Advice on getting a late diagnosis?

Hi MB91 ~ and welcome!

Regarding:

MB91 said:

I was wondering if anybody has any advice on getting a late diagnosis? 

If you telephone (at any time) the NAS (National Autistic Society) helpline: 0808 800 4104, and listen to the instruction about getting an information pack which involves pressing number one on your keypad, then asking for adult diagnosis information pack, and leaving your name and or your address. It can take about a week or two to arrive, depending on demand, but it will help you work out what's what with getting diagnosed.  

Or from one of the site moderators there is this usual advice also which might prove helpful perhaps:

Unknown said:

Hi NAS35320,

You may like to contact our Autism Helpline team who can provide you with information and advice in regards to getting a diagnosis.

You can call them on 0808 800 4104 (Monday to Thursday 10am to 4pm, Friday 9am to 3pm).Please note that the Helpline is experiencing a high volume of calls and it may take a couple of attempts before you get through to speak to an advisor.

Alternatively, you may find the following link from our diagnosis page useful:http://www.autism.org.uk/about/diagnosis.aspx 

Ayshe Mod

Basically when I got my information pack, it had a document in it called 'The sensory world of autism' ~ which I photocopied and I ticked all my hypo and hyper sensitivities and crossed those that did not apply.

Then there was another document called 'WIRED Take The AQ Test' (mentioned and linked above by Bagpuss7) which I did with a friend who is a psychologist as the questions are a bit more suited for Neurologically Typical people (NTs) rather than Neurologically Divergent people (NDs) like ourselves ~ so if you get vexed or bewildered by the questions they have been mentioned on various threads here and elsewhere, we can help also if need be perhaps.

Then there was another document called 'Diagnosis: the process for adults' which I copied like the others, putting it at the back with an explanatory letter on the front and stapled them altogether and sent it recorded delivery to my GP.

My GP phoned me that week ~ as I am bit medical center and health worker phobic myself, and he very much agreed with me and the information, and I got referred and diagnosed eventually.

If any of that helps possibly?

Thankyou for your reply,

I will definitely give them a call and request a pack.

Sending a letter to my gp sounds like a great idea as they are aware that I don't like going in. Im just not sure where id start if I did write to them, how did you begin your explanatory letter? 

Thanks again for your help.

Thankyou for your reply,

I will definitely give them a call and request a pack.

Sending a letter to my gp sounds like a great idea as they are aware that I don't like going in. Im just not sure where id start if I did write to them, how did you begin your explanatory letter? 

Thanks again for your help.

MB91 said:

Thankyou for your reply,

Bonus ~ no problems at all! :-)

MB91 said:

Sending a letter to my gp sounds like a great idea as they are aware that I don't like going in.

It is good for both my GP and I as it helps me to edit and abridge the long-chain and divergent interweaving of my thoughts, and it prepares him to help me in better managing and using the available time-frame of the appointment.

When I used to go in to the doctor's surgery, I would get so anxious about being there I could only stammer to no good communicative effect, or have hypertensive lockjaw, chattering teeth or stress induced seizures.

I used to take explanatory notes with me to circumnavigate the communication problems, but I got so anxious to get back home that I forgot all about having the explanatory notes in the first place.

Then e-v-e-n-t-u-a-l-l-y 'slow boat to China session' it dawned on me to send the explanatory notes instead of myself ~ and thereby have a much more productive and healthier time of it all. Plus I much prefer talking over the phone as there are no observable contradictions and confusing distractions involving body-languages, pheromones, odors, perfumes, aftershaves and yellow lighting and all that hyper-sensory overload sort of thing.   

MB91 said:

Im just not sure where id start if I did write to them, how did you begin your explanatory letter? 

Well ~ with individual names, numbers and locations altered ~ here follows a copy of it to serve as template or in part inspiration perhaps for your or even anybody else's diagnostic request letter:

Dear Dr Good-one,

                                   As you know, for many years ~ I have been endeavouring to find some therapeutic assistance to achieve a definitive understanding about my psychological issues; in order that I may better manage the physiological ones, and this has not as such occurred ~ more the opposite if truth be told.

     Thus, feeling somewhat more frustrated than physically assisted, I ended up calling the National Autistic Society helpline at the end of May [2013]. I discussed my experience of things with the advisor, and was then advised that I should contact you, have you refer me to someone who is experienced in the diagnosis of adult autistic spectrum disorder and also that they would send me an information pack in the post; to help me make sense of things ~ which it has to quite an amazing extent!

     In order that you may understand what I am referring to, I have photocopied and put together three four page documents from the NAS information pack ~ in a suggested reading order that is listed as follows:

1.) The sensory world of autism

2.) Take The A.Q. Test

3.) Diagnosis: the process for adults

     In regard to being referred to an appropriately qualified diagnostician, the NAS advisor gave me the name of a Dr Never-did-meet, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, in the county of Elsewhere, with his telephone number being: 00000 000000 ~ as being the most local [home-visit] option.

     I do of course wholly appreciate any suggestions or concerns that you have in regard to this information and request, and if I do as it appears have ASD ~ a formal diagnosis could very well pave the way for a better understanding for the mysterious non-epileptic seizures, the odd reactions and sensitivities to specific types of medication, and what is or or not going on physiologically, psychologically, or both.

                           With complete sincerity

                                    Signature

                                  Deepthought

I was referred to be assessed for Asperger's Syndrome in February 2013, and diagnosed with ASD on the 13th of May 2015, when I was aged 44, and the diagnostic report arrived in the middle of July 2015.

MB91 said:

Thanks again for your help.

Very glad to have been of some assistance. :-)