Ailments

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Do people on the ASD spectrum suffer from unexplained ailments, or is it co morbid? How does one address these issues?

What sort of ailments?

I believe that my body physically functions just like anybody else's. I believe I haven't got any ailments. My older relatives have more ailments than I do.

It's quite common for people on the spectrum to have gastrointestinal problems. As far as I know, the cause of the link hasn't been determined, but there's a suggestion that food senstivities are to blame. I've had issues in that area since I was a teenager, but tests for coeliac, Crohns, etc. were negative. I limit dairy and that helps.

Stomach problems, headaches, aches and pains, sore throat, ear problems etc.

Oooh, it must be wonderful to be NT - never getting any pain at all, never getting ill, never needing to go up the doctors or to the hospital......there's just one little thing though......the doctors are always full of people when I go up there (mostly old people and little kids, and about 3 or 4 teenagers, youngsters and middle-aged waiting up there). The last time I tried getting into the doctors to be referred to counselling, I couldn't have an appointment 'til 9 days time because it was full of appointments. I can't exactly say everyone up there were Aspies......

I have hypothyroidism (likely autoimmune in origin, although I don't think anyone's ever actually tested this to confirm it). I also had a bout of benign intracranial hypertension (increased pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid) a couple of years ago which medical science is not yet entirely sure of the exact causality of, although they think weight may be a factor in triggering it (I did put on some weight when my thyroid packed up so this may have played a part). I have also always suffered from a lot of headaches, which I have never bothered the doctor with. I had a pulmonary embolism at 19 and have had a colycystectomy due to gallstones.

Psychologically speaking I suffer from recurrent depression and anxiety and have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, although I think the latter is a misdiagnosis and even professional opinion is divided on that one in my case.

I feel like a hypochondriac most of the time, although every time I have been to the doctor thay have actually found something reasonably serious wrong with me.

I have actually done a test for coeliac disease as my mum has it and I had heard there was a connection, but it came back negative.

If I ate very well and exercised I would have no problems at all.

I am poor in the gastrointestinal department, but I have lived some times in my life, with a perfect diet and been very well. A perfect diet for me would be very specific by most standards, and require some extra work and cost than present.

Having your own garden, eggs and fresh fish would be an ideal situation.

I respond positively to better foods.

I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis (the autoimmune hypothyroidism thing), migraines, chronic tension headaches, and am currently going through the process of trying to figure out what is causing me to have a problematically dry mouth and on and off other symptoms of dehydration no matter how much I have to drink (and I'm hoping its not Sjögren's Syndrome but knowing that I have the autoimmune issue with my thyorid and my dad also has Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Type 1 diabetes, it seems abnormally likely for someone as young as I am). As a kid I also had minor scoliosis and needed surgery to prevent kidney damage.

Yet, infections in my body are incredibly rare, and were even less common when I was young. My sister would get all the colds, flus, sinus infections, strep, and such, I just have long-term issues with my body and an immune system that kills off infections very well.