Hello, I'm Charlotte and I'm 24, I have a family history of Autism and believe that I also have it. I have posted on here before but I lost my username and password.
I went to the doctor like everybody said, and basically he turned me down saying that it was expensive for a diagnoses and because it wouldn't make much difference in my knowing whether r not I had it, then I wouldn't be allowed a diagnoses, and I could pursue it if I wanted to go private, but I looked into that and its an expense that I cannot afford.
I have put in to change doctors surgery, because I still had the same one even though I left home over 6 years ago, and my new one is round the corner, so I am going to try again at speaking to the doctor. I found it a really intimidateing experience, because I always feel like a hypochondriac when I go, and I hardly ever go to the doctors for that reason.
Even when I took a detailed explanation of why I wanted a diagnoses, they still turned me down, what do I have to do to make them take me seriously, because at the end of the day, its the doctor I have to persuade to send me for actual testing.
I am not looking at getting benefits, or using as an excuse, but for the reason that I want to find out about myself, and if diagnosed, would think very hard about bringing a child into the world that could also have Autism. I have just started a new job in an University, and think that exploring Autism might benefit me in understanding people, and helping towards my career so I don't feel self concious about people thinking I am weird or doing the wrong thing. I tend to be very quiet and don't say much because I am scared that I will say something wrong.
I hope that you could help me, and refer me to literature that might help me make my case, and also are there any directives that a doctor must follow when I make a request to be at least referred to someone who could possibly make a decision. I have read that your family are often involved in the diagnosis, I do not want my family to be included as I don't speak to them, would this hinder my chance of even a consultation?
