Published on 12, July, 2020
So I've been thinking a lot recently, since my diagnosis about my health issues.
Over the years I way convinced that I might just have a health issue that were causing my autistic symptoms and there would be something I could order from Amazon and take once a day to sort it. I guess some of that was denial. Now properly diagnosed I know it's not the case, however things like hypersensitivity play into my allergies for example.
Since diagnosis I have still wondered if there's a link at all, maybe not a cure but if autism is a physical different brain structure maybe other physical traits go with ir. The main ones for me are asthma and allergies (both come and go in intensity) unsettled digestion (appendix recently removed made no difference) recently what I think is rosacea (need to go to doctors, it's been a year now of procrastination) .
Blood tests only ever showed up a borderline (low) result for vitamin D, but I think supplements since have triggered rosacea (vit D and niacin in same multivitamin which I now stopped)
Currently I take most days - vitamin c and zinc /ACE selenium (I alternate). I find I feel far more focused if i take creatine (figured out from using it when weight training ) coffee or a caffeine drink/tablet helps me be focussed and less "stressy" , black tea I love but avoid now as it makes me scatty and anxious and paranoid, I think that's the ltheanine.
Anyway I won't go on too much, just thought it might spark some interesting debate! Anyone got any similar experiences or thoughts?
Autisician said:The main ones for me are asthma and allergies (both come and go in intensity) unsettled digestion (appendix recently removed made no difference) recently what I think is rosacea (need to go to doctors, it's been a year now of procrastination) .
These are all likely linked to your bodies autoimmune responses and the only way to get these under control involved having a very additive free diet for a sustained period of time (that includes caffeine) and lowering your stress levels.
My wife went through a similar process on several occasions over a few decades (life changes and low stress situations cannot always be avoided - especially work) and the above was how she was able to remove the inputs which were causing the worst symptoms and then changing the stressers which were making her autoimmune system ultra sensitive.
Exercise is a great way of working on stress levels but be very careful with the "suppliments" you use as quite a few of these are not what they claim to be - forgeries are rife (a lot of big brand stuff is being forged and imported at low prices so only buy from the manufacturer).
Working with a qualified nutritionist is probably your best option as they can craft a diet that works with your preferences and can adapt to your needs. It takes weeks to months for this to be effective so be patient.
Vitamin D is a good one to increase but I recommend getting just it on its own, not in a multivitamin. Your nutritionist will be able to point to the best combo for your needs.
Good luck - my wife is in fine health thanks to this at the moment and is in better shape now than 25 years ago.
Thanks Iain,
Only thing I worried about over vitamin D was the link to rosacea, it seemed to flare up a lot while I was taking D daily, I stopped a week or so ago and it seems to have eased. Could be coincidence but it seems to be mentioned often as being a trigger.
I tend to find most things that help cause me other issues, for example I was prescribed some antihistamines that fixed me allergy and asthma wise, but within weeks was severely depressed and suicidal. They've since been linked to the same (at the time the doctor pretty much said I was lying)
I think there's something in the idea of a inflammatory diet, but typically I like most things that cause it.
I guess I need, like you say, to go and get a few tests and advice from a nutritionist.
Can't help but feel that most of my issues are somehow linked...
Autisician said:I was prescribed some antihistamines that fixed me allergy and asthma wise
It is worth noting that antihistamines only suppress the bodies response to whatever is the root cause, and once you stop taking them it will come back unless you can remove the root cause.
There is some interesting research on the link with histamines and depression but not much concrete proof that you could show the doctor I suspect:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/228353/histamine-could-player-depression-according-study/
The biggest complicating factor is that once the body gets into this sort of state where it treats so many things as potential threats and responds to them, you will get lots of false positives with any allergy tests.
The key seems to be removing everything that could be causing the responses for long enough for the immune system to get out of this hyper alert phase then do the tests and find the real allergens.
It is a boring road ahead but the results are worth it.
Good luck
Yeah that happens a lot, I'll think I found a trigger but it's just that I've been set off sneezing at anything strong smelling after the first thing. Hard to nail down but I have found it's eased a bit as I got older.
I often feel a calm I can't quite describe, physically and mentally if I take certain antihistamines and antiinflammatory drugs, I most often feel like I've got that sensation you have during anxiety attacks, but without the panic.
The antihistamines were "type3" , montelukast, handed out like sweets at the time for anyone with asthma and allergies and they worked well. after some time I looked them up and found they'd been highlighted as a risk for suicide (and linked to a number of them) some time later still the UK government issues this warning to doctors https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/montelukast-singulair-reminder-of-the-risk-of-neuropsychiatric-reactions