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Too late?

Spideynose

Hello

At the age of 50 I’m trying to get up the courage to ask my GP to refer me for autism diagnoses. 
I feel very scared.  After a lifetime of struggle I’m almost wondering if it’s worth the fear of more stress and possibly not being able to access support. Im pretty sure the doctor will believe me.  I score very highly on the various online tests and I’ve got a medical record of problems that puzzled the doctors and were not resolved by interventions such as SSRIs or sending me to dieticians or doing MRI of my brain.  But I’m stressed out because I feel like it’s a race against the clock as well as horrendously hard to access NHS care now with the added pressure to have to self advocate (I’m a very single mum) and I am extremely competition/stress avoidant.  Im thinking about it now because I’d like to do a masters but I know won’t survive it unless my situation or needs are formally recognised.  My last qualification nearly killed me to try to get dissertation done and I had a year long extension and still struggled hellishly. 
Im worried that it’s too late and I feel so alone and in pain.  It would help to know if anyone else has the same situation and if anyone has any encouraging suggestions. 
thanks 

Parents

  • I can only reiterate what everyone else has said, I finally approached my GP at the age of 54, I’ve not regretted it. If you do decide to go back to uni, you will be given allowances for your autistic self. Good luck.

  • in reply to Roy

    Thanks Roy. Did it take a long time to get the diagnosis? I’m daunted by the process and also trying to process all the regret of my needs going overlooked or misunderstood for so long.  (I am in therapy) I feel a lot of pain that in school for example I was predicted straight As and then walked out of nearly every single exam somehow still getting ok grades for most but a couple of unexpected fail and no teacher nor parent ever thought to see if there was a reason. They just expressed disappointment at my not achieving my potential.  I know I can’t get the support retrospectively but it’s a bit maddeningly upsetting that I have to almost fight to be recognised now.  I don’t know what allowances will be given if I get a diagnosis but I hope it might at least stop me from feeling so locked out of a (very weird to me) “normal” system 

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  • in reply to Roy

    Thanks Roy. Did it take a long time to get the diagnosis? I’m daunted by the process and also trying to process all the regret of my needs going overlooked or misunderstood for so long.  (I am in therapy) I feel a lot of pain that in school for example I was predicted straight As and then walked out of nearly every single exam somehow still getting ok grades for most but a couple of unexpected fail and no teacher nor parent ever thought to see if there was a reason. They just expressed disappointment at my not achieving my potential.  I know I can’t get the support retrospectively but it’s a bit maddeningly upsetting that I have to almost fight to be recognised now.  I don’t know what allowances will be given if I get a diagnosis but I hope it might at least stop me from feeling so locked out of a (very weird to me) “normal” system 

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