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Dealing with medical professionals post-diagnosis?

stateofindependence

I am still debating the pros and cons of getting an official diagnosis as an adult. 

Main potential downside is that I have some serious physical health issues that I had to fight hard to get tested for, as initially symptoms were dismissed by doctors as "all in the mind".  

How have others who have been diagnosed in adulthood found you have been treated post-diagnosis? Have you noticed doctors treating you differently? 

I have a good relationship with them at present, but I know I am likely to lose my rag completely if I feel I am being fobbed off or treated like an idiot!

  • Thanks RS! I will listen to that prog later. 

    Went to my lovely GP yesterday for a referral, expected to have to go through loads of questions but she didn't bat an eyelid, just said yes!

    Nikmay - I hope you manage to get some help for your son. I am very new to this so don't know what the process is for getting a second opinion. 

  • Former Member
    Former Member

    SOI,

    A good relationship is worth effort on both sides to keep it working. If you can keep calm and reasonable then you will get much better treatment as a good consultation with a doctor is more like a conversation than an argument. The more you understand about autism and how to deal with it then I hope you can, like me, get calmer and become less liable to meltdowns.

    I was diagnosed as an adult (at 56) and have found that I have been treated properly so far. However, I am aware that I have always gone in to the doctors looking for help rather than being argumentative or demanding.I have gone in with an idea of what I think was wrong but I know that the doctor will know other stuff and I can't demand a particular diagnosis. The more research you do the better as you should be able to have a better conversation if you understand more terminology and more concepts.

    There is a postcode lottery with this as well. It seems that I have been very lucky because I live in Bristol where the local mental health trust has established some specialist services for autism sufferers. I think Bristol is one of the leaders but you can use their examples in order to know what to ask for or to have ideas about the things that are possible.

    The government, and chief medical officer, have recognised the cost to the country of mental problems such as autism. They are now diverting some resources into this area in order to reduce the problems of long term unemployment and social isolation that autistic people suffer. Listen to Sally Davies talking to Jim al-Khalili here www.bbc.co.uk/.../b04n31vw . She is trying to encourage more "evidence based" decision making and there is no shortage of evidence about the impact of autism on our lives and the costs of services that we use.

  • yes ive had a diagnosis for my son and they said he hasnt got asd but i made a complaint about the pyschologist and a social worker before he had the test and feel that they have done this to punish us . All my life ive had this and the brushing off stuff sometimes i feel is it worth going through all the emotional stuff. i still think he is asd because everyone i speak to seems to say he is asd