MarthaCannary
Sea Gull
Joined: May 30, 2012
Posts: 243
Location: Unicomplex
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 Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 12:00 am Post subject: |
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FAS (Fetal alcohol syndrome) from birth. My mother was drunk when she went into labour and couldn't remember all the names of the pills she had taken that day.... Had been partying through the entire pregnancy.
Hyperlexia - I was reading aloud, youth bible stories before I was two, I had read most of the Encyclopedia Britannica before I was six, I was coding in basic on my sixth birthday (Commodore Vic - 20 for my birthday).
Dyscalculia - some but not all of the symptoms.
GID (Gender identity disorder) by 3 - 4 years old.
ADHD - Diagnosed after many sessions of play therapy, funny they never said a word to my parents about playing with the dolls, the littletykes kitchen, the aprons, not the trucks, guns and toy soldiers. No, I was ADHD because I threw a fit when forced to play with masculine toys.....  They never said anything about the disruptive movements and noises, lack of peers, lack of emotion.... As an adult, no ADHD.
Was given the WISC test three times in a year, I know I scored 128 on the last test session, on the full test, I never got to read the sum of the results, I wasn't "allowed"... The person testing me told my teacher and my grandmother she thought I was Autistic.
GLD and SLD is what my homeroom was called for the majority of my educational career. At school, my homeroom teacher and the Principal pull me out of class and set me up in the supply closet across the hall from the office, It was HEAVEN!!!!! Very quiet, other than the loud ticking from the analog clock they put in there for me, I complained about it and I got a digital clock. One on one tutoring and I had my own computer, even though it was only an apple II... I still to this day wish I could thank those two for doing that for me, they saved me.
Seven years old, my step-dad leaves, leaving me at the mercy of a drunk abusive pill addict with tourette's, bi-polar, BPD, OCD, (and I'm almost positive an aspie as well) She had no tools to be raising a developmentally disabled child on her own....
Then Came PTSD!!!!!!!
PTSD - chronic, unreasonable, violent, sexual, emotional abuse from my mother for about seven years.... so bad. She had a meltdown and checked into the hospital, they Bounced me from group home to group home, foster families..... one of which the "Father" beat the piss out of me for calling genitals by their names instead of using slang, he threatened me with his service piece, said to his wife that he was tired of baby sitting retards, he was drunk. A LOT.
I was in a group home, someone stole a knife, cops get called, we each get taken in the office and interrogated. My turn comes, no one has fessed up, "I didn't take it!!!" screamed at the cop... He took me by the back of the head and rammed my face into a CRT monitor.
Many broken bones. Broken sexually, Broken emotionally. Broken trust of authority. So many scars.
Hit the streets the DAY after I turned thirteen, didn't look back, couldn't look back. Very unstable for many years, in and out of hospital a few times, treatment = non-existent. Bounced all across Canada on my own a few times. Never paid any mind to my "issues" I was far to busy trying to stay alive. Still managed to make it to grade 10, do not ask me how.
Flash Forward a bunch of years that I can't remember due to all the drugs I'm sure.... I have a huge meltdown after I get the crap beat out of me by a boyfriend, check myself into the hospital because I just can't cope, highly unstable, suicidal. Get diagnosed with bi-polar type II and Borderline Personality Disorder by a doctor that still had that New Car scent </sarc>. I pursue gender reassignment surgery, go through the 2 year program in one province and get my approval letters.. the province cuts funding for everyone. Moved to another province that still has funding, go through the two year program, get two more approval letters.. the province cuts funding for everyone. Move to third province, go through two year program, get another two approval letters, have my date set, get my date bumped up a whole year, DONE!!!!!!! YaY!
10 years after my bi-polar and BPD diagnosis, It REALLY doesn't feel right, I don't cycle through moods and I don't have a black or white view of the world. I'm simply not bi - polar. BPD is questionable. Non-stop, non-cyclic depression, that one I can understand, but not Bi - polar.
So that leaves me at:
FAS
Hyperlexia
Dyscalculia
GID
PTSD
Chronic Depression
Mild OCD
And very very likely ASD, as everything seems to be pointing in that direction. I'll be finding out right away, just as soon as I find out of I can get funding for the assessment. I'm somewhere on the spectrum, I'll figure out where eventually.
I've been on every related pharmaceutical known to man, to no avail. Off all pharma other than a tiny bit of estrogen. I rely on the kind herb to get me through my rough patches.
Sorry for being so wordy. Sorry for over sharing, but it's helping me figure things out as I go. |
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Mychal
Emu Egg
Joined: Jun 17, 2012
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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Early childhood: Encopresis - correct diagnosis (but in retrospect, it was likely stress induced due to Aspergers). Diagnosis made by a pediatrician, who told my mother to give me as much decision making power as possible.
Childhood: Thought to be painfully shy by adults. My personal conclusion was that I was not trying hard enough and I should try harder to be like everyone else.
Late teens: Depression. Diagnosed by family physician and was started on medication.
Early 20s: Atypical depression with obsessive tendencies & trichotillomania. Diagnosis made by psychiatrist and medications were changed.
Mid 20s: ADHD - Inattentive type. Diagnosis made by psychologist who did some tests with me for ADHD, but did not test for anything else. Additional meds prescribed by a psychiatrist.
Late 20s: Anxiety induced by LDs was suspected by a counselor (thought ADHD may not be the best diagnosis) and she referred me to a "learning coach" who came to similar conclusions. The learning coach also felt there was more to it and, given that my case seemed very complex, recommended professional evaluation, even though I was an adult. Then I did full phychological assessment, which determined a gifted intellectual status and slow processing speed learning disability. (They found no evidence of NVLD or CAP deficits - but I still feel they may be present). My learning coach began to suspect Aspergers after working with me over several sessions. I returned to the same psychologists for further consultation regarding Aspergers. This time they inlisted the help of an Aspergers specialist, and Aspergers was finally confirmed. *light bulb moment*
Valid diagnosis to date:
Aspergers Syndrome
LD - slow processing speed
Anxiety and Depression secondary to the above two conditions
Gifted Intellect
self-susptected NVLD
Trichotillomania may still be applicable |
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Nymeria8
Phoenix
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Age: 37
Posts: 959
Location: New York
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| Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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OCD
Bi-Polar
Manic Depression
Depression
Anxiety
Social Phobia
I gave up on meds and psychs in my mid twentities only to stumble upon AS when researching smell sensitivity. Talk about a lightbulb moment.
I can now add my stomach issues, food allergies, high blood pressure, and migraines to what is now a well rounded diagnosis that I am trying not to be bitter I found myself.
_________________
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
- The Dalai Lama |
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chessimprov
Toucan
Joined: Jun 12, 2010
Posts: 292
Location: Philly
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| Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 12:08 am Post subject: |
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I just thought I was weird. My family first couldn't believe I had anything, then in my 20s, got so annoyed at my differences that they had me checked out, and so here I am. I have felt out of place in both worlds. Autistic people, many, wonder if I'm really being truthful, and NTs think I'm too weird to be around them, but some of them who are in the aspie world cannot believe their eyes that I would be in the autistic world either. It's official, I even won a small grant to prove it based on this diagnosis.
For me, this diagnosis is definitely personal, but has also allowed me to meet people in a world I would otherwise have not gotten a chance to meet. I don't have regrets, but I am still searching. |
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1000Knives
It's not difficult if you know how.
Joined: Jul 09, 2011
Age: 22
Posts: 4724
Location: CT, USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:39 am Post subject: |
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None.
I got diagnosed with depression, anxiety, etc, but I never really "felt" those things. I started to believe I was "depressed" when I was younger, but I never really "felt" it, I just got convinced I was because I felt bad (I'm alexithymic, so yeah....) Psychs pretty much didn't know what to do with me, I just was a big mystery to them. Finally I got a huge eval done (keep in mind, I never volunteered myself to go to psychs, it was always on someone else's insistence, usually the state's, starting with truancy), and I got diagnosed NVLD, schizoid, and schizoaffective, and they said I was "Close to Aspergers but not quite" and even after that eval, because the people who they referred me to for treatment said that diagnosing a 17 year old with schizoid and schizoaffective was dumb, and in general I just didn't like things they said about me in the eval. It was only after a few other psychs that I trusted more suggested Aspergers (to which I basically said "yeah whatever, but you're nice enough at least") and I met a friend with the same NVLD/Aspergers combo diagnosis I have, and saw similarities in myself and him, that I did my own research on NVLD, and everything matched, it was like reading a biography. I even retook my verbal IQ and performance IQ tests online and came out to similar of how I was tested.
Finally, after an eval against my will, multiple people telling me I got it, and meeting someone with the same diagnosis as me, and then doing the research about it, I accepted that I had it. I guess that's fairly opposite of most people on this board, actually like, wanting an AS diagnosis.
_________________
Too kawaii to live...
Too sugoi to die! |
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outofplace
Geometrophile
Joined: Jun 11, 2012
Age: 39
Posts: 1771
Location: In A State of Quantum Flux
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| Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I am not officially diagnosed with As, but have considered may things to try and explain my oddness. It's just that AS seems to explain all of the quirky aspects of my behavior better than the others. As to what I considered, I was diagnosed as a child (in the mid 1980's) as having ADHD. However, it really doesn't fit all of the other issues, so I also looked at PTSD, OCD, Major depression, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, depersonalization/derealization disorder, and I am sure a few more.
So far as Aspergers/high functioning autism are concerned, I do fit the mold quite nicely. I am not severely handicapped by it unless you are talking about romantic situations that I can't read to save my life. However, I also suffered a lot of bullying as a child, had obsessive interests, meltdowns (panic attacks), tend to prefer the literal and logical to the abstract, tend to be pedantic and verbose, and tended to be interested in topics not normal for kids my age. I have long preferred mechanical things to people (not that I hate people, mind you) as I have always considered them more logical and easy to understand. However, I do avoid new places most of the time and it takes some courage and planning just to enter a new store that I have not previously visited. I also have poor short term memory and difficulty concentrating on anything I am not either very interested in or obsessing over at the time. As a kid, I also vehemently disliked sports and group activities and nearly failed PE-in kindergarten. I am also very sensitive to smells to the point that I only buy things that are unscented and also prefer to only wear clothes that are made of cotton. Likewise, I also have an aversion to spicy foods (I can't even stand mustard) and eat a diet comprised mostly of bland, predictable foods. I don't care too much about my personal appearance but I do try to shave and wear clean clothes every day to work. When I walk, I do so with my head down and my seated posture has been called poor by many other people. I also can't seem to sit still most of the time and do a variety of motions while seated. When I speak in many situations, it is in a monotone voice. Now any one of these things can fit into some of the other diagnostic possibilities above, but all of them combined only fit AS or HFA. However, I may be wrong and if anyone thinks there is another explanation please feel free to correct me.
_________________
Uncertain of diagnosis, either ADHD or Aspergers.
Aspie quiz: 143/200 AS, 81/200 NT; AQ 43; "eyes" 17/39, EQ/SQ 21/51 BAPQ: Autistic/BAP- You scored 92 aloof, 111 rigid and 103 pragmatic
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teamnoir
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: Jul 01, 2012
Posts: 56
Location: Menlo Park, CA 94025
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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I bought a copy of the DSM-IV when it came out in the mid-90's and read it cover to cover. I was looking at it partly as a sort of spell book of interesting things to do with one's brain, but also partly looking for self labels. About the only thing I considered at all was DID. But I don't fit the criterion.
Ironically, I skipped the section on childhood maladies because I wasn't a child. And that's where autism diagnoses were listed. I only heard about autism years later from strangers in response to some things I was blogging. |
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Johnnyoz
Emu Egg
Joined: Nov 17, 2010
Posts: 4
Location: Airlie Beach
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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Alcoholic.
Emotionally retarded.
Morally superior.
Too intelligent.
Total social f u c k u p. (All self diagnoses.)
Discovering Asperger's 2 years ago at the age of 50 has been sobering.
Rearranging my life to be as comfortable as possible for what's left of it.
Doing a pretty good job. It's just what we do, when left to our own devices, isn't it?
Being able to "do something about it" has been the best thing that's ever happened to me.
I live alone on a boat in the Whitsundays, tinkering, fixing, thinking, drinking coffee and smoking rollies, occasionally connecting with people, working enough to pay the bills...
Life's good for this aspie  |
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Amethyst
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Jul 11, 2012
Posts: 44
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| Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:37 am Post subject: |
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Propagnosia, ADD, Dyslexia, and just plain clumsiness
Last edited by Amethyst on Wed Jul 18, 2012 5:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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OhioStateDolphins
Blue Jay
Joined: Jul 11, 2012
Posts: 98
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 3:43 am Post subject: |
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| Social anxiety and ADHD |
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Kenjitsuka
Snowy Owl
Joined: Apr 01, 2009
Age: 30
Posts: 171
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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First it was Avoidant Personality Disorder, Dependent PD, PDNOS, Anxiety Disorder and EDNOS. (These where *all* attributed to me by a psychiatrist.
After a year of pushing the exact opposite treatment of what's helpful for Aspergers I tried to commit suicide and got re-evaluated by a better psychiatrist.
Now the record shows Aspergers, PTSD and EDNOS, which I feel is correct.
Well, to be honest it's Anorexia, but I always threaten to quit all treatment if they go ahead and say that out loud...
_________________
Empathy quotient: 14
Your Aspie score: 185 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 14 of 200
The Broad Autism Phenotype Test: You scored 132 aloof, 126 rigid and 132 pragmatic. IQ: 139. AQ: 45/50 |
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Esperanza
Phoenix
Joined: Mar 11, 2007
Posts: 1021
Location: Paradise
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| Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 11:26 am Post subject: |
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| I started out with clinical depression, and then moved on to ADD, was incorrectly diagnosed manic-depressive (couldn't believe how far off-base that was) and then suspected Asperger's but couldn't understand why it seemed to have faded as I aged, and finally hit on type 3 hyperlexia. DING DING DING! It felt like coming home. |
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FalsettoTesla
Phoenix
Joined: Oct 31, 2011
Posts: 536
Location: North of North
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| Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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I do not have an official diagnosis of anything but I have realistically considered:
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia, I read my mother the DSM-IV criteria and she thought that it fit me remarkably well
- Dyscalculia, basic arithmetic is very, very hard for me, but understand the rules behind mathematical concepts is very easy
- Learning Disorder NOS
- Mental Retardation, although that seems very unlikely given my academic performance
- ADHD Inattentive Presentation, which is within the realm of possibility, the symptoms fit me well
- Depression
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Effects of a neglectful and abusive childhood
- Hypochondria
- 'Sensitive person', although only sensory sensitive, not really emotionally
The ones of those which fit best, in my opinion within my understanding of the conditions and myself, are effects of a negative childhood, LD-NOS (because I fit Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia equally strongly), ADHD inattentive presentation, depression and also I fit the criteria for autistic spectrum disorder well.
The most frustrating thing is that beyond two home videos I have no objective point of analysis of my behaviour as a child, so I am unsure if I can satisfy that it has always been this way. My memory of childhood is patchy, mostly because of traumatic events. Although I have always been considered strange, and my acute sensitivity to sound is one thing that everyone who knew me as a child commented on. A teacher suggested to my mother that I should get my hearing tested because I would walk around with my hands over my ears when the other children were playing - I'm not sure why she suggested that, because I think my behaviour seemed more indicative of a child with painfully good hearing, or very poor auditory filtering/sensitivity to sound. I would also tell my mother to stop singing, and to turn her music off.
I'm of reasonable intelligence but I still cannot use a knife and fork well enough to get the majority of food in my mouth, spell coherently without lots of corrections and spell checker, tie my shoe laces, do basic household tasks such as laundry or make cups of tea etc without extreme effort and mental planing out of the steps required, tell time on an analogue clock, tell when people are being sarcastic, tell when people are teasing, know what will offend people, tell when I have offended a person, know how to comfort people. I'm extremely forgetful about basic tasks such as feeding myself, and my immediate area. I spend lots of time staring into space, and tap boards, walls, objects etc that I walk past. If I feel anxious and I have enough room I'll spin in circles, move my hands - specifically my fingers - in a manner similar to playing an invisible piano (this I know I have always done), find small spaces to wedge myself into.
But, all of this speculative diagnosing means very little to me - and many others - with a professional opinion to back it up. |
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IndieSoul
Deinonychus
Joined: Jul 03, 2012
Age: 18
Posts: 342
Location: A planet in the Solar Federation
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| Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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Social anxiety disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder
_________________
Invisible airwaves crackle with life
Bright antennae bristle with the energy
Emotional feedback on timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price, almost free
-RUSH
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Raziel
Tomcat
Joined: Oct 26, 2011
Posts: 1842
Location: Europe
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| Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 8:52 am Post subject: |
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I considered befor my officiall diagnoses:
Bipolar and afterwards Asperger, but I turned out having HFA.
But I still might have Bipolar II...!
So I wasn't that wrong. 
_________________
"I'm astounded by people who want to 'know' the universe when it's hard enough to find your way around Chinatown." - Woody Allen |
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