Waiting for diagnosis - suspect aspergers

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Hi all,

I am new to the forum. So the story is I have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and OCD over the last few years and finally started to suspect it might be something else going on after helping a friend with research into girls with autism. I recognised myself in the description for female but having only know males with asperger's I have not recognised it before. My GP started by telling me of course I did not have autism or asperger's until he did a short questionnaire with me and has referred me to the local adult autism team for assessment although there is a long wait so could be months before I know! Anybody elses family, friends and work colleagues say "yeah I thought that" when you told them you were being referred fro assessment? I wish somebody had told me before might have saved me years of depression!

The strangest thing is I'm a Social Worker so spend a lot of time with people but have infrequent "meltdowns" at work and lock myself in the toilet or "go to the shop" and actually hide around the corner outside.

I'm just hoping to meet people to chat to as I think my family and the few friends I have are getting sick of me talking about it.

Welcome to WP.

City or Rovers?

If you've been referred to the Autism Team (sounds like they should be in a comic) that means you can relax, it's the biggest hurdle and you've cleared it at the first attempt.
When they get in touch and organise an assessment, it's really helpful if your mum is able to come along, or a sibling, as a large part of the assessment is childhood.
Loads of interesting, useful stuff here, not in articles but from the experiences of other Spectrumites (oh yeah), and we never tire of hearing autistic stories as they are our stories.

I will now sing you the song of my people...just kidding.

Thank you for the reply.

I'm not a born and bred Bristolian so I am a Liverpool fan, don't tell anyone

I think the GP wanted to get rid of me to be honest and I am pretty lucky to have a specialist assessment team in my area!

Do you have to take a parent because there are issues with my mum and my dad passed. My brother is a lot younger so will not know either. That is the bit that is stressing me out a bit. My flatmate who I have know for the past 5 years (she has witnessed some pretty interesting behaviour) has offered to come but that won't help the assessment of childhood.

Ooooo a song I love a song

They have you, so your childhood is covered, a parent just helps as it's an extra witness and sometimes mums remember all our awful moments as screaming children.

I'd bring your flatmate, it's much easier with someone with you. I really didn't expect to need days of recovery between appointments, but it was stressful talking about everything.

Liverpool are alright, I'm a Celtic fan.

Luckily I remember a lot from childhood. My flatmate is so supportive which is nice.

When did you have your assessment and how many appointments was it? I can imagine it was really draining.

It is bad for me to admit I've never been to Scotland

I had 4 appointments, over the course of 2 months and got my diagnosis in July 2015. It's roughly 6-10 hours depending on your stamina and who is testing you.
Mine was slower as a doctor was being trained up to test for Autism, so I have 2 people asking me stuff, but they were lovely and set me at ease, it was still draining though.
It's had a positive effect on my life, so good luck.

I am very curious as well since I've heard of many ASD women not recieving proper diagnosis because they appear so 'normal' at first sight. Like you I have studied a social science.

As I just said in another thread , I was very bubbly most of my assessment and still received my diagnosis.
Assessment was 3 hours and wasn't that much focused on my symptoms.

Iam a 46 year old female and live in Scotland, and was recently referred for an ASD assessment also. I think here it is around a 6 months wait.

Both of my parents are deceased, I do have an older sister who can remember me acting like a " spoiled brat " and having speech therapy and being a bit of an escape artist and a general pain in the butt.

I also plan to take my 27 year old son with me as he probably knows me better than most people and thinks I am a bit off / odd and generally different.

I just want it to be over and done with and feel very anxious about the whole process.

I think I am worrying about spending 6 months waiting for the assessment and finding things i can associate with only to be told " It's all in your head ". There is nothing wrong with you. You are just a failure as an NT person.

That is in no way meant to insult anyone, but I am not great at explaining what I mean.

Right now I want to shout AGHHHHHHHHH.

Hi Noura,

I know exactly what you mean, was going through the same thing. I hope you will have a competent person in charge of the diagnostic process, this is possible even if you don't live in a city. Try to relax for now

Thanks Carbonmonoxide.

I think I will be sent to ARC in Glasgow, so it's the best place to be diagnosed.

Can't help the nervous bit though

I will know one way or another.

It's good that you're being referred to a specialist team. I was referred to one for ASD and it was a great experience.

Now I've been referred to the local CMHT for ADHD (I wanted to know if medication could help my executive function difficulties - apparently there is only support whether medication or therapeutic for ADHD but not for ASD in my area. So I said I'd have the assessment). It's horrible. The woman has never assessed someone with ADHD and ASD before and thinks it's very rare.

Now I've got to wait (more) months to be assessed by someone else to do a range of psychometric testing (who may or maybe not have the necessary experience) and then be referred back.