Has anyone been referred for an Autism Assessment by their GP?

[Daisychainintherain]

I’ve finally found the courage to go to the GP but I am really nervous about not being taken seriously.

Have been struggling for as long as I can remember and have been diagnosed from everything from anxiety to depression but everything points towards autism.

Has anyone managed to get successfully referred as an adult and what did it involve?

My daughter has via Right to Choose. She waited 18 months for an assessment. I also had a very long Zoom interview with the psychologist as they required a parent input (said a lot of parents don’t unfortunately). It was a simple enough process.

My partner was last October. We went private. He got the results two weeks ago. He had one zoom call that lasted a few hours, several online assessments and six face to face appointments in a nearby town. He waited about 6 weeks and started the assessments before Christmas. He found it very difficult as it brought up a lot of childhood trauma, he is 55 for reference. I also had to fill in an assessment or survey about our relationship as he is an orphan I was the closest person to him.

Make sure to go via right to choose - info available online on how to do it.

My advice is you're going to be waiting a long long time. Start living as though you're diagnosed now, don't wait for a diagnosis because you could be waiting years.

Yes, I've been referred. I had to fill out an AQ10 form (you can find it online) and about three months later I got a letter to say my referral had been accepted. I was given a wait time (16 months) and details of what my appointment would look like and what would happen when I was at the top of the list.

My GP was fantastic and incredibly thorough, kind and understanding. He has a special interest in autism and told me he would have diagnosed me then and there if he was allowed, lol.

Yes, about two years ago. I was 44, GP was supportive and I only waited three months for my appointment

My daughter got an assessment and diagnosis earlier this year.

She is 21 and requested it through her GP who wanted to know why she wanted it.

lol she ignored that.

Had to wait 2 years for the appointment and then the whole thing took about 3 appointments in total.

She's relieved to have the diagnosis, she says it helps knowing she's not weird.

She's at university and it's made no difference there. Although I think she told some professors.

I wasn’t taken seriously by my GP. It was around ten years ago so I would like to think things have improved since then.

Yes, I emailed a letter to my GP surgery with my AQ-10. I was assessed about 4 months later. I was diagnosed and they recommended that I seek an ADHD assessment, so I did another RTC. I have my assessment next month.

I’ve been given an AQ10 form to fill in and return.

I’m struggling on a few of the questions.

I find it difficult to work out people’s intentions - At first glance I would say no, but then I do often struggle to tell if someone is joking or not. I’m never sure whether people mean what they say and often need a lot of reassurance. I get very upset when people don’t keep to their word. I cannot fathom why people lie. So perhaps this question does apply?

I know how to tell if someone listening to me is bored - I’d like to say this is something I’ve got better at in recent years. But I’m never quite sure when a conversation has come to a natural end.

I like to collect information about categories of things - what does this even mean? I don’t collect things. I do often mentally collect t useless bits of information such as number plates, peoples star signs, wildlife I have seen, random facts about history that no one else would be interested in.

Can anyone help me to interpret these questions please?

You're already answering them here 😊. Mine was via GP referral and got my diagnosis privately 5 years ago aged 50.

Yep, 4 years on the waiting list so far!

I think lots of those questions are really badly worded and hard for an autistic person to answer! I wish they had a notes section on each one.

OP, those answers demonstrate classic signs of autism - for example the form uses 'collect' in a metaphorical sense, but you've interpreted it literally. So just go ahead and put yes and/or the strongest number they offer in the multiple choice options.

I think lots of those questions are really badly worded and hard for an autistic person to answer! I wish they had a notes section on each one.

You can attach notes (my GP encouraged me to) - I scored the top marks on the AQ10.

Me again. I’ve been asked to write down some of my symptoms including childhood symptoms. To go along with the forms. They said that the referral will just be ejected without this.

I have a long history is symptoms, should I write down everything I can and how it’s caused me difficulties? It’s quite long and I’m finding it upsetting going over things that happened and how I felt at school and as a young adult (including suicide attempts) I’m finding it really embarrassing and to disclose all of it but I also don’t want to miss anything out.

I've just looked at the AQ10 questionnaire. Full marks! Does that mean I should do something?

@Daisychainintherain I gave a list of symptoms but also wrote specific incidents that I remembered. Nothing too detailed, but for example 'hated going out to the playground - exaggerated knee injury for several weeks to avoid it.' 'Found PE distressing - would frequently leave PE kit at home or feign injury.'