Female ASD/bpd

I can see that my daughter ASD/Asperger, very late diagnosis, could be diagnosed with BPD, but I fear that will mask the problems even further and affect the treatment and care she accesses.  She has just been asked to leave a lovely supported living placement because she has constantly complained about the staff there and has now made an allegation of sexual misconduct against a male support worker. This is a pattern of behaviour which has been prevalent for many years, my daughter never gets on with anyone and sabotages every opportunity presented with her behaviours.  She has been in this place for just six weeks but now has to leave and I have no idea where SS will place her next where she and the staff working with her will be safe. I believe she has PDA, I think there is plenty of evidence to suggest that - in fact her profile describes classic PDA.  I wondered if any of the people posting on here have considered that as it is part of the autism condition?  If so, has anyone successfully been diagnosed, and how did they do that? Is there any treatment or therapies that would help her?  I am at a loss and deeply saddened by this latets development which looked like a golden opportunity for progress for her, but which has now been sabotaged by her behaviours. I love her very much and would love to hear of anyone else's experiences with this.  Many thanks, Yia Yia

I have been diagnosed with both, and it was never suggested that one supercedes the other. BPD came first though, and it was during treatment for that when it was suggested that I could have ASD.

Personally, the BPD diagnosis has ruined my life. I was kicked out of university and have lost jobs when the condition came to light. BPD patients get a certain reputation among professionals for being "difficult". I thought it was just me, until everyone else in my therapy group recounted similar, if not identical, experiences.

Yes I was wrongly diagnosed with BPD. I was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome late last year. I have had a lot of predjence from GPs due to the DPD diagnosis. I never had the sympoms of BPD and I was diagnosed behind my back. It just appeared on my medical records. Nobody knows who made this diagnois.

mld said:

Sadly, I can't get the BPD diagnosis off my records. 

Your medical records should be an accurate record of the opinions and investigations that you have been through. In mental health conditions it seems that doctors consider the primary diagnosis as the most important thing. They should not look at you as if you had BPD and ASD, they should understand that an autism diagnosis supercedes and eclipses the earlier diagnosis. MH is more about trial and error than firm categorical diagnosis because the tests are not based on lab tests where they can find certain antiboides or where they can look at an X-ray and see a fracture. Your diagnosis is just the best opinion that the specialists have arrived at, so far, given the history that has accumulated when you go for a consultation. It may be possible that a diagnosis of BPD might help them to an ASD diagnosis because it is so common for the two diagnoses to occur in that order.

I wouldn't worry about it (I know that is easier said than done!) but just try and understand it was just one step in the history of your life.

It can be a good idea to write down a list of points that you want to make in an appointment and to give the list to the doctor at the start of the meeting. This can help the consultation go more smoothly and you may avoid the situations (we have all done this!) where you come away widhing that you had mentioned this or that. The doctor is likely to welcome this as it helps them get through the consultaion quickly and with less stress. I did this when I first went to the GP about autism and it helped me get through the meeting even though I was in fairly distressed state at the time.

I'm in the Uk, my GP is very supportiv, I just hope I have the guts to mention it as I find being there quite nerve racking as it is.

Hi,

The GP didn't refer me to the autism serivce except that he had to sign a form that the psychiatrist told me to get the GP to sign.  I found the form online, and downloaded it.  The GP signed it knowing the psych. had suggested it, but he wouldn't have done otherwise.  He thought it was a waste of money.  It wasn't.  It has made a big difference to my life, knowing that I'm autistic rather than having BPD.

Which county do yo live in?  In Kent you have to go through the KMPT.

M.

Thank you, I just dont think it fits. I will take the info I have to my gp and see what she says first. 

Thanks for replying, how easy was it to discuss and get the autism diagnosis if you don't mind me asking. The last time I spoke to my go she said she didn't agree with the bpd but I didn't mention my thoughts of AS.

Hi,

It is common, especially for women, to be diagnosed with BPD before getting an autism diagnosis.  It occired to me as well.  Sadly, I can't get the BPD diagnosis off my records.  You may find the same.  But I do now have a diagnosis of autism.  And have had for just over a year.  Well done for fighting it.

M.