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none of my local gps take me seriously I dont know what to do

splashtoad

I was diagnosed a year ago, as an adult, and they wrote it onto my medical record as 'childhood autism' and i had to ask them to change it. at the beginning of the year i had a nasty accident where i fell and landed on my spine and i didnt want to call an ambulance and go to the hospital by myself so i just didnt go even though i was in lots of pain- i figured it would heal and if it didnt then i would go see a doctor. a couple of months after that the pain had reduced a bit but wasnt getting any better anymore and was making it hard to go about my day to day life, so i made an appointment. the first doctor i saw told me it was backache from not exercising enough and booked me in with a physical therapist which was not helpful. i went back again to a different doctor and asked if i could get an xray and he booked it but was so condescending to me the whole time and wrote things that i didnt even say in his notes, and also put "???????' after something i said instead of telling me how i could clarify further. He booked a scan for the upper part of my spine even though i said it was in the lower and i went and had it thinking maybe it would still see some of the damage but it has come back clear and i am still in so much pain i dont know what to do and i feel like this is going to make them take me even less seriously.

Im not looking for medical advice i am wondering if anyone has any tips for how to stand up for myself. i feel like as soon as i walk in they just see an autistic fat woman and assume im being dramatic and that my weight is the issue even though I literally fell down the stairs.

  • Well I feel you pain, it's so hard advocating for yourself. One thing I think is the most important, do not give up! It can help to take a notebook and write down what you want to ask and say. Also what he says. If you have anyone, take someone with you. Don't let them push you out until you've gotten the answers you need. Decode before hand what you want ie an mri of your back, an x ray of the upper back. If you've not gone to the physio yet, tell them how it occured and a skilled physio should be able to tell if it needs any intervention - like a chirocpractor or brace. they aren't just there to heal strained muscles, also it could be you strained a muscle and it needs something to heal. Try be open to what they suggest even if it's not what you intended. Then at least if you come back to the doctor, you can say the physio said it's best x rayed first before he works on me etc. 

    Somewhere on this website is a autism passport you can fill in and take with you, or rather have it part of your medical record. Face the fact you are going to come across incompetent doctors and try take note of their names asking not to see them in the future. You could make complaints. You could change doctors surgeries if this is an option? 

  • If the pain is getting unbearable, I would go to a Minor Injury Clinic, explain exactly what happened or write it down if you’re unable to explain. Let them know you are autistic, they have a duty of care.

  • in reply to Martin
    Martin said:
    I always make a detailed written list list of my symptoms and queries to take to the GPs

    This is the best advice in my opinion.

    Keep it condensed to a few paragraphs, ideally with any lists of symptoms / issues so it can be scanned quickly as doctors have very little time allocated to a meeting with a patient.

    splashtoad said:
    i fell and landed on my spine and i didnt want to call an ambulance and go to the hospital by myself so i just didnt go even though i was in lots of pain- i figured it would heal and if it didnt then i would go see a doctor. a couple of months after that the pain had reduced a bit

    I suspect this bit was what made the doctor question your mental state. Unless you gave a convincing reason why you didn't go to the doctor after a potentially life altering injury then the doc is going to think there is something going on mentally that means he will be sceptical of what you do tell them.

    Clearly we don't understand your thought processes or reasoning but I'm just pointing out that the doctor will be suspicious as to why you behaved (in their view) irrisponsibly in relation to your health.

    splashtoad said:
    anyone has any tips for how to stand up for myself

    Let the written note do the talking for you. Maybe start it with "I'm supplying this in writing as my autism causes me communication confidence issues and I ask you to respect this."

    If there are any steps you want then ask for them here.

    If you don't know the options but can process questions face-to-face then let him suggest what to do next.

    If you need time to process the options then ask for time to consider them (say you have the autistic trait of delayed processing) but try to limit this to a day or two if possible for speed.

    I hope you have a good next session with the doc and get some relief for the pain.

  • in reply to Martin

    I have it on my diagnosis report that I appear to have  an atypical response to pain. It was suggested I share this with my GP. I have been telling them this for years, perhaps they will believe me now.

  • It is easy to get sidetracked at a GP's and they do not always ask the right questions. I always make a detailed written list of my symptoms and queries to take to the GPs. I have even handed it over rather than try to read it out. I would, therefore, advise that you write down the history of what happened, what it felt like at the time and precisely where and how your pain manifests at present. Plus, if certain positions and movements make it worse, if resting makes things worse or better etc. GPs often see people with back pain who are malingering and/or are seeking attention. I'm sure, as an autistic person, making appointments and attending them are very difficult for you and you would rather be anywhere else. Make this clear to the GP, that you really are in pain, otherwise you would definitely not be seeing them about it.