We get to have Gastrointestinal problems too?

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I recently found out people on the autistic spectrum are three times more likely to have Gastrointestinal problems.




Dang it I'm high functioning why do I get to end up with the butt problems???

Yeah we get to be bullied at school and work, and have trouble socialising and at job interviews too! its great!

I have to eat yoghurt with live bacteria to help with that
and drink diluted apple cider vinegar to stop any heartburn or slow digestion

Last edited by slenkar on 22 Mar 2015, 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Autism = High Anxiety = Stomach Distress and Irritable Bowel.

Keep calm and take high doses of Chamomile.

Reminds me of middle school when I'd call home sick because of diarrhea. I'd call in sick because I hated middle school, but didn't mean those problems weren't there, because they were. I used to have issues with flatulences.

Not so much anymore. Cleaning up my diet helped big time.

I got diarrhea when I had ban panic attacks but I quit having those after I started taking Buspar. I also had GERD(Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) sense I was little that's managed mostly by taking Pepcid before I eat meals.

For years I had problems with my nose and throat that I thought were maybe caused by asthma or allergies, or my sensitive gag reflex, but it turns out they're most likely caused by acid reflux. It's gotten worse over the last few years, as I often have trouble swallowing and keeping food down, and I throw up a little bit almost every day, so I've been taking meds to reduce the amount of stomach acid I produce. They help somewhat, but the ones I've been prescribed by my doctors (first omeprazole, then lansoprazole) cause me to have chest pain whenever I take them on a regular basis, so I only take them whenever my stomach starts acting up. I've been using ranitidine fairly regularly too, which is available over the counter and doesn't give me chest pains, but as it's OTC, it's not covered by my prescription plan.

Had problems at various times during my youth; two that put me in the hospital for a few days each....without a good diagnosis. Then At the age of 52 developed a full blown condition of ulcerative colitis. You're supposed to get this "young person's disease" in your 20's???

The details of acute ulcerative colitis are gruesome, you bleed a lot and have no "control." Ha ha ha...see, I can laugh about it now.

Doctors were ready on several occasions to remove my large intestine but I wouldn't let them. Instead I employed a rigorous dietary program detailed in a book called "Breaking the Viscous Cycle" by Elaine Gottschall; ISBN 0-9692768-1-8.

This diet, in conjunction with a self applied tapering Prednisone regimen and with the final (and frowned on by many, but approved by many) additional application of Marijuana usage, gained me remission. It should be noted Prednisone leaches calcium from your bones and I used medication for several years before bone scans were back near normal.

I no longer use these medications, including marijuana, and have been in remission for about 12-13 years now. I don't necessarily recommend all of the above for everyone but the nasty nature of the affliction and the prospect of the "plastic bag" for the rest of my life (advances in surgery have been made since) guided my decision. I believe I made the right choice.

I sincerely hope no others are forced to go through the hell I did.

I've had minor gastrointestinal problems all my life.

During my "classic autism" days, I used to vomit all the time. One of my first memories is the smell of vomit, accompanied by the pain of getting smacked.

You were hit for vomiting? That's terrible!

Also, severe anxiety can cause vomiting, so if you were being hit for vomiting, it could have caused a vicious cycle making you more likely to vomit.

I'm almost positive that I was hit for vomiting. I'm not really 100% sure, though.

But it did seem to me that my mother was seeking a Pavlovian-type aversive response, so that she wouldn't have to clean up the mess.

How many of you are gonna bet that Goldfish21 gonna have a hay-day with this topic.

I have had gastrointestinal problems since I was around 12-13. I probably have IBS. Last year it was getting worse so I decided to try to cut out some foods. What works really well for me is avoiding wheat and lactose. I have tested and I have no allergy for lactose or gluten. I try to avoid food high in FODMAP (Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides And Polyols). I also avoid mushrooms and popcorn since when I eat it I wake up in the night with horrible pains.
Also for me it's important to eat regularly. Another good thing is starting the morning by drinking 2 spoons of flaxseed in water (let it soak for around 30 minutes). It is disgusting but helps. Chamomile tea and peppermint tea is also calming and works wonders. A diet with probiotic is also good.
I hate gastrointestinal problems, so I hope my advice can help someone.

Have lots of GI issues too - my whole mother's side of the family does. Many of them have colitis - my aspie cousin has Crohn's.

I'm diagnosed gluten (wheat) intolerant, diagnosed casein (milk) intolerant. Lot's of other foods that cause me grief. And like most of my mother's side of the family I tend to be a bit hypoglycemic. Had to have my gallbladder out a few years ago too.

So I have no choice but to eat very healthy and graze slowly throughout the day. My cholesterol is great though.

I have IBS. It was very bad before I started to take Metamucil/psyllium husk some years ago. My days revolved around my IBS. Psyllium husk dramatically improved my gut function. I still do have rather mild IBS.

I believe that having autism causes a lot of stress and gastrointestinal problems often are related to stress. It's not surprising that autistic people are a lot more likely to have gastrointestinal problems.

For those of you posting with dietary incompatibilities and allergies I'd again like to point out this book:

"Breaking the Viscous Cycle" by Elaine Gottschall; ISBN 0-9692768-1-8.

The "sub" title (which I forgot to mention in my earlier post) is: Intestinal Health Through Diet....especially the section called: "Beyond Gluten"

Not only does this discuss the health and medical reasons for problems it also offers healthy and tasty alternate dietary suggestions you can accomplish at home. It works.

Good luck everyone.

Oddly, I haven't vomited since I was 9 years old, and got choked laughing while eating chocolate cake. I can have all sorts of stomach distress, but I never puke, even when I wish I could.

I once ate an entire butterscotch pudding pie one night before bedtime and came down with the flu during the night and painted my bedroom walls with pudding. To this day, butterscotch smells of vomit.