Contacting private diagnosticians

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I'd be interested in hearing about any experiences other people here have of getting a private diagnosis as an adult. I've sent out a couple of e-mails to private diagnosticians who apparently take self-referrals but have had no reply so far - does it usually take them a while to get back to you?

Hi PullBackOnTheStick - welcome to WP!

My story is here - http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt92601.html

I got the name of a nearby psychology clinic from my doctor (MD), looked them up online & found that they had a specialist in adult AS. I called to get an appointment for an evaluation & then received a call back (a day or so later) from the psychologist to see if I had any questions.

It was pretty easy. Very glad I did it.

Hi Zeichner, thanks for the info. I forgot to say I'm in the UK - I suspect it's going to be less easy here! I've already tried through my doctor and the National Health Service but got nowhere.

I think I posted mainly because I feel a bit discouraged at the moment, having been ignored by the NHS and now feeling as though it's happening again with private clinics. At least I can talk to other people in the same position here.

In my own situation, I think that the research I did (and my interactions on this forum) BEFORE I went for evaluation was as important to me as the actual diagnosis. The Dx provided validation - but the research has given me the tools by which to address the way AS impacts my life.

There is an awful lot you can do on your own - start by reading Tony Attwood's "Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome". Then look into the various books by Temple Grandin (I found "The Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships" to be extremely helpful.) The book I'm currently reading - "Asperger's From the Inside Out," by Michael John Carley- is also a good resource.

These books are extremely well-written & the authors are experts in the subject of AS (Attwood is arguably the world's foremost authority & Grandin and Carley both write from their personal experiences growing up & living with AS.) Each book will doubtless lead you to another that is equally helpful (at least, that's been my experience.)

It sounds as if I'm just about at the same stage you were before you got your DX. I've already done quite a bit of reading, including some of Temple Grandin's stuff, and "The Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships" is next on my wish list!

As you say, a diagnosis would provide validation. I think it would probably confirm what I already know, but it would be nice to have an answer for the few people I've confided in about AS who have been very dismissive and think I can't possibly have a problem because I can walk and talk normally and hold down a job.

PullBackOnTheStick - let me know how you get on as I'm currently in the same position and also based in the UK (London). I've done quite a bit of research into it and have also contacted a number of private clinics. The way I see it is if my diagnosis is positive for AS and it's done privately it's then up to me who knows and who doesn't (but probably just sees me as a bit eccentric), this is far more favourable for me. Although I did go to my GP about 2 years ago when I first started finding out about AS to ask for a diagnosis, unfortunately he was unable to help me at the time, simply saying he didn't really know who to contact or refer me to. Like a lot of people, I imagine, this is probably fairly common. Having said that my GP is very good and very understanding, I think he simply didn't know how to try and help.

Hi General Piffle - I had the exact same experience with my GP, he's keen to help but has no idea who to refer me to and got no replies when I provided him with some addresses from the NAS website.

Did you find you had to wait a long time for any response from private clinics? I'm thinking maybe I'll give it a week or so and then make a follow-up phone call.

I didn't have to wait too long, just a few days. If you're getting twitchy give them a call. Who have you tried to contact out of interest? Good luck with it.

I've had a response by post now from the Hoffman Foundation in London, and have also contacted Dilemma Consultancy in Sheffield, although I haven't heard from them yet. It looks as if it's going to be an expensive process!

Hi guys,
I'm based in the UK and going through exactly the same thing. It's taken me a couple of weeks to email Dilemma in Sheffield, quite what I'm nervous about I've got no idea, but there you go!
I'd be interested to know if you get any joy with likely costs, waiting times etc.

cheers

Hi Enormouse (is that a blast from the past from the Beano?),

Hoffman Foundation have quoted £700 and said the waiting list is into September 2009 now. Nothing yet from Dilemma Consultancy - I'd like to wait until I hear from them before I decide how to proceed.

I don't have anything to add, but when I saw the title of this thread, I thought it said:

"Collecting private diagnosticians"

I thought, wow, that's an interesting kind of collection!

I sent out emails to 4 diagnosticians on Sunday - got one reply back the same day, with an attached leaflet suggesting a price of around £650. Got another reply Monday, he wants to phone me this week to discuss it......mixed feelings about that, part of me thinks "doesn't he know Aspies are often crap on the phone?" but maybe he's good at asking the key questions that would clear the blocks. And if the phone call is a mess, I guess it'd be better to find that out before turning up for an expensive interview. Really it's the diagnostician's job to facilitate the process - I never could express myself very well except in writing.

I didn't think about asking about waiting times - was assuming on average it'd be sooner than September, but we'll see.

Names are listed here:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt98610.html

I feel kind of guilty like I'm putting these people in the dock, but if I were spending a similar amount of money on a hi-fi system or something, I'd be looking for user reviews and would have no qualms about writing reviews either. I really must fight this perception of mine that a private diagnostician is an authority figure.....