Sleep - GP Hell

Not had good time a my GP. Been told by I dont have Autism. Then showed copy of my NHS diagnosis letter. I thought that was sorted that out.

Then tried to explane that I can not get to sleep and keep awaking up at night. The GP wouldn't have any off it. The GP told me it "Life Choices" that sleepy. By that point I just was not getting anywhere with the GP. 

So do you know where I can get information on sleep problems with Autism.



  • Your GP sounds like a bit New Ager. I wilfully and wantonly chose to get ill, not sleep, get mugged, lose my job. A system of magical thinking in which any kind of misfortune is your fault because of victim mentality or whatever.

    I was sent to my GP, a new young man at 13, for being, according to my mother, 'very overwrought.' He got me to write a journal about my deep dark inner thoughts, the idea being I would recognise this was all teenage stuff. 

    A new surgery was built in the place I was growing up in; mission accomplished he became dismissive, treating like a stupid hypochondriac ( the quality is there all did) thereafter, while reading some document kept out of my site.

    I remember the receptionist being rude to me when my diabetes test came up negative. No I didn't"t want diabetes!!! My mother told me I was being oversensitive until she was seriously hurt in a bad car accident we all experienced in France, then she got the same dismissive treatment.

    Get a new GP. Yours shows no respect at all 

  • Your GP sounds like a bit New Ager. I wilfully and wantonly chose to get ill, not sleep, get mugged, lose my job. A system of magical thinking in which any kind of misfortune is your fault because of victim mentality or whatever.

    I was sent to my GP, a new young man at 13, for being, according to my mother, 'very overwrought.' He got me to write a journal about my deep dark inner thoughts, the idea being I would recognise this was all teenage stuff. 

    A new surgery was built in the place I was growing up in; mission accomplished he became dismissive, treating like a stupid hypochondriac ( the quality is there all did) thereafter, while reading some document kept out of my site.

    I remember the receptionist being rude to me when my diabetes test came up negative. No I didn't"t want diabetes!!! My mother told me I was being oversensitive until she was seriously hurt in a bad car accident we all experienced in France, then she got the same dismissive treatment.

    Get a new GP. Yours shows no respect at all 

  • Just got an letter from my GP. Not happy with it.

    it says
    Reviewed in **** by the learning disability specialist clinical assessment team in **** who felt he had features consistent with Aspergers.

    There is no FELT about it. I have Aspergers (autism). It might just be me making big thing about nothing much but there is no FELT about.

    I have gone through so much to get to point I am now.

    The only thing I am doing is phoning the GP, which I hate in doing may because I FELT like problems with the phone which can not because I have autism maybe possibly. I don't want to go down there. Because I am so angry with them.

    Autism is not a choice. I didn't choise to have Autism. There is no maybe about it.

  • I have always had difficulty with sleeping and, like yourself, my GP wasn’t interested in the matter. They talked about sleep cleansing even though I already did everything they suggested and they told me I should get up and read and then go back to bed when I started to fall asleep, obviously not realising that I can quite easily go 3 or 4 days with no sleep at all and doing boring things doesn’t make me any more tired! I got sleeping tablets once but they didn’t help at all.

    I would say try a different GP first, but if you are getting nowhere look at alternative options such as private treatment or holistic options. For me personally I learnt to meditate and that has helped me massively when I’ve been struggling to get to sleep. I appreciate this sort of thing isn’t for everyone however. Try asking your GP for a list of all of the treatments you could try to help you sleep and if they don’t work or they won’t give you them then then I would suggest looking for help elsewhere as above. This appears to be something that is really affecting you, so make as much clear to your GP and don’t let this lie.

    As for information on sleep and autism, I think caretwo has covered this well.

  • Thanks for that.

    Shock horror, Autism research only on the effects children. That something new. ;)

  • Just to add to this, you are well within your rights to request to see another GP. 

  • The Autism and Health: A Special Report by Autism Speaks report contains a short section on autism and disrupted sleep:
    https://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/autism-and-health-special-report-autism-speaks

    As the report states, most studies relating to autism and disrupted sleep relate to children.

    NAS also has a page on autism and sleep:
    http://www.autism.org.uk/about/health/sleep.aspx

    This Research Autism link will provide a fair bit of reading about autism and sleep:
    http://researchautism.net/search?s=sleep

    Autism Connect has a research review summary on the subject:
    https://autism-connect.org.uk/upload/pdf_files/1431002236_sleep%20and%20autism.pdf

    Finally, have a look at the Royal College of General Practitioners' web page for autism:
    http://www.rcgp.org.uk/ASD

    Whilst the NICE clinical guideline 170 link relates to children and young people, you may find something helpful in the guidelines (which can be downloaded as a PDF, ePUB or MOBI).