Autism and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

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I know this is an old post but typed in PCOS Aspergers into Google as I did participate in some research here in the UK about this particular area a couple of years ago and it has just come to light again by my son's pscyhiatrist who is currently helping us to get our daughter assessed for Aspergers.

I am NT and have a son with severe autism, a husband with OCD/depression and a teenage daughter whom we believe has Aspergers.

My daughter was diagnosed with PCOS this summer due to suffering the worse acne ever since she was 11. We took her to a dermatologist who prescribed Roaccutane 6 months treatment and now she has her self esteem back! Her skin is lovely and clear for the first time. Before the treatment he did a routine blood test and also a hormone profile and the result came back with borderline PCOS. I too have suffered with PCOS (I also have a maternal aunt with it) and it took us 5 years to get pregnant, I had ovarian diathermy to both my ovaries to stimulate new growth and a year later fell pregnant with my daughter and then my son. Naturally I was devastated for my daughter but she refuses to accept that she has this, she would rather get on with living her life than be bogged down with PCOS and Aspergers (she is also in denial about having AS too).

We are in the UK and the research was done by Professor Simon Baron Cohen's team at the Cambridge Autism Research Centre
http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/arc/default.asp

Here is the report on their findings:-
Elevated rates of testosterone-related disorders in women with autism
spectrum conditions
http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/doc ... havior.pdf

I am infertile. I have regular, but very long-lasting periods. I know that a person can have PCOS, but not have very obvious symptoms. If I do have PCOS, then I am one of the ones without any obvious symptoms...aside from the infertility and the long periods, which I guess could have other causes.

Shelby, hi. I actually just joined wrongplanet because of this post. I was diagnosed with PCOS earlier this year and just today, I found myself wondering about the autism/PCOS connection. (This forum page came up, and I was happy to hear that some one else was searching for connections too.)

Since it looks like you posted this last year or so, I was wondering if you've collected anymore thoughts or data on the topic?

(Of course, while this is directed toward the thread starter, but all responses will be appreciated.)

Asperger's Syndrome and PCOS. In fact, I have to get a checkup every 3 months to make sure none of the cysts are out of control. I had one inside my right ovary that grew to the size of a grapefruit and caused my ovary to rupture. To insure this does not happen to my remaining 1.5 ovaries, I grit my teeth and deal with the checkups. I persistently have small cysts, from a few milimeters to the size of a grape; these usually go away on their own or pop (which feels like someone inside me is punching the hell out of me) and therefore don't require emergency abdominal surgery like the afore-mentioned grapefruit.

My grandmother, who is probably NT but has AS-ish traits, also has PCOS. She got her ovaries and uterus removed in her mid-thirties, though. I'm 33 and beginning to understand why she did so!

My mother had a hysterectomy and ovary removal in her mid-thirties. My understanding is limited to that it was a result of ovarian cysts, but from what I read here it is probably reasonable to assume PCOS. I had never heard of this condition before now, but find the AS/PCOS correlation quite interesting.

Well, I don't have PCOS (I don't think - never been tested, though), but I've had very irregular, long, closely-spaced periods since I was 12, along with bad skin. I always put this down to how I reached puberty extremely early...but the odd thing is, I know I'm not by any means the only Aspie to mature extremely early...so I've wondered about a connection a few times...

One idea someone I knew once came up with involved how the brain controls all this hormone stuff essentially. Typical traits of AS include a high IQ, vocabulary and reading age older than our years, tending to hang out with adults rather than our peers when we're younger, etc... So maybe for some of us, all this kind of tricks our brain into thinking we're older than we are, and the parts of the brain responsible for the onset of puberty kick in early, and this causes problems long-term.

...?

I possibly have it... Have lots of random stabbing pains and all they've been able to do for me is give me ultrasounds, colonoscopies & switch my birthcontrols around... Next step would be surgery for me... But I htink I've found a birthcontrol that works and I also don't drink milk anymore. My pains feel somewhat better.

But they thought I might have PCOS or endo... Women in my family have had a history of crap goin on in this area.

I'm tired of not knowing what it is... and hurting.

I have both.

A while ago I was researching POCS and weight loss, and one of the suggestions was for women with POCS to follow a low carb diet, which not only limits sugar, but also limits wheat. I find it interesting how many parents try a gluten free diet to help their autistic kids.

I know when I have done the atkins diet, the weight melts off of me. To the point where family members become concerned because I am loosing weight too quickly. I also notice a major improvement in my ADHD and to a lesser degree my aspie traits.

I find that to be an interesting correlation.

hi. I have aspergers and have had two very painful ovarian cyst ruptures.

Consistent with Simon Baren Cohen's work, I have reason to think my hormones are out of whack, now and in the fetal environment (digit ratio).

Amazing -- I have also found that sticking to a strict low carb (no bread, grains, pasta), helped me feel much healthier, reduced my acne, ADD symptoms, depression, and gave me more energy.

I have endometriosis and had PCOS. I also have Aspergers.

I had real trouble with my ovarian cysts rupturing and the pain from the endo scarring. I had it operated on, and am on the contraceptive pill to stop ovulation happening. So I don't get the ovulation pain every month like I used to and the painful periods have improved also.

I don't have weight trouble, but I do have problems with low sugar levels a lot. Even in the middle of the night I wake up with low sugar.

This is kind of embarrassing but do any of you other people with PCOS have unusually high sex drives? I used to until I had my ovaries operated on.

My mother have PCOS and I've been wondering lately if I may have it (but I've seen aother girls with the same "symptoms" as I have but they could have it too) but I am too afraid to ask my doctor about it.

(I still have acne though it's not as bad as when I was 11-17, I believe that I am becoming more and more hairy every years which does not seem usual in my family when you have not reach 40 and my body shape is a little masculine, I apparently have tuberous breasts but I have not asked a doctor about it aither and a tendency to have severe water retention for example. But I must also say that my periods are shorter than they used to be, 3-4 days instead of 7 (and the 2 first days are the worse) and that they usually give me bad migraines, stomacaches and back aches but I am fairly regular.)

There is also diabete in my grandfather's family (among other things, he had many "unknown" diseases).

Yet, no autism history.

I have ALL the symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome except for two, I think, but the only one I remember not having is having difficulty concieving. I concieved just fine.

I just searched these two subjects on google it appears that other people have noticed the link also.
I have both, and it appears both are connected to high steroid levels in early gestation, so kind of makes sense
really that both would be linked. Check out tony wrights research on this also. Any other ideas anyone????

I have diagnosed PCOS and Asperger's. I am underweight. (110lbs /5"7') family history of diabetes, high blood pressure and such.