Published on 12, July, 2020
I've got an appointment with my GP this afternoon to ask for an assessment referral for ASC. This is on the advice of my counsellor and a mental health nurse I've been speaking with through Occupational Health.
Going from advice on other threads I've looked at the DSM 5 criteria and looked at how I meet them, as well as doing the AQ test and several others, all of which show a strong likelihood of ASC. I've made a list/notes to go through as I find pressured conversations hard.
Is there anything else I should do/say? It's a telephone appointment.
I'm a nearly 40 year old woman who has spent most of my life masking it seems, with the usual consequences of that in depression and anxiety, as well as digestive and sleep issues, all of which have stopped me being able to work and live my life at various times, including at the moment.
Aww, glad they came through in the end :)
I'm so, so glad to hear that!!
He's awesome, he's been such a great support in all of this, from when we thought it was "just" depression and anxiety, to having our son assessed and diagnosed, to me thinking I might be ASC as well.
Absolutely amazing news! Well done for getting through such a difficult situation. I hope you had some good, much deserved, rest last night. I'm so glad to hear as well that your husband was supportive throughout this process that is so lovely to hear, even if he wasn't needed in the end.
I've managed to eat dinner and think I might actually manage to sleep tonight which will be nice.
Well done you. Deep breaths and calm.
Congratulations. Well done.
They're willing to do the referral! The senior GP overruled the one I spoke with initially, and has agreed to do the referral under the Right to Choose to Psychiatry UK. I had my husband all prepped to argue with them but he didn't need to. I'm now cry tears of relief and shaking, I might even manage to eat later!
The only people I choose to speak to on the phone are people who universally talk nearly non-stop so I don't really have to talk much, unless it's responding to direct questions. I'm now wondering whether that's something I've done unconsciously!
Roy said:I’ve said before, if you can’t see the other person, how are you supposed to know when to talk?
I have spent decades being baffled by the popularity of the telephone for this reason. I have had hundreds of phone conversations and not a single one has gone well because there is simply no way of knowing when to speak.
Yes, that did seem to be what the doctor was saying. This feels similar to what Steven said earlier, with us having to obviously pretend to be able to get a diagnosis.
My impression (having had this conversation last year) is that GPs are less interested in whether or not you are likely to actually be autistic when deciding whether to refer you, and more interested in what benefit the diagnosis will bring you. If you say "I need it for work" or "I am thinking of going back into education and would need accommodations to do that" (this is the line I used) they are more likely to refer you.
Happy to carry on talking, I'm sat here waiting for the phone call so I can't do anything else lol, I'm in holding mode. I've about chewed off the ends of my fingers and my spinner ring is getting a thorough workout.
I'm articulate, educated and well prepared, but none of that seems to matter at this point, it certainly feels impossible.
Fingers crossed for you!!
I'd like to know for my own acceptance as well, and also because I'm a yes/no person and this not knowing is anxiety inducing! Plus I have longstanding depression and anxiety, do they not think it would be helpful to know if there's a possible cause for that? That a diagnosis would change how I approach my mental health, which is a massive issue for me? He hadn't even read my recent medical history before calling me.
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He's said he needs to speak to a senior GP so depending what he says when he calls back I'll ask to speak to the senior one. Hopefully they might have a bit more of an awareness of what "spectrum" means.
Yes, this isn't my normal GP either. It's so discouraging!
I'm very similar, I need those visual cues to work out what to do, although I also miss them entirely sometimes.