Newbie: Undiagnosed Aspergers? Aged 61

Tried so hard to get a referral for an assessment.  To no avail, was told that the health authority (or trust or something) won't pay for adult diagnosis where I live, and in any case it wouldn't do any good being diagnosed!  So I am considering going private but don't know where the money will come from!

Excellent. Go for it. Although it does not change the past it does help to explain it.

I think even with my age it is well worth finding out whether it has been my problem all my life.  It will explain so many things, yes I know that there is the 'if only' point but then life is so full of disappointments and if only we had the benefit of hindsight.  But it can still help me at work, not least the 'reasonable adjustments' which will have to be made instead of constantly having constant criticism for the way I behave and being made a figure of fun for some of my perceived eccentricities.  Six months would not be an over long wait (I have waited 61 years so six months would not be too much to bear) but I would like the diagnosis before I retire!  And I don't look on it as anything to get upset about if I do get the diagnosis.  It is all part of life's rich tapestry.  I will push my GP for a referral when I next see him in a couple of weeks time.  And it has been very helpful reading the experiences of others.

You see, just because someone does not necessarily qualify as 'clinically' Aspergers does not mean they don't have day to day problems and issues deriving from having some autistic traits. We have to remember that it is a spectrum condition and, as such, there will always be a 'cut-off' off point at which the medical criteria will determine whether someone gets an official diagnosis or not.

I can understand the need to help people who are experiencing real and urgent problems due to being autistic and the lack of provision for treatment but does that then mean others, who are still significantly impacted, are left to get on with it as best they can? Presumably, such individuals are expected to make their own arrangements in gaining some kind of professional help and advice which is not always an easy thing to do.

I think there must be many people who are in fact on the AS but have remained undiagnosed for many years, partly because they never realized they had this condition or that there has never been much help available on the NHS. They may well have seen a GP about things like anxiety and depression but their Aspergers was not picked up so the person never got to know about their real issues.

Thanks Tom for the thoughtful reply,

You make some good points.  I would say, although I communicate well, the feeling I have is that it is a well rehearsed 'act' and that I'm cleverly imitating the behaviour of 'earthlings.'  I can be very social but usually find I get over talkative and buzzing with nervous energy.  I know 'ration' my social contact so as to keep my nerves steady.

My own son (who I see 2/3 days a week) who is 15 is now thought ot have autistic traits so this invited a reconsideration of myself.

You make a good point about the psychology of repsonding to the Quotient test.  I deliberately factored in a slight bias to choosing answers I though would confirm things but i wasn't always clear which answers did except in obvious cases.

There's also a history of poor 'mental health' in my family background so it's difficult to sort out the mental health bit and the autism bit.

Thanks Tom for the thoughtful reply,

You make some good points.  I would say, although I communicate well, the feeling I have is that it is a well rehearsed 'act' and that I'm cleverly imitating the behaviour of 'earthlings.'  I can be very social but usually find I get over talkative and buzzing with nervous energy.  I know 'ration' my social contact so as to keep my nerves steady.

My own son (who I see 2/3 days a week) who is 15 is now thought ot have autistic traits so this invited a reconsideration of myself.

You make a good point about the psychology of repsonding to the Quotient test.  I deliberately factored in a slight bias to choosing answers I though would confirm things but i wasn't always clear which answers did except in obvious cases.

There's also a history of poor 'mental health' in my family background so it's difficult to sort out the mental health bit and the autism bit.

Hi there,

This is my first post and I'm particularly interested in this discuassion as I'm 56 and only now considering getting a referral from my doctor after years of wondering whether I have autism problems.  My life has been very chaotic at times and I have lived getting deeply frustrated with what I see as my own incompetence at organising and ordering my life.  I have had therapy and treatment for depression but because my inter-personal skills 'seem' good I had doubts about whetehr autism could be a real issue or another 'excuse' I'm creating for the 'balls up' my life appears (to me) to be!

I scored 31 in the Autism Spectrum test, so doea that indicate 'some' traits rather than the 'full job?'  behavioural traits I have are:

Quite a lot of pacing around not knowing what to do next.

Great difficulty prioritising tasks.

Sudden obsession with things from nowhere which I go into deeply even without any background in it (e.g some years ago I trained as a rugby referee having zero backround in it-and did it!)

Holding down jobs and relationships have been very hard.

Dispraxic tendencies doing practical tasks

Difficulty moving objects and reordering things which creates anxiety.

Plenty more but |I wont bore you with them.  Any advice here, appreciated.  I'm worried my doctor will think I'm exagerating as I appear 'well' and good on communication.

Is your surgery a group practice, Trainspotter? If so, can you arrange to see another doctor? Not all doctors are the same and what one doctor thinks may not be the same as another.

I suppose some doctors need a lot of convincing because there will be people who have falsely self-diagnosed themselves and expect the doctor to confirm their diagnosis.

However, from what you have described I would say you do fit the AS profile pretty well and if I were you I would persist in trying to obtain a referral, even if this means waiting a long time. Self-knowledge can only empower you because armed with such knowledge you are in a better position to use the tools you will be told about when you are seen.

It's interesting you call yourself 'Trainspotter' since this activity carries Aspie connotations with it - further evidence of being an Aspie!

Hi and welcome.

42 is quite a lot. The things you are saying ring very true for me so I would put money on you having asperges.

Keep pushing your GP and point out the problems it's causing at work. Bear in mind though that waiting lists are long. You could wait 6 months to a year to get your assessment after a referral.

Paul