Aspergers and bowel problems

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Oh, wow - I have all of those except GI issues, and most of the symptoms listed on this site Just a bunch of little things that I didn't think were a big deal in and of themselves, and didn't connect to each other. I guess I should probably mention this to my doctor the next time I'm in.

I've had, NO, i Have, digestive problems starting from my mouth to the end.

Yeah, if you look on Google Scholar for keywords "autism" and "autonomic" you'll find a number of studies that suggest the heart rate tends to run high in autism, which is indicative of increased activation of the sympathetic nervous system. There's more work that's been done on dysautonomia in relation to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome though. I think it's an area in autism that needs a lot more research considering the clinical implication that, if treated, it could actually help improve our quality of life.

I have to forewarn you though: most doctors don't "get" dysautonomias. There are very few centers in the US and elsewhere that even know how to diagnose and work with these conditions. So it may actually be more helpful to you to do some reading and apply some of the treatments yourself, which are infrequently medicinally-based except in more severe cases.

For instance, sometimes posture can play an important role in triggering symptoms, such that reclining may help to calm symptoms when you're having them. This is especially the case in conditions like POTS. I've had such problems with this that for work I've finally broken down and bought a recliner with ottoman to sit in; it's made an incredible difference in reducing my symptoms. In general, I recommend avoiding standing for longer periods of time and if you are going to be upright, keep your legs moving because the legs are essentially the second heart of the body and work to pump blood back up to the heart when the leg muscles contract.

I also try to remain well-hydrated, as many people with dysautonomia can have low blood volume (this may in part be due to increased urination that's triggered with sympathetic activation). It's also recommended that, provided one doesn't have hypertension, increasing salt intake can help with blood volume as it works to retain water. Some may use drinks like Pedialyte but I personally prefer chicken broth as it doesn't have the sugar content and also doesn't have dyes that we may sometimes react to.

Meditation and other calming exercises that help increase vagal tone are also a great way to increase activation of the parasympathetic nervous system.

Finally, cardiovascular exercise involving the legs is another great way to improve overall function of the autonomic nervous system. Although if you're feeling cruddy, it's best to avoid exercise until you're recovered.

I personally find the mornings most difficult, which is common to the dysautonomias (although some people differ). But I try to organize my day so that I have few physical demands in the mornings and leave that stuff to the afternoon or evenings. I also try to be more aware of when I feel I'm pushing it and stop; before my diagnosis, I would've just pushed through if I could and I've now realized that's not a good thing to do and can cause a flare for days after.

I should mention that if you do have postural orthostatic issues, lying down can help you feel better if you're having an acute attack, but don't get into too much of a habit of lying down because it can actually make it harder to sit or stand upright at other times without having symptoms. If I'm sitting I generally try to recline and, unless I'm just feeling particularly crappy, leave the lying down for bedtime.

There's a number of good books available on conditions like POTS and the dysautonomias. I also wrote a blog about the topic a couple weeks ago: https://scienceoveracuppa.com/2018/03/0 ... condition/

Thank you for all the information. I probably won't mention it to my doctor, then - I really hate not being taken seriously or believed(as has happened when I've mentioned the shortness of breath that apparently may actually be because of this). I have noticed that I have more issues with dizziness and shortness of breath if I stay standing still for a long time, like at church - now that I think about it, I think I've only had my seemingly-random near-faints when I've been standing for a while. I know I definitely need to drink more water. I just don't think to drink if I'm not thirsty. Recently I've discovered that I like using the recumbent bikes they have at the gym - it sounds like that's a good thing for me to start doing for this as well as for getting fit. Mornings are more difficult for me as well. I have a very hard time getting up in the morning, can't remember ever having awakened feeling rested, and don't have my full energy until sometime in the afternoon, usually. I'll try to remember not to push myself too hard, too - I attributed some of my symptoms to just being weak, so I'd try to push through it. Again, thank you very much for all the information and advice.

My pleasure. I should also mention that sometimes we may be sensitive to temperatures. Sometimes we can run really cold, and other times we may have an acute attack if we get too warm. It can vary by person. I have had a harder time with heat sensitivity over the last year or so. I love cuddling under blankets in the evening, but I have had to become more aware of when I'm starting to get a wee too warm, otherwise it can touch off a whole episode and I can start getting nauseous and headachey, with that POTS-typical "coat-hanger" neck pain. (If you ever have neckpain, shoulder pain, plus headache, look up POTS and coat-hanger pain. It's a "thing.")

By the way, if you feel like the dysautonomia ever really starts to inhibit your life significantly, it's worthwhile getting a referral to one of the larger dysautonomia centers in the country. But in the mild to moderate ranges, sometimes doctors aren't all that helpful. Plus most of the treatments are everyday sorts of things that are easy enough to do on your own. In this instance, you're probably your own best doctor. For instance, I'm in the mild-to-moderate range (it fluctuates) but I'm having to seek diagnosis because I'm going to need accommodations for work as I'll be starting teaching next year. And standing for that length of time just isn't doable. At the moment a cardiologist gave me a placer dx of "Dysautonomia NOS" and is sending me to their electrophys guys for further assessment for the POTS dx.

Anywho, it's a learning process. But once you start to recognize the signs, you'll probably catch on fairly quick and can prevent feeling quite so crappy.

I get constipated a lot, even though I eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, but it doesn't usually cause much health problems with my guts. I typically open my bowels about 2-3 times a week. Sometimes the constipation can feel uncomfortable, but only mildly.

Some strange things my body does though, like I drink a lot of soda because I enjoy it, and it doesn't make me feel that gassy, I just do one or two burps and feel better. But if I eat too many chips ('fries' in American language), I feel all bloated afterwards and keep burping, no matter how slowly and carefully I chew. Weird.

Thanks for that. Incredibly informative. I have almost all the symptoms you list. I am frequently dizzy, have a lot of digestive upset, have palpitations, in fact almost all of them. As for sensitivity to temperatures, I run hot. I mean I am almost never cold.

The only problem with this site, however, is the ever lengthening list of co-morbid conditions you learn you have!

apparently, as if it were not enough to be lactose intolerant I had gastritis, were the most painful moments of my life, and still I still have some gastrointestinal problems

Yes.

I've been sharing on these forums for nearly 5 years now how treating the intestinal component of ASD via diet & supplements, including tons of probiotics, keeps my ASD symptoms minimized and under control well enough to live a MUCH more "NT-ish," work & social life.

Amen! I have AS, Generalized Hypermobile Spectrum Disorder (G-HSD), dysautonomia (probably POTS but am in the midst of assessment for a more specific dx), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), insulin resistance, polycystic ovarian syndrome.. am I forgetting anything? Probably have left one or two things off.

Thing is: they're probably all just symptoms of the same underlying condition that happens to be systemic. It's just that, for now, we don't have a label for it, so we have all these mini-labels that focus in on each system individually. But they have all these different treatments-- I swear I've never taken so many pills in my life! My purse is now an old lady's medicine bag.

I don't know why I clicked on that, given the lead up, but it was hilarious.

I have pretty significant constipation that leads to stool leakage, which is awkward. I'm too embarrassed to talk to my doctor about it. It's absolutely related to my autism, because my diet is extremely restricted and unhealthy. I essentially survive on canned and fast food, which obviously wreaks havoc on one's digestive systems. I'm in speech therapy right now to work on my food sensitivities, but it's very slow going.

I used to be constipated when I was a kid. That of course came from not eating right foods. Now and I am an adult and have since cleaned up my diet, and went vegan. With that being said, no bowel problems here. And with regular exercise increases regularity in that area. The only thing I tend to get is gassy every now and then but again, its something that I tend to do to myself through a high fiber diet and carbonated water in between xD A little burping and farting never hurt anyone though :p

Diapered lives matter....sorry I couldn't resist.