Getting diagnosed on the NHS

Hi I am Rob and I am 50 and think I am autistic and was wondering about getting a diagnosis. I have booked a GP's appointment to start the process. On the A50 test I got 40 so there is a good prospect of me being diagnosed. I must admit the older I get the more mental issues I come up againt.

I have some very strong indicators, particually perfering things to people and being odsessive about those things. I am an obsessive plane spotter and would rather spend a week doing that than going on holiday with my wife. I didn't have children by choice because I knew I would not cope.Yet some traits I do not have, like I always get jokes and sarcasam.

I have a wife of 15 years and have always had a job. Although god knows how I have been married that long. I now get why my wife says that I say things in a wrong, or upsetting, way, to me I am just saying something, but not in a certian way.  I think getting a diagnosis would give me some closure on why I am like I am.

Would be interested to know about your NHS diagnosis experiences

Rob

Parents
  • Hi Rob, I got diagnosed on the NHS last year. It was relatively easy to get my GP to refer me, then about an 18 month wait for an appointment.

    I got a cancellation appointment because I said I'd rather go at short notice than wait for a "my" slot, so ended up doing the form-filling, that you normally do at home & post back before your appointment, in the waiting room, rushed and having to prioritise & decide which ones I would not do when I ran out of time.

    My first appointment seemed to me like the interviewer had already decided that I'm not autistic and was gathering evidence to support that view. I could be wrong though, that's just how it felt. I think she was probably gathering evidence to rule out other conditions which is fair enough. As a result of that appointment I was referred on for an ADOS session, which concluded that I'm autistic. Interestingly, the first appointment seemed to indicate I had all of the required traits bar one, but the ADOS score was in no way marginal (& put me in the zone of classical autism not even Asperger, even though I had no language or learning delays).

    I have to say that the whole process was a ball-achingly long and anxious wait, and the assessment centre staff seemed completely bereft of empathy for the anxiety suffered by their patients (yes they're over-stretched and under-funded but it costs little to be "nice" & give people time to articulate their concerns fully when they call) & this is ironic since the patients they are dealing with are generally more sensitive to delays, changed appointments, lack of clarity and a "fuzzy" process that seems to vary on each application. Hey ho.

    I think you might need to be prepared for something similar, unfortunately.

Reply
  • Hi Rob, I got diagnosed on the NHS last year. It was relatively easy to get my GP to refer me, then about an 18 month wait for an appointment.

    I got a cancellation appointment because I said I'd rather go at short notice than wait for a "my" slot, so ended up doing the form-filling, that you normally do at home & post back before your appointment, in the waiting room, rushed and having to prioritise & decide which ones I would not do when I ran out of time.

    My first appointment seemed to me like the interviewer had already decided that I'm not autistic and was gathering evidence to support that view. I could be wrong though, that's just how it felt. I think she was probably gathering evidence to rule out other conditions which is fair enough. As a result of that appointment I was referred on for an ADOS session, which concluded that I'm autistic. Interestingly, the first appointment seemed to indicate I had all of the required traits bar one, but the ADOS score was in no way marginal (& put me in the zone of classical autism not even Asperger, even though I had no language or learning delays).

    I have to say that the whole process was a ball-achingly long and anxious wait, and the assessment centre staff seemed completely bereft of empathy for the anxiety suffered by their patients (yes they're over-stretched and under-funded but it costs little to be "nice" & give people time to articulate their concerns fully when they call) & this is ironic since the patients they are dealing with are generally more sensitive to delays, changed appointments, lack of clarity and a "fuzzy" process that seems to vary on each application. Hey ho.

    I think you might need to be prepared for something similar, unfortunately.

Children
  • Thanks for sharing your experience, even if it was not positive.  Time is not a pressing matter for me, but that may change. I have managed 50 years just thinking I was shy, socially awkward, obsessive and tactless, lol! Iguess diagnosing adults is not a priority for the NHS in times of cuts. 

    Interistingly an old friend of my wife has a son, now an adult, who was always just described as having  'asberges', but obviously severe. Was told he  could never function as a 'normal' adult in terms of employment and living on his own. Never had any idea, as a layman,that a 'normal' (have never felt normal!) guy like me could even have something in the same ball park. Thats life