Published on 12, July, 2020
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
My experience now is as follows:-
1. NICE Guidelines are that you have to be assessed by a team who can diagnose ASC And if they don’t then even appealing and/or raising a complaint is useless (Bean counting, ranks closing and backside covering). Even their website is out of date as I only had one session with the NHS which is in contradiction to Pathfinder’s response above.
2. You can get a private diagnosis which is recognised by GP, Employers and Government (DWP for PIP/Disability Allowance) but because it is not in line with NICE Guidelines then you do not have Asperger’s/Autism/etc by the NHS Autism Service in your area.
So, NHS Autism specialists are right and anyone equally specialised yet not in the NHS are wrong.
Do you mean the NHS disputes the private diagnosis?