• Feeling isolated? You're not alone.

    Join 20,000+ people who understand exactly how your day went. Whether you're newly diagnosed, self-identified, or supporting someone you love – this is a space where you don't have to explain yourself.

    Join the Conversation → It's free, anonymous, and supportive.

    As a member, you'll get:

    • A community that actually gets it – no judgment, no explanations needed
    • Private forums for sensitive topics (hidden from search engines)
    • Real-time chat with others who share your experiences
    • Your own blog to document your journey

    You've found your people. Create your free account

Need a list of Aspie traits for GP appointment

Astroganga

Astroganga

Well-Known Member
Hi. I am looking for a clear list, evidence based, of Aspie traits for my GP appointment next Monday. It does not need to be female specific as I have most of the 'male' traits anyway, but it does need to be evidence based and from a website that a medical professional will take seriously as being legit, so no personal blogs. Then I will copy it into libre office, add how my own personal traits tally with those on the list and put the source URL as well. Thanks so much.
 
Thank you so much. I have seen that but here in the uk doctors tend to respect professional bodies/'official' charities more. They tend to be skeptical of individual authors or lecturers, no matter what their credentials may be. I looked on the National Autistic Society website and their article on Asperger's does have bullet pointed traits but the list is kind of vague and not complete. So I was looking for something similar but more complete from a different organisation, if that makes sense.
 
This?
http://nationalautismassociation.org/resources/signs-of-autism/
I didn't find anything about asperger's per se, just this list, which is
quite general.

https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/asperger-syndrome
This is no better, maybe even more vague.

Thanks for clarifying.
I thought you wanted accurate information, but if the point is to
find impressive organizations, that's opposite to the way I'd search
myself. My best was what I linked first. I'd use that and "back it
up" with the vague stuff from the "respectable" groups. If autismspeaks
can be regarded as such, that is.
 
I did an online AQ test, printed of the test results and used that to convince my GP I needed a referral. Are you based in the UK?
 
Its not really how I would search or not search, or whether I want accurate information or not (obviously I do) it is just how I know how doctors, particularly NHS doctors think and operate over here. I know people who have taken lists like the above to their GP and the GP has been dismissive. There is a whole different medical culture in the US than there is here. Over in the US I know that individual doctors, psychologists and others are very highly respected and often have websites which are also respected as valid and credible sources of information as well as writing books that are also highly regarded.

Over here while some private doctors and psychologists have their own websites, they tend to be a lot more low key and aren't the first place the public or medical professionals look to info. They would instead go on the NHS website, a website of a national charity or society representing that condition or something like netdoctor. There are a couple of TV doctors but it still wouldn't be taken seriously if I took something they had written or said on tv. It is obviously in my best interests to work with the medical culture here and not against it. :)
 
My experience:

1. Asked GP for a referral, got laughed at (literally).
2. Called Autism West Midland's , http://goo.gl/kYXFKg they sent me out a pack to take back to my GP. This included an NHS recognised AQ test.
3. Referral made to neuropsychology.
4 letter arrived from neuropsychology saying they no longer do diagnostic tests.
5. Went back to GP, 3 & 4 repeated.
6. Went back to GP, had an argument but managed to get a private referral after informing them they needed to follow SPARC referral advice http://goo.gl/TCnJIK
7. Weeks later I received a phone call out of the blue from a psychologist.
8. Had my ASD assessment.
9. Recieved my ASD diagnosis yesterday.

Your mileage may vary, but if you live in the Midlands, the two organisations above are good resources. Unfortunately there is no silver bullet, persistence is the key when it comes to GPs. Good luck.
 
Thank you for both sharing your experience and the links :) and congratulations (not sure if that is the right word) on getting your diagnosis. I am actually close to central London. I haven't been able to get much info on services in this area other than that there is now a specialist adult autism assessment team that from what I have been told, referrals are made by the GP to them, and after performing an interim assessment then they refer on to the appropriate professionals to make a diagnosis. Not sure whether this system works better or worse than what they have in place elsewhere.
 
Astroganga said:
Thank you for both sharing your experience and the links :) and congratulations (not sure if that is the right word) on getting your diagnosis. I am actually close to central London. I haven't been able to get much info on services in this area other than that there is now a specialist adult autism assessment team that from what I have been told, referrals are made by the GP to them, and after performing an interim assessment then they refer on to the appropriate professionals to make a diagnosis. Not sure whether this system works better or worse than what they have in place elsewhere.
Click to expand...
1st how did u get on at your GP's

2nd if u failed again, go to adult social services ask them to write a letter to your GP in regards of the autism 2009 act and 2014 care act, take that with leaflets to your gp and request the AQ50 question sheet, they are legally required by law to do this, once that has been don't it then goes to a review board and if the score reflects your autistic you will then get funding approved to go for testing.

I'm in the UK West Midlands and for 2 years with a mental heath professional had no diagnosis then moved to another area close by and seen another mental heath professional that told me thire was nothing wrong with me and to stop taking the antidepressants, a month later I was in a bad way and was at the GP's again and he looked up this prats report and he had actually diagnosed me with multi personality disorder with narsasitics tendencys witch is not correct, lucky for me I've studied law for many years and had done the above and when I had the GP's back against the wall with the law I got the test and the review board stated highly suggestive I'm autistic, the GP still won't accept it but that don't matter now as its way above his head and he is now just a paper pusher (still too dumb for that roll) for the paperwork that he has to fill out for my now funded referral and my appointment is on the 13th this month

adult socal service also by law has to do a risk assessment on you and also asighn a autistic trained socal worker to you even before the diagnosis, mine was done at the review board from the AQ50

hope you can read what I've typed as I'm not too great at typing and it helps you move beyond the really stupid GP's that I'm my limited phycoigy understanding most GP's suffer delusions of grandeur
and need to take there head from thire butt and stop thinking they are mentally superior to others as I find them nothing more brighter that a chimp being told what chemical cocktail go with what symptoms and if they don't work move on to drug B then C till the patient gives up or tops themselves, GP's are just legal drug dealers for the pharmaceutical companies that need to push as much useless experience drugs as possible to get money out the NHS limited funds.

sorry got blind sided by what rages me with the current system I see so obviously is floored for profiting drug cartels
 
mince69meat, I was too unwell with something else to formulate a list in the end, I did post on the forum maybe in a different section-I didn't need the list anyway as got a referral without it (tbh I didn't really even need the aspie quiz and AQ results either as I only remembered to show them to her when she had already agreed). Not sure when my assessment will be and in this area it's more likely to be an interim assessment first then the final one some months or even years down the line. She said an appointment will be sent to me by post.
 
sounds like your being fobbed off as from what I know you need the AQ50 test done by the GP then that test is sent to a board that consists of GP consultants and socal service workers and they then consider your score and if your score falls within the autism range your then given the funding and they refer you to the specialist that will do a formal diagnosis they will also make a refer you to other professionals that will aid you with your treatment programme (helps you cope and understand but it's called treatment)

Can others from the UK confirm this is the process as I was told a GP can't refer you to the professional to do the formal diagnosis directly because funding has to be approved for a autism diagnosis, GP's can only refer you to a standard psychiatric GP who is not qualifed to do the diagnosis and will diagnose you with anything but autism and will delay you a really long time because your GP and any other GP seeing that wrong diagnosis will dismiss anything you say because your not qualifed to object to that diagnosis and be given the wrong meds that imo make u a little better at first but then make you really worse, some of the side affects of the meds they was trying to make me take had warnings of increased suicide thoughts and for autistic people that's a real no no as autistic people live on average 10 - 15 less than NT's with a lot comitting suicide (thire is a recant report in the UK about this) so please make sure your being referred to a specialist in the autism field and not a general psychiatrist, wish you well

p.s.
from what I believe the funding comes out the GP's practice budget for the formal diagnosis where as if your sent to a general psychiatrist (that can't do the diagnosis) that funding comes from the NHS budget this is why it's so hard to get the referral.
 
Last edited:
It works differently in different areas. I am not being fobbed off as this is how it works in my area, and some others (I know other adults who have been diagnosed this way, including a friend in another part of London). In this area there is an interim team that have clinical psychologists that do an initial assessment, before referring on to the relevant professionals who do the formal diagnosis. According to government guidelines issued last year, local authorities and NHS trusts now have to have a clear pathway set in place for adult autism assessment and diagnosis and this system in this area was set up in response to the new guidance.
 
Last edited:
Astroganga said:
Thank you. I already have my referral sorted but these may come in handy at the assessment. :)
Click to expand...
Good luck. Getting my diagnosis was life changing. Suddenly the missing piece was finally put in the puzzle and I could begin forgiving myself for all the things I did that were not my fault. I am now on my way to feeling zen. It's a long road but at least I know where I'm going now.
 
Thank you :) I am just looking for closure, also it will help my dad who has fought my corner for over thirty years and never really got anywhere
 
Astroganga said:
Thank you :) I am just looking for closure, also it will help my dad who has fought my corner for over thirty years and never really got anywhere
Click to expand...
My Dad and I are both on the spectrum but until I realised I was we always fought. Now we are closer than ever. You are fortunate to have such a great Dad.
 
Darwin162 said:
My Dad and I are both on the spectrum but until I realised I was we always fought. Now we are closer than ever. You are fortunate to have such a great Dad.
Click to expand...
I believe my mum is on the spectrum, at the moment I haven't spoken to her since last time I physically visited her, back in August. She is so absorbed in her special interests that she 'doesn't have time' to speak to me or my sisters. Sadly she always overcompensated with alcohol and got my dad into drinking as well, so they have both been 'high functioning' alcoholics since the late 1960s. My dad recently admitted he is an alcoholic and tried to quit, but my mum will never admit it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Threads

Top Bottom