Does anyone else with autism have gastrointestinal issues?

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My bowel movements fluctuate from constipation to normal to diarrhea. Usually it goes in a cycle where I'm going normal and regularly then all of a sudden I get diarrhea for no reason and then after that I become constipated for a week or two, and then I'll get diarrhea again and my poop will go back to regular and normal again. My diet makes no difference to my bowel movements, nor does exercise. I don't get pain or discomfort though, only if I'm about to get diarrhea I get those cramps that feel like menstrual cramps but aren't. I rather have constipation than diarrhea, but overall I prefer my stools to just be normal (neither diarrhea or constipation, just regular).

My upper gastrointestinal tract (stomach) is fine, hardly ever have any problems there.

I used to get alternating diarrhea and constipation, too.

I vomited a lot as a young child.

i suffer with my guts due to damage from excessive use of drugs and alcohol years ago which i dont do.any more

i suppose i should be glad im alive and not dead from such misuse like amy winehouse

but i do get tummy pains a lot and gas

I have a bad IBD and a strong medication for it... it's not working though so I'm taking cortisone at the moment and if that doesn't work after the set time, I need stronger everyday meds than the current ones.

^My mother has Crohn’s Colitis, and takes Entyvio.

By the way, abroad I often eat food of the local cuisine. Sometimes I like it, although I don't know what it is. I have never problems with that. I am curious and like trying out new things. In South Africa and Russia I have been eating several things without any problems.

Yep, and that is one annoyance in live that I would really like to have go away.

IBS has been a constant since at least the 1980s.
Colitis has come and gone a few times through the decades.
The gall bladder was removed at beginning of 2000s.
Diverticular disease seems to have moved in to stay.

And I'm like, come on, there were already enough other things wrong with my body thank you very much.

I hope to God never to get Diverticular disease because it can cause uncontrollable farting and it can be severely embarrassing especially if you have social anxiety like me and have always been shy about farting in public or around people, even family. Although farting is natural and all that, some cultures don't take that into account and people will just judge or humiliate those that fart loudly in public, especially women. Where I come from it's very rare that people fart audibly and smelly in public, and when they do people get really grossed out and even hate you for it.

One of my aunts has Diverticular and no matter what she eats she always has lots of gas and 9 times out of 10 she'll fart uncontrollably and loudly when she gets up after sitting, and it is not done deliberately to be rude or anything. She just constantly has gas that she can't control.

If I ever get like that I think I'll commit suicide, or die from public humiliation.

I’ve had Crohn’s disease for the last 50 years.

Yes, severe dairy and gluten intolerance. Lots of food intolerances. I have an extremely restricted diet and have to stick to the purest, plainest of foods e.g. boiled millet. If I eat too much processed food I have diarrhoea and vomiting. I have to be *extremely* careful what I eat or I get digestive problems. It restricts my life a lot.

I have one kid with Crohn's and one with autism. It's been.. Not fun. My brother has asperger's and some kind of digestive issues. I 100% think there is some kind of link, some generic or environmental thing that got both of my kids, just in different ways.

But boy am I thankful my autistic kiddo didn't have to eat the Crohn's diet! I don"t know if he could have coped with that at all. And the kid with Crohn's definitely made me less stressed about the other kid's restricted diet: as long as he's healthy, I just thank my lucky stars and let him carry on eating what he wants.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I'm also lactose intolerant, but avoiding lactose is easy these days since there are so many dairy products made lactose free, so it's not really a big deal for me... except when I go overseas and there's ice cream or the like; there never seems to be any lactose free options abroad.