What's The Word On Being Dxed With Both Cyclothymia And AS?

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Hey, check out this list of symptoms associated commonly with cyclothymia (a milder version of bipolar disorder) and see if you don't see some similarities:

http://www.cyclothymiacollective.com/20 ... horia.html

Can you be dxed with both? I got dxed with Cyclothymia, some 3 or 4 years ago (compared with being dxed with AS some 5 or 6 months ago) first. Can you have both? Folks with AS get manic, I'm pretty sure--or hypomanic--whatever. Just look at us in full obsession mode.

This has been discussed quite a bit here. I think I have it too. Luckily, you can (usually) treat it without the mood stabilizers.

Well, I mean, I've been dxed with it and all. But that was pre-AS. So now I wonder if the agitation felt in those with Cyclothymia is related to that or sensory issues with AS? I'm positive I have AS (other than being dxed with it), because I have the social issues and all . . .

From various things I've read (research into causes of autism) I believe that hormones and hormonal cycles have some, or a lot of influence on autism and mood disorders. My mood issues kicked in full force when I was pregnant at age 30. Before that, not much .
For me, though, it's too much of a stretch to relate sensory issues with mood swings. I do think coping mechanisms can be affected by them. Sensory integration requires learned coping mechanisms (blocking out noise, remembering to eat right, backing out of an uncomfortable situation etc). I think that if you're dealing with the irritability aspect or depressed aspect of cyclothymia, you may completely be unable to utilize any skill you have for coping with the sensory. For example, my son has a very predictable pattern of behavior and expectations that I can deal with most of the time. But during a depressive state, I'm afraid of him and can't stand being around him, I want to flee. During an irritable state, I'm angry and get really ugly thoughts and wonder why he's such a rotten kid. When it's happening, I "blame" the noise, the flashing tv, the pacing around the house. But those are things that are normal and that I can deal with on my good days. I might try unsuccessful coping mechanisms, like napping or leaving the house. These don't help but I do them because they are like a default-like drugs.

While I do think they can have similar origins, I think they are distinct disorders. The mood swings seem to follow a biological pattern or calendar. The sensory issues with AS are always external.

It has been one Heck of a ride topic

I was subject to this mood disorder from the onset of my first period until menopause. It was horrible. Now it is only about half as intense and I am very grateful. Too much emotion and moodiness over the eyars. I am glad it is effectively over.

I've been keeping a mood journal for about 4 years now. Before I got on my latest meds, I would literally go from a 2 to a 9 (on a ten point scale, 10 being manic and 1 being "actively trying to commit suicide) in one day . . . hell, sometimes it would be in once in 2 hours. But now with the additional dx of AS, I can more easily watch for sensory annoyances and not let those things build up to extremes; which definitely doesn't help.