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Re-assessment?

TheCatWoman

I've just found out that the clinic where I go to for "alternative" treatments such as reflexology and osteopathy has a psychologist and I'm thinking about asking if they can re-do my autism assessment. I did ask the local "support" group about it but they said there was no way that would happen as there were to many people looking for their first one. When I was diagnosed over 10 years ago, there was little known about autism in women and things have changed so much in that time, I wonder if I might be offered more help or just more clarity if I was re-diagnosed, last time I was told that I'd coped with it for 50 years and so I could carry on coping, there seemed to be no consideration of the things I can't cope with.

I'm also concerned that now I'm getting older, things may have changed or will change, places like AGEUK or it's equivalents in Wales have no knowlege or understanding of autism or I think any ND and I worry that should I have something like a head injury or stroke I will end up being wrongly diagnosed because ND wasn't taken into account.

I hear about things like Right to Choose, but don't really understand what it is or about, other than it's alternative diagnosis providers to the NHS.

Would you get re-diagnosed if you've become unhappy with the support or lack of it you got from the first one?

I'm also concerned that the DWP will want a more recent diagnosis when they move me to UC, they don't like to use a diagnosis thats more than 3 years old in case things have changed, in there eyes for the better and because they can't seem to get it through thier collective heads that you don't get "better" from something like ASC. 

Parents

  • I’m not too sure how easy it is to get re-diagnosed unless you pay for it privately. I haven’t come across much information of those seeking a newer date on their current autism diagnosis but I suppose you would need to speak to your GP if private wasn’t an option and see what options were available, explain your reasons for needing a referral are for providing the government with proof of your current and previously diagnosed ASD? That’s if the NHS uses third parties in your area of the world? Wales possibly? All this is assuming UC ask for it in the first place, seems a bit backwards and discriminatory if they do though.  

  • in reply to Autismman

    I would be paying for it privately, I doubt very much they'd find I wasn't autistic, as I so obviously am, I'd like a bit more exploration of my learning difficulties too. 

    I'd like to know what support is available, what I don't want is to have the question turned back on me and be asked what sort of support I'd like. Last time it led to a couple of months of constant phone calls about getting help with tech stuff, that led to two women sat in my kitchen with a lap top showing which two phones I could buy in ether tesco or argos down the road, there was no actual help, I've never been offered any actual help, just told what I can't have, I didn't get on with the local group either, one worker tried to tell me something hadn't happened to me, I was really shocked to br treated like this in what should have been a safe space.

    I have been asked for a newer diagnosis in the past, all the tests and interviews the DWP do or ask other to do on thier behalf are about saving them money and getting as many people on lower levels of support as possible. One interviewer asked me if I had a newer diagnosis for learning difficulties, ASC and OA, she admitted to me that she knew these were things that weren't going to get better over time, but this was a question she had to ask. I was told be another interviewer that I must be OK and my pain from OA can't be that bad as I don't take any pain killers, totally ignoring the fact that I can't take most of them because they cause such severe side effects.

    I guess I feel since coming here that the service I got when I was diagnosed was of poor quality, I may not get any more help now than I did then, but I want to try. I don't feel anything was explained properly and maybe by going private I might get something better?

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    If private you have more scope to tailor things. I'm wondering if you could ask them not to assess you for autism again, but instead to assess your support needs. If you have an idea who you might choose you could ask them what they think is best.

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    Ok, I hope they can help you get what you want.

  • in reply to Stuart333

    I've had an email exchange with the woman and she does do a lot of work with ND people and is happy to see me, now I just need to get the £85 per session from somewhere.

  • in reply to Stuart333

    There's a psychologist who comes to the island, I don't go east of Bangor. I don't have anything that can do video stuff, or not at least without having to buy a load of kit and my pooter's so old I don't know if it would run some of the stuff people want to use. Then theres the fact that I have no clue how to use it, which is one of the problems I'd like addressing, theres s woman that comes to the library to help people with tech, she's not ASC friendly, seems to be one of those people who can just sit down and do it all, although I don't know how as the computers in the library are really old, keep breaking down, the connectivity is terrible and days can go by with no connection and theres no phone signal in there either. One of the problems I have is using screens with over head lighting, especially flourescent lighting as I an see the screen flicker and get terrible migraines.

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    I agree it is better face to face, but places seem to offer online quite happily.  I don't know if you are ok to travel and your options may be limited nearby. So I wondered if it was an option if you had someone to help you with it.

    I hope you find someone 

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    I was so glad my assessment was face to face, they observed all of me, the coffee table was low and glass, two people watching at different angles. My face on a screen would have missed stimming and my general demeanour. They are watching closely from before the session even starting.

    My only regret is not going for a combined assessment, I now realise how much ADHD plays a part in my life.

  • in reply to Stuart333

    You do know I don't do video calls, that I don't have the tech to do them and don't know how, this is one of my biggest problems. For something like this I would want face to face, I don't really understand how you can make a diagnosis or help in any meaningful way when you can't see the whole person and thier body language.

Reply
  • in reply to Stuart333

    You do know I don't do video calls, that I don't have the tech to do them and don't know how, this is one of my biggest problems. For something like this I would want face to face, I don't really understand how you can make a diagnosis or help in any meaningful way when you can't see the whole person and thier body language.

Children
  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    Ok, I hope they can help you get what you want.

  • in reply to Stuart333

    I've had an email exchange with the woman and she does do a lot of work with ND people and is happy to see me, now I just need to get the £85 per session from somewhere.

  • in reply to Stuart333

    There's a psychologist who comes to the island, I don't go east of Bangor. I don't have anything that can do video stuff, or not at least without having to buy a load of kit and my pooter's so old I don't know if it would run some of the stuff people want to use. Then theres the fact that I have no clue how to use it, which is one of the problems I'd like addressing, theres s woman that comes to the library to help people with tech, she's not ASC friendly, seems to be one of those people who can just sit down and do it all, although I don't know how as the computers in the library are really old, keep breaking down, the connectivity is terrible and days can go by with no connection and theres no phone signal in there either. One of the problems I have is using screens with over head lighting, especially flourescent lighting as I an see the screen flicker and get terrible migraines.

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    I agree it is better face to face, but places seem to offer online quite happily.  I don't know if you are ok to travel and your options may be limited nearby. So I wondered if it was an option if you had someone to help you with it.

    I hope you find someone 

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    I was so glad my assessment was face to face, they observed all of me, the coffee table was low and glass, two people watching at different angles. My face on a screen would have missed stimming and my general demeanour. They are watching closely from before the session even starting.

    My only regret is not going for a combined assessment, I now realise how much ADHD plays a part in my life.