I went to the doctor - please respond

Thank you for your reply I really appreciate it

Thank you for replying to me I really appreciate it. It did take a lot to go to the GP and I do wish that I hadn’t bothered now to be honest. But it’s done now. 

Thank you for replying I really appreciate it. You have made me feel better about it. 
I do think I am looking back and now feeling anxious and paranoid, I do tend to do this. I’m also now wondering if I am autistic at all and maybe it is just anxiety (she said something along the lines of it is possibly just social anxiety) but I’m not sure if that explains all of the difficulties I’ve experienced throughout my life. I don’t know and I’m still unsure if going to the GP was even a good idea but it’s done now. 

I’m so sorry you had this experience - that’s absolutely terrible. It’s dreadful that this GP has made you feel this way. No one is going to take your children away from you - please don’t worry. Struggling to cope with two very young children is entirely normal - it’s not something that would get you ‘reported’ to anyone! I think this GP has left you with entirely the wrong impression. She also doesn’t seem to have addressed your fundamental concern - which is whether or not you might be autistic. Is there another GP at the practice you could talk to? Because this GP has not addressed your concerns - in fact she’s actually made you feel worse! That’s not the idea! It’s also possible (and I say this with respect and because I am prone to this too) that you are feeling somewhat anxious and paranoid when you look back on this interaction with your GP? I do this - I always analyse things afterwards and have a tendency to panic about what I’ve said, and how I’ve been perceived. So could it be that this fear is contributing to your feelings about the appointment?

it’s always worth writing a letter to your GP about your concerns if you think it might help? Sometimes writing things down can make it easier to be sure you’ve put your point across as clearly as possible and then you can have the reassurance that you’ve said all you wish to say. 

most importantly though please don’t worry about your children - no one is going to be reporting you or doing anything like that. Doctors see stressed out mothers - and autistic mothers - on a regular basis - it’s not something that triggers some sort of intervention. It’s just normal :) 

Oh, you got the referral.  Good.  Ignore bits of the below then.

But with respect to your kids, confidentiality would dictate that she wouldn't pass that on to anyone unless she you were a danger and there's nothing there to indicate that - it would take a lot more than being a bit stressed by your kids or not bonding well.  She was just probably checking out for other signs of stress.  I would still be minded to write and say you think that she didn't quite understand what you were saying and that her questions were off the mark and upset you. 

Hi Anon16,

God! I get so frustrated hearing stories like yours about GPs and sadly they aren't uncommon.  I really feel for you here.  Your GP obviously isn't listening at all and is off on some other agenda.  I'm sorry she's upset you so much.  It must have taken a lot to go to her in the first place and you didn't deserve that as a response.  But, if you want to be charitable here, this stuff happens because GPs often literally know nothing whatever about autism.  Mine even thought I "suffer with autism".  Not a disease, doctor!

In your place, what I would do at this point is do an AQ50 on line and print off the results.  I'd then write to your GP telling her how you think she misunderstood the purpose of your visit; that you are absolutely not suicidal or depressed, nor are you having problems with your kids, but also enclosing the results of the AQ50 and detailing all of the ways in which you suspect that you might be autistic and the reasons why you feel a diagnosis would benefit you and then ask her to consider that again.

If she doesn't ask to see a different GP who might have some experience with autism in their qualification set.

Bless you.  That's horrible.  I hope this turns out better in the end.

Aspergerstestsite (google it) has a short and in my case accurate test that I used when it was initially suggested to me. Focus on you and your kids not what others might say.

I'm quite spergy, but I "aced" parenting, from what I can gather. No reason why you should not. Chin up. Being a parent is one of the best things EVER most days, one you get used to the increased mental & physical workload...

*edit* Just read you rely to the other poster, and it sounds like you have your ducks in place, they go after the people who DON'T worry about these things. 

Sounds like your Doctor probed for depression and didn't find it, too. There appears very little help actually available for autism although the "knowing" and this website are quite beneficial... 

Thank you for your reply. She did say she was going to refer me for an assessment so that is something. I have done online tests that all point to autism but didn’t mention those to the GP, didn’t really think about that to be honest. 
I’m just driving myself mad thinking something will happen to my children :( I didn’t mention anything about depression it was all about communication, struggles with sound and light and when in shops etc but spoke about how it’s always affected me, it’s not a recent thing. I said the only reason I’m questioning it now is because of what my sister said. But all I keep thinking about is if she’s going to report me for being unfit? I’m not unfit at all, I’m such a loving mum and I love my babies to pieces 

She was probably concerned that you have post natal depression having such young children, I remember being given mood questionnaires at various points by the health visitor. I don’t think she will report you but it is something they need to be on top of if they encounter it as there have been some high profile cases where the Mum had post natal depression or post natal psychosis and has ended up purposefully harming themselves and the baby.  Have you taken any online tests for autism like the AQ-50? My husband found it much easier to present things like that to the doctor as there can be quite an overlap between a few conditions. Maybe you can ask for a second opinion if you have a high AQ-50 score? My husband has had the best responses from talking to a paramedic practitioner at our GP practice rather than a GP. Might be worth reaching out to a different kind of professional if your sister has any links?