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Going private

Lellynelly

Its been a year since I first went to the Gp to get on the diagnosis ladder. Since then I have filled in and returned aq50, eq50 and relatives questionnaire, and been told that due to the results of these I may benefit from a formal diagnosis of asd. I have been told it could be 18 months before I get my first face to face, but realistically they just have no idea when it will be. So I am investigating going private. 

I had a reply from a private company today that said i could get a 3 hour appointment in 3 weeks time with a diagnosis there and then but it will cost £550. Apparently they have expertise and experience in Asd, adhd, other neurodevelopmental disorders, ptsd anorexia, depression bipolar and personality disorders.

i am SO tempted. To think I would know within a month for sure. But I’m now starting to worry, what If I’m not autistic. What if I’m just weird, or childish, or have social anxiety disorder and a learning difficulty. Sounds sill, but I’d be gutted if they said I dont have asd. Finding out that I may have it just explained SO much.

anyone else gone private due to being fed up of waiting?

  • I am exactly the same right now. I received the same quote from where I have decided to go private with - it seemed very reasonable another company local to me wanted £1000-£1500 dependant on the length of the appointment when their ADHD appointment was only £350-£400 for the same length of time.

    I decided to go private for exactly the same reasons. On my first phone consult with the mental health access department I was told I wouldn't need the second phone consult and that they were passing my referral straight through the autism team, so I waited over six months assuming it had gone through and I received an appointment letter for the second appointment that they explicitly said I didn't need and it that the phone call was in three months time.

    It would have been 9 months of them just assessing my needs over the phone after them commenting they were really clear in the referral paperwork and making no headway in the department I needed which also has its own waiting list once they received your referral. My friend on the same service (lives in the same town as me) waited over 2 1/2 years for her diagnosis, but couldn't afford to go private. The mental health service in the county I live in was put under special measures so have little hope it will get much better so decided not to wait - someone who can't afford private can have my spot in the waiting list instead.

    I have had the same thoughts especially after my parents said I was such an "intelligent normal child" even though I would spend hours alone in my room with jigsaws, not have my friends come over or go over theirs (even when my brother had loads of friends over visits) etc. I put a post up earlier in the week and some people have replied with comforting comments. 

  • I don't know how much it would cost me to get a private assessment in the country I live in now. I got an informal diagnosis from a therapist I saw once when first here and culture shocked and alienated. I would also want to be sure it stayed private, as in confidential. 

    Best of luck with it anyway. 

  • You've pretty much described me there! I'm terrified that I won't be diagnosed as having asd as it means that I have no explanation for being how I am. Definitely go for the private assessment though, don't let the nerves put you off. I'm hoping to be privately assessed soon too. Good luck with it all.

  • I had a private diagnosis and it was money well spent.

    You should check that they are qua!ified to do the diagnosis bur apart from that there should be few problems with the process.

    I wrote a 'potted history' of my life, the problems I had and how I interacted with others and the social gaffes to which I am prone. Misunderstandings, childhood memories of how I fitted in.

    The psychologist should also be able to suggest alternatives should it not be autism, and I'm sure like me you would want to get to the bottom of the issues and what causes them whatever the reason.

    And once you know you can then get a proper understanding of yourself.