I am going to get diagnosed Thursday I am going to post

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I am going to get diagnosed Thursday I am going to post step by step what I had to do to get the diagnosis. I will post what the psychiatrist asks me and what he has me do to take away the mystery of it. I am hoping this will encourage other undiagnosed people to get checked. Luckily with my insurance they allow 10 visits up to April 30, 2011 for $20.00 a visit. If they did not cover me I probably would not have even called a psychiatrist.

First thing I did was contact local Autistic Services. They sent me a list of psychiatrists and testing centers that handle Aspergers. I picked one from the list called him getting an apointment that week.

They gave me a list of Psychiatrists in other New York areas such as Rochester, Central NY, and New York City area.

I tried to get my school records but I found out they destroy them after ten years. I recomend getting your records before your ten your period is up. You never know when or why you might need them.

I have an appointment with a neuropsychologist tomorrow too. The appt. is scheduled for 10:15 and since he'll likely be adminstering the usual psychometric tests, (WAIS, MMPI, Halstead-Reitan, etc....) i'll probably be there all day. OVR is covering the costs of this for me, my insurance doesn't cover any mental health treatment at all. I've been through all this five times already, so i'm sure the results of the psychometric tests won't tell me much of anything new. Still....i'm hoping this will lead to a solution for some of my own mysteries (particularily the memory problems I seem to have.) If I can convince this neuropsychologist to recommend a MRI for me, my case worker at OVR told me they might be willing to cover the costs of one.

So long as it's the right kind of MRI....it might be able to tell me something about the neurological origin/s of the memory impairments I believe I have. And maybe give me a better idea of what, if anything, can be done about them. Anyway...good luck to you and i'd be interested to hear how everything went.


Here is the clinic i'm going to....the actual neuroPSYCHOLOGISTS who work there aren't mentioned on the website:


http://www.neurologicconsultantspa.com/index.shtml

Last edited by Horus on 17 Jun 2010, 12:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'd say it's always a good idea to have a formal diagnosis. Good luck getting accomodations and services from employers and schools without one.


Also...with a formal Dx, you might be eligible for government services like
OVR, SSI, etc....

Its funny how our problems are almost similar. Just about all your posts I know what you are talking about and can relate or have the same problem.

I know you have memory issues are there any medications that can help with that?

PERHAPS certain nootropic drugs like piracetam and acetyl carnitine.


I'd have to do some research though before I could say anything about these substances with any degree of confidence. Considering these drugs are quite expensive and my insurance would never cover them...I haven't bothered to yet. Furthermore, even if they do improve some people's memory, I don't know if they'd be efficacious in my case ofcourse.


I don't even know what the hell is wrong with my memory in regards to the neurological origin/s of my problems. Heck....I don't even know FOR CERTAIN if I haven't just *somehow* exaggerated or imagined these memory problems since I have ZERO objective confirmation for them.

The results of ALL the memory tests I had on every single neuropsychological evaluation i've undergone were perfectly average or better.

Nonetheless....I have every reason to believe I have very severe memory problems and all I can say is they seem very, very real to me. I have posted a link to an article from the Oxford Journal of Neurology several times in this group. This article clearly demonstrates the likely possibility that very serious memory problems (particularily with long-term memory) may not be detected by the standard neuropsychological memory tests. I will post the introductory paragraphs from this article in case you've never seen it in any of my other posts. So at least there are SOME experts who would back up my own claims about my thus far *occult* memory problems. Hence the reason I want an MRI since I have very little faith in the conventional neuropsychological memory tests. Or most of the common psychometric tests in general for that matter. Anyway...here's a few paragraphs from the article. I'll add the link too so you can read the whole thing if you want. It's actually pretty interesting IMO and it calls into question many things that psychologists think they know about human memory and disorders of human memory:




Brain, Vol. 123, No. 3, 472-483, March 2000
© 2000 Oxford University Press

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Invited review


Accelerated forgetting in patients with epilepsy
Evidence for an impairment in memory consolidation
R. V. Blake1,2, S. J. Wroe3, E. K. Breen2 and R. A. McCarthy1
1 Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, 2 Department of Neuropsychology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, 3 Department of Clinical Neurology, Ipswich Hospital, Ipswich and Department of Neurology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK


Correspondence to: Dr Rosaleen A. McCarthy, Department of Experimental Psychology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK


Abstract
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References


Patients with epilepsy frequently complain of memory difficulties yet perform normally on standard neuropsychological tests of memory. It has been suggested that this may be due to an impairment of very long-term memory consolidation processes, beyond those normally assessed in the neuropsychological clinic. We carried out a prospective study of verbal memory over a long-term retention interval of 8 weeks in patients with epilepsy and in controls. Results were compared with performance on conventional tests of memory. Despite normal learning and retention over 30 min, patients with epileptic foci in the left temporal lobe performed disproportionately poorly on the long-term test compared with both patients with epileptic foci in the right temporal lobe and controls. Our findings provide evidence for an extended period of memory consolidation and point to the critical region for this process, at least for verbal material, in the left temporal lobe. The implications of our findings for clinical assessment and therapeutic management of patients with epilepsy are discussed.

epilepsy; memory; consolidation; long-term; verbal

HAD = Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; NART = National Adult Reading Test; TEA = transient epileptic amnesia; WAIS-R = Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised; WCST = Wisconsin Card Sort Test; WMS-R = Wechsler Memory Scale—Revised


Introduction
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References


Patients with epilepsy frequently complain of memory problems that are often undetected by conventional memory tests. In this paper we have investigated beyond normal retention intervals to prospectively evaluate long-term memory consolidation processes in patients with epilepsy.

Traditionally, theories of human memory have focused on a limited range of time intervals. Information that is assessed after a few seconds is thought to be held within short-term or working memory systems; information that has been stored for longer than a few minutes has usually been assumed to be represented within long-term memory. The establishment of memory within long-term storage is thought to be mediated via some form of consolidation process. While such consolidation may not be complete after a few minutes (and indeed may continue for weeks, months or years) it is often assumed that its general efficacy can be evaluated after relatively brief delays. Thus, clinical tests of memory have tended to focus on the short-term/long-term distinction, measuring memory either after seconds or minutes (e.g. Wechsler, 1987). Comparatively little is known about long-term memory beyond this relatively narrow interval (in the case of standard neuropsychological assessments extending to a mere 30 min), and it is often assumed that there is little to know. This may be an unwarranted assumption.


http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/con ... /123/3/472

Well I saw my psychologist for a hour. He asked me a lot of questions about health history, family, school, work, and anxieties. He said he does not put labels on people on a single visit. So I have to see him again. I will be seing him twice a week next week. I hope this guy is not blowing smoke up my butt. He wants to look further in social anxiety, depression, and anger management. I was hoping for a diagnosis for aspergers so I could get help with getting jobs since my social anxiety always blows up in face durring job interviews.

He said if I wanted a label I should go see a psychiatrist. I might just do that depending how next week goes.

I just got back from my own appointment with neuropsychologist. I was there from 10:15 until nearly 3:00. I mostly dealt with his assistants, who administered all the usual neuropsych/IQ tests. But I met with the neuropsych personally...he seemed very nice and competent. I was able to give him all the information I brought with me and he CLAIMED he read it all while I was taking the MMPI (a common personality test which is usually part of every neuropsych evaluation.) Anyway....I don't want to say too much more about that since i'm going to start a post (check it out if you....it should be up in a few hours at most) about it anyway.

Only a total quack "psychologist" with a degree from a Nigerian diploma mill would label/diagnosis anyone based on a single hour-long visit. Still....I would recommend that you try to get an appointment with an actual NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST if you can. Alot clinical psychologists still know next to nothing about AS, NVLD and other neuropsych disorders. Heck....some them don't even realize that Asperger's IS in the CURRENT EDITION of the DSM as hard as that is to believe. Alot of them don't even believe NVLD is a real disorder and if they do....they don't know NVLD from BLT

Did the psychologist you saw say anything about administering neuropsych/IQ tests the next time you see him? I really think he ought to do that before just jumping to any conclusions about depression, social anxiety and anger management.

Bottom line....if I were you...I would try to see a neuropsychologist if at all possible. Not just a run-of-the-mill clinical psychologist OR a psychiatrist. I only have a lousy AA degree in liberal arts and even I know more about NVLD and AS (and neuropsychology in general) than many clinical psychologists and psychiatrists do. Believe me....clinical psychologists will tell you any wacky and unfounded thing about yourself if they're just relying on your own self-report alone.

Before I actually underwent neuropsychological/IQ testing....I saw a clinical psychologist with PhD. from HARVARD for nine months. Even after INSISTING that there was something wrong with me NEUROLOGICALLY SPEAKING, that pig-headed, pompous, putz refused to believe me. He never once administered any neuropsych/IQ tests and didn't even recommend that I get any. The idiot Dx-ed me with all sorts of nonsense like "Narcissistic Personality Disorder".

For one thing...I never met the Dx criteria for Narcissistic PD on ONE of the five neuropsych evals i've had since seeing this joke of a psychologist. I was Dx-ed with Schizoptypal PD on four and Borderline PD on one. For another...I was proven right
about my neurologically-based problems. Problems that I knew I had since I was seven
years old. I didn't have a name for them at that time ofcourse...but I was pretty much self-diagnosed when I was 14. Problems that this erudite clown of psychologist didn't even suspect. It's pretty bad when a 14 y/o kid has a better idea of what's wrong with them than some psychologist with a PhD from Harvard and decades of experience.


IOW....unless this psychologist you saw IS a psychologist who specializes in neuropsychology....I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. If you can't
afford to see a neuropsychologist and get tested by them (and if your insurance
won't cover it) then you could apply for OVR services in your area. OVR will likely send
you to a psychologist (and if you tell them you believe you have AS and/or learning
disabilities...they will likely send you to a neuropsychologist for testing) for a neuropsych
eval/IQ test. It's part and parcel of the approval process (for VR services) when a prospective VR client's reason for difficulty with employment/ higher education has to
do with mental disorders.

They should cover the costs of the appointment and testing even before finding you
eligible for VR services. Otherwise....neuropsych tests can be very expensive...sometimes
as much as $1500.00 or more. You could also try to get tested at the psychological
services center at a local university. If you can prove you have a limited income, they
should be willing to offer you a full neuropsych eval/IQ test on the sliding scale. The
costs of the tests can be as little as $100.00 provided you can demonstrate your inability
(via pay stubs, your most recent W2 form, or the IRS will send you a letter stating that
you did not file if you've been unemployed for the past year) to afford the usual cost
of them.


Whatever the case....I would recommend a formal Dx as that can open alot of doors for you. Just be very wary of the clinical psychologists and psychiatrists. All too many of them are ridiculously ill-informed when it comes to AS/NVLD, ASD's and neuropsychology in general. I've been grossly misdiagnosed by such twilight-groping alienists more times than I can count.

I've been going through assessment as well and will be going in on Thursday the 24th to get the results of the tests . Whatever the diagnosis, I just hope they know what they're doing. I need help with managing my special interests, my lack of career, and social stuff. I don't care what the label is. I'm just so tired and confused.

I cannot trust anyone regardless. So I am always wary of anyone I have just met. He told me if you just want a label you can see a psychiatrist. I told him I need to know if I have Aspergers so I can get help getting a job and other rescources a label will help me in getting an education. He also mentioned he's writing a book I would hate it if this guy used me as some kind of case study making money off my misery, He wants to do therapy to help me with social anxiety, my mild depression, and anger management. I have not had anger management problems since I was in my 20's. I do not care if I avoid people all day I want to get through a god damn job interview. He made it sound like after a few visits he will give me the "tools" to handle my anxiety, depression, and anger. I told him I need to know if I have Aspergers before July 6 because I start job training from 1:00pm-5:00pm and will not be able to see him for a few months. I finally work up the courage to see someone and I get saddled with this douche. I am going to give him two more chances if does not work out I'll be only out $60.00 and some wasted time. I am going to mention the things you listed Hourus on my next visit about IQ testing. what really angers me very few of the psychologists and psychiatrists do not accept my medical insurance. .

I was diagnosed with AS within several minutes of seeing someone at an ASD clinic.

I hope that you find out, before than.