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Gut issues - when did yours start?

Kusan38

Kusan38

My self portrait ^
I hear a lot about people on the spectrum having gastrointestinal issues. Often I hear of cases where they are detected in childhood.

Those of you who have them, when did they develop? Did any of you develop them later, as teens or adults?

I have irritable bowel syndrome (since age 17) and I'm not sure if I am an Aspie. I may try to find out at some point. But I just wanted to ask because the connection between autism spectrum traits and gut issues is of great interest to me.
 
I was about 4 when I noticed I got very ill whenever my family would travel out of state. It was extreme anxiety at having my routine change, not understanding what to expect, etc.

When gut issues like IBS when the cuckoo was about age 17. Anxiety out of control meant extreme cramping, digestive drama, reflexive air-swallowing, etc. Panic attacks in my 20s meant further digestive hoopla.

Eventually I caught on, and I'm no longer on medication...just meditation, t'ai chi, other Zen and mindfulness practices. I have a happy gut now. :)
 
I had a bit of a sensitive stomach in my late childhood and sometimes I'd feel nauseated for no real reason. I think that was probably about the time I started getting periods. They dropped off for a while and now I only have gut issues when I'm anxious or have a reaction to medication.
 
I was always throwing up as a kid and teen. The constant anxiety of being undiagnosed in the 70's and 80's with a total lack of supports was the root of that, I'm sure.

Sometimes, if I'm dealing with stressful kid IEPs, I might get almost vomity. But for the most part, I usually only have perimenopause-related gut issues.

My husband, however, has been dealing with chronic reflux for decades. And my son was a frequent vomiter, too, before he was diagnosed and started getting supports.
 
I had digestive problems at a very young age. I've always been lactose intolerant, couldn't eat my lunches in grade school (the cafeteria was too noisy, smelled gross, and the food had vile textures, too), and got really bad nausea around the time puberty hit. All through my teen years I tried various diets, starved myself for a while, etc. just trying to find something that didn't make me want to throw up or give me the runs all the time! Now that I know what's going on, its better, but I still have problems when I have ANY anxiety (right now I have tons!).
 
I've always had these issues. They got worse once I lost my gall bladder. Gastrointestinal issues are always worse for me in the summer. Thankfully, summer is almost over.
 
I developed diverticulitis at age 42 while going through a very stressful financial difficulty.

I have no doubt this was caused by the years of stress and anxiety I have had. Every day of school for me was pure stress. I remember having this strange feeling near my intestine where the diverticulitis is now during stressful times.
 
Wanderer03 - that's interesting. I wonder what it is about summer that exacerbates your issues.

Jimbo - wow, that's a long history of many "pure stress" days. You have a good memory, to recall specific sensations like that from childhood.
 
Kusan38 said:
Wanderer03 - that's interesting. I wonder what it is about summer that exacerbates your issues.
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I honestly think it's the heat and humidity of summer that tends to make things worse for me. That and I have sleep issues during the summer.
 
It just dawned on me that gut and digestive issues are symptoms of stress. I wonder if us aspies experience more stress in daily life.
 
I startd getting gut issues when a pre teen. When stressed. Still do if I don't manage to bring the stress down. Also I found out I cannot eat certain foods without upsetting my balance, so I simply don't eat them. Oh, exercise helps this (& other things too of course).
 
kestrel said:
I startd getting gut issues when a pre teen. When stressed. Still do if I don't manage to bring the stress down. Also I found out I cannot eat certain foods without upsetting my balance, so I simply don't eat them. Oh, exercise helps this (& other things too of course).
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Exercise never helped me unfortunately. Not even antiacids work. There are just some things I cannot eat anymore.
 
wanderer03 said:
Exercise never helped me unfortunately. Not even antiacids work. There are just some things I cannot eat anymore.
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Exercise increases confidence for me and health and reduces the level of stress generally. But if it goes past a certain point, there is nothing that will help - I'm basically in bed curled up. I cannot eat most legumes, nor ice cream.
 
Mine began in mid high school, with full onset right before senior year. Previously I had gone to private school, and high school was my first public school experience. But whether that had anything at all to do with th GI issues, in terms of stress, I'm not sure.

They mostly disappeared during my first year of college, then from the end of that year onward they stayed on. I've had to restrict my diet ridiculously, and on a trial-and-error basis, because no doctor's solved my problem.
 
I have GERD and a very sensitive gut. When I start feeling bad, I start drinking water and lots of it. This makes me feel much better.
 
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