To all who have been, or are in the process of, being diagnosed as an adult.

I took a printout of the info for GP's on this site to my GP along with some printouts of what I believed to be my traits, some of the tests I'd filled out (such as the aspie quiz) and expalined that I wanted to be referred to a specialist.

He was honest and said he had not heard of Asperger's and dind't know how to proceed so I left it with him he spoke to the other GP's and I was referred to the mental health team.

I was then seen by a gateway worker who quickly skimmed my notes, laughed several times and told me I had OCD. She said she would refer me to a psychiatrist but she neede to check exactly who. A few weeks later I get an opt-in appointment letter for cognitive behavioural therapy for my OCD

So back to see my GP, I was furious, told him what had gone on, he was furious, he called the gateway worker up had a right go at her telling her she had no right(or the training/degree etc) to diagnose me with anything. He then took the diagnostic info off me that I'd brought in and referred me to the CLASS clinic in cambridge.

CLASS sent me some forms to fill in as well as an AQ & EQ test and a CAST test for my mother. After sending all those back I was offerend an appointment soon after (they had a cancellation).

The Dr. at the clinic called my mother (because she lives 3 hours away from cambridge too far to come in  person) to go over my childhood and get an idea if these traits were present then. Then I went in to see her and she asked alot of questions, we went over alot of issues, it took about 2 hours in total. She said she was happy to give me a diagnosis of Asperger's there and then but obviosuly the form she'd been filling in throughout had to be scored and checked with the other Dr's but she was confident that Asperger's was the correct diagnosis. I received a formal report/diagnosis a few weeks later.

In total from that first appointment until seeing the DR at CLASS it was about 4 months I think which I've come to realise is quite fast. I was lucky in having a supportive GP and a specialist clinic nearby who happened to have a cancellation (their waiting lists can be up to 3 months long).

I'd advise you give NAS a call and find out where your local specialists are and what type of referral they accept, some will take GP others require a psychiatrist or similar to make the referral.

Good luck :)

I took a printout of the info for GP's on this site to my GP along with some printouts of what I believed to be my traits, some of the tests I'd filled out (such as the aspie quiz) and expalined that I wanted to be referred to a specialist.

He was honest and said he had not heard of Asperger's and dind't know how to proceed so I left it with him he spoke to the other GP's and I was referred to the mental health team.

I was then seen by a gateway worker who quickly skimmed my notes, laughed several times and told me I had OCD. She said she would refer me to a psychiatrist but she neede to check exactly who. A few weeks later I get an opt-in appointment letter for cognitive behavioural therapy for my OCD

So back to see my GP, I was furious, told him what had gone on, he was furious, he called the gateway worker up had a right go at her telling her she had no right(or the training/degree etc) to diagnose me with anything. He then took the diagnostic info off me that I'd brought in and referred me to the CLASS clinic in cambridge.

CLASS sent me some forms to fill in as well as an AQ & EQ test and a CAST test for my mother. After sending all those back I was offerend an appointment soon after (they had a cancellation).

The Dr. at the clinic called my mother (because she lives 3 hours away from cambridge too far to come in  person) to go over my childhood and get an idea if these traits were present then. Then I went in to see her and she asked alot of questions, we went over alot of issues, it took about 2 hours in total. She said she was happy to give me a diagnosis of Asperger's there and then but obviosuly the form she'd been filling in throughout had to be scored and checked with the other Dr's but she was confident that Asperger's was the correct diagnosis. I received a formal report/diagnosis a few weeks later.

In total from that first appointment until seeing the DR at CLASS it was about 4 months I think which I've come to realise is quite fast. I was lucky in having a supportive GP and a specialist clinic nearby who happened to have a cancellation (their waiting lists can be up to 3 months long).

I'd advise you give NAS a call and find out where your local specialists are and what type of referral they accept, some will take GP others require a psychiatrist or similar to make the referral.

Good luck :)