psychologist, she started seeing my true behavior (not my social mask) come out. She spoke with the nurse practitioner and together they told me that they suspected AS and wanted me to see the psychiatrist. All of this was in the same clinic so it was pretty quick and convenient, over just a few appointments. None of it was intimidating because I'd already been going there and, so even though I was very skeptical that I had aspergers, I was able to have a trustworthy conversation with these professionals, who all took the time to explain to me in detail how I match the diagnosis.
Today is a new thing with a new place and new people.
How do you manage with a psychiatrist?
17 Feb 2011, 7:30 am
