• Replies 6 replies
  • Subscribers 25 subscribers
  • Views 1953 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Results of a diagnosis

MarilynB

Hi,

I'm still trying to make sense of what accepting an autism diagnosis means personally and how my life will change. I have already had positive results in that l can now allow myself to have autistic behaviours without feeling shame. The big issue however is regarding an official diagnosis because what l am reading indicates that it is considered a mental heath condition according to the NHS which signifies to me that any future requests to the gp for testing and consultant help with physical conditions will be rather more difficult to come by. Is this how it works? I will not be happy if autism is regarded in this way rather than the biochemical disease in which l and many other doctors and researchers see it.

  • MarilynB said:
    Are you sure that all gp's see it that way though?

    Sorry I managed to miss this sentence in your previous post, just noticed it now as someone else has posted on your thread.

    I absolutely don't want to give the impression that you will not find a sympathetic and enlightened GP anywhere.  It is of course a generalisation, as there are always a few scattered who have the right idea.  My comment was based on personal experience, reading anecdotal experiences of others, one or two media articles and the NAS publishing this: http://www.autism.org.uk/news-and-events/news-archive/10-october/gps-to-make-autism-a-clinical-priority.aspx

    You may be lucky with your GP, don't make any decisions based on what I have said regarding seeking diagnosis, everyone's path is individual.

  • I seem to be really lucky having a doctor who referred me and the team in Cheltenham were/are great

    i have a series of 6 x 2 hours arranged for the newly diagnosed and I hope it may open the opportunities to seek to learn how to manage myself, and the answer means personally I feel relief having knowledge that I am not alone

    But you have to decide yourself if it is worth it in your life. I won't lie in that it won't always make things better and it relies on good support. I was diagnosed as suffering anxiety and have had doctors who want to attribute every problem to this. Even my diabetic related symptoms at times.

    Sometimes it is a case of training the doctors

    i wish you luck in whatever you decide

  • Hmmm I need to think about this some more. Thanks.

  • How GP's see it is a disaster in all honesty.  I have had this very problem with my ex-GP (I changed as a result of him erroneously attributing my AS traits to mental health problems and causing a huge amount of trouble for my family).  There is a new drive to educate GPs, but it will take some time filtering through and doesn't help those of us who have suffered.

    So I know what you mean, officially and anecdotally are two very different things.

  • Thanks for the response IW. Are you sure that all gp's see it that way though?

    Its just a worry that I already have a hard time because I have been wrongly diagnosed with cfs when some of my physical symptoms were toxin induced by pesticide but that is too political, and also Lyme Disease. I dont want another diagnosis that the docs can add to that. cfs is regarded as faulty illness belief syndrome by too mnay in the NHS.

    I did manage to get to see a doctor outside of the NHS and funded by my surgery which is unusual. Good ness me, my gp is going to go into shock with another diagnosis to add tot he list Smile

  • It's not considered a mental health condition, it's a neurological difference, it's just that the NHS has nowhere else to categorise it so puts it under mental health services.  It could also be because of the very high rate of mental health co-morbidities.