Speaking on the phone, medical & health appointment

I think we just need to own it and say what we need. Now we know we are on the spectrum and have struggled before, now we know why, it's up to us to voice what we need. Non autistic people would do this for any needs they have. Let's not be shy or be backwards in coming forwards otherwise we won't get anywhere.

I don't have a problem asking for adjustments. It's just something I'm not used to and need to find my way through it to see what works best.

Thanks Dawn, im glad you had goof experience. In this instance it's an appointment with the hospital and one with occ health thru work. To drop them s line  beforehand in an email is a good idea.  I know what I'm like.... it might happen that I'll forget to mention it at all or not find the right moment at all when on the phone x

The replies to your thread, like so many others on health are helping me enormously. I am so not freak of the century after all dealing with doctors. We need to campaign of more GP understanding generally. We have rights to health care too. Good luck with your appointment

Yes it also doesn't help that they say "we will call you in the next two weeks" or "we will call you on Tuesday morning".

I applied  for some AS help bsck in December and forgot all about it. They rang me for an initial assessment appointment yesterday totally out of the blue. I was completely unprepared and had to explain how my autism affected me every day. I have other ongoing issues which are more prevalent at the moment and nearly didn't mention them due to the fact that when I first applied, these problems weren't as severe. So I didn't think it was relevant as it wasn't part of the initial application.  I think it was a bit of black and white thinking on my part and the call was about to end before I forced myself to bring it up.

Yup! So recognising that one. It might help to ask at reception for the GP who by either training, or personal experience, knows most about autism. If they've been trained, have a family member on the Spectrum or who are autistic themselves - they'll get it.

Despite my usual problems interacting with GPs I had a good experience last week with one who was properly autism informed. She made all the reasonable adjustments I need and booked a double appointment slot for me to allow for all the communication differences and health anxiety.

You might want to drop them a line before hand just explaining the aspects that are challenging for you.

Martin said:

Only having the telephone as a way of interacting is effectively denying service

I went through that with many services providers, you have to be adamant, when they try to call you don't pick up and you sent another email, over and over..

Longest battle I had was with Southern Water, 9 months to get overpaid bill when moving house.

Surgery I had to keep changing until I found one with online booking system

Yeah, it took a few attempts but it’s worth being persistent. 

I have the same problem and I think that I need to write to my GP practice to let them know I need an alternative medium for contacting them. Only having the telephone as a way of interacting is effectively denying service to the many autistic people who have anxiety over phone use. I know that I am very reluctant to make a phone call to them, and find phone appointments very stressful when I am called back. It is a form of - unwitting - discrimination.

I asked for face to face last time and they gave me phone. I didn't think to request with a reason. I'll try that next time. 

I spoke to my doctors and said phone won’t work and now they will only give me face to face appointments. 

That's good you can do that. I think I have these difficulties in face to face but somehow it seems to be harder when on the phone.

I think some sort of online chat thing would be good. But then again I think people need to hear your voice etc as this all helps put a picture together and I feel I need to know I've been understood.  

Thanks kate. Yes this is what I'm thinking for one of them, but the other I don't think will be possible to have someone with me. I'll just try my best. At least I'm aware of it now whereas in the past I'd come away from the appointment and feel frustrated with myself or remember bits I should've said when they asked.

The other difficulty I have is when the other person goes too fast. I've had this problem recently with mental health appointments and I've come off the phone and cried thinking Wtf has just happened. I just try and keep up with them and mask instead of asking them to slow down...it doesn't occur to me and I think it's cos I've masked so much through life I don't realise when I need something. I also find it really irritating when the line is bad like I can't concentrate cos of the poor reception.

I much prefer email too. I really don’t like talking in person or on the phone. 
I have a phone appointment with my Doctor’s surgery this week and I’m dreading it. 

As you say - writing things down before the call is a good idea - but like you when it actually comes to it I get very stressed and often can’t focus on the things I’ve written down whilst I’m talking - so I still forget to mention things! 

Can you have someone you trust with you while you have the phone call - would that help? 

I don't like talking on the phone either, I much more prefer to email but not many have that or want to so it's difficult. It would be nice if they had a text service, I think that would be a lot easier for so many people.

Unknown said:

I'd much prefer to speak in person or type answers to questions

pretty much like most of us

I stopped making any phonecalls, or answering to any, instead I keep emailing saying that I can't talk on a phone because of speech reciognition difficulties, and keep emailing until matter is resolved