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INSIDE PERSPECTIVES of AS & Neurodiversity |
ALLERGIES
Supersensitive people are also often extra sensitive to common allergens, chemicals, stimulants, drugs, medicines and toxins and seem to be at higher risk of inheriting various autoimmune problems.
According to Swedish alternative allergy expert Peter Wilhelmsson, reactions to various foods, additives, chemicals and other environmental substances may manifest in a wider array of symptoms than previously suspected:
· Head/brain: dizziness, vertigo, dazedness, confusion, disorientation, pressure, headache, throbbing, migraine, fainting, temporary memory loss, poor concentration, spacing out, lack of mental clarity, listening or reading without understanding, poor motor control.
· Ears: ear infections, redness, pain, tinnitus, poor hearing, hypersensitivity to sound.
· Eyes: tearing, stinging, itching, clogged with yellow stuff upon awakening, red eyes.
· Vision: blurriness, double vision, dimness, flashes, light-sensitivity, tunnel vision, dyslexia (letters moving).
· Sinuses & nose: sneezing, runny nose, hay-fever, sinusitis, congestion.
· Mouth: bad breath, itching of the palate, white tongue, excessive saliva, metallic taste.
· Speech: blurry speech, stuttering, mutism.
· Throat: tightness, difficulty swallowing, breathing and talking, mucus.
· Thyroid & parathyroid: hormonal disruptions, fatigue, inexplicable weight gain or –loss.
· Lungs: asthma, coughing, wheezing, panting, heavy breath, difficulty breathing, hyperventilation.
· Heart: increased pulse, rapid heartbeat, irregular heartbeat, chest pain.
· Pancreas: digestive problems, blood sugar fluctuations.
· Liver: toxicity, poor fat metabolism.
· Kidneys: oedema.
· Bladder: bladder infections, bedwetting, pain, pressure & urinating difficulties.
· Stomach & digestive area: ulcer, heartburn, gasses, swelling, nausea, cramps, diahorrea, hunger, thirst.
· Small intestine: chronic inflammation, Chrohn's disease.
· Large intestine: ulcerous colitis, colon irritable.
· Genital area: itching, menstrual problems, impotence, low sex-drive, sterility.
· Skin: rashes, redness, paleness, sweating.
· Joints & skeleton: pain, stiffness, swelling, heating, red patches indicating inflammation.
· Muscles: shivering, spasms, cramps, weakness, stiffness, tenderness, muscle inflammation, pain (especially in the neck- trapezius- & back muscles plus in the extremities).
· Immune system: chronic infections, colds.
· General: feeling too hot or too cold for no external reasons.
· Psychological/neurological signs noticed in people with food or chemical allergies:
· Lethargy, introversion, naïveté, poor contact with surroundings, spacing out. · Feeling uncomfortable, tension, anxiety, panic. · Depression, unmotivated crying attacks, suicidal thoughts, self-harming tendencies. · Negativity, irritation, unprovoked anger. · Hyperactivity, restlessness, excessive talkativeness or unmotivated exaltation. · Feeling of unreality, schizophrenia, hallucinations, paranoia, madness. · Alcoholism, drug abuse.
MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY (MCS)
Those who are extra sensitive often need to be extra careful about what to eat, drink, breathe and wear, and avoid as many agricultural/dietary, environmental-, work-, household- & personal hygiene chemicals as possible.
“As far as I can gather, I am allergic to benzene, ammonium chloride, propanol, propalene and bleach for sure. What I am having the most problem with is long acting ‘air-fresheners’ because they seem to coat everything they come into contact with - you have to wash clothes, footwear and backpacks twice to get the fumes out. The thing is that people are really taken with this stuff and I am trying to figure out why. What I hate about the stuff is that it steals my personality and it doesn't come back 100% any more.” - Vaudree, adult HSP with ADHD from Canada
“My problem with fragrances are so severe that it is one of the reasons I can't go grocery shopping. I can't get within 30 feet of the fabric detergents without my entire breathing system becoming compromised. Not quite as bad as my Popcorn allergy but getting there.” - Miriam, adult with SID from USA
migraineMany sensitive people suffer from migraines as well. In some cases it might be an allergy-symptom. Some are helped by supplements like magnesium citrate, B-2 or B-12.
“My Migraines were terrible. Extreme pain to the point of vomiting, and lasting 10-12 hours at a time. Every movement was like my brain shattering against the side/back/front of my head, depending on which direction I move. I can't have any noise or light, and even being touched will make the pain "flare". I literally see stars, and my vision is doubled, making everything blurry. I would lay in bed with a bucket beside me, praying the entire time that I would just fall asleep or that the pain would go away... Anything that meant relief. I would get one at least every two weeks, and for some reason mostly on rainy days. Barometric pressure maybe? After my Doctor recommended the B-12, the migraines cut down to about 1 every two months. Huge difference. - Tracy, adult HSP/SID from USA
ATYPICAL REACTION TO DRUGS
People with autism, AS, ADHD, TS, SID etc. often react unexpectedly or adversely to many drugs.
· Some are hypersensitive to just about everything. For such a person, chances are that medicines will do more harm than good, or that the optimal dose may be a tiny fraction of what is optimal for a less sensitive person.
“Physicians don't always understand that those of us who are hyper-sensitive don't need much in order to get the full effects of a medication. I stay away from aspirin, Tylenol, Advil et al for the most part because only ONE small tablet works as well as 2 sleeping pills for an average person my size. and knocks me out completely (and I mean completely) for at least 8 hours. After that, I'm quite groggy for a good day afterwards." - ‘Raven’, adult Aspie from Canada
I have low to zero tolerance for most drugs, stimulants and medicines. If I do have to take any of those few that don’t make me ill, I takes infinitesimally little to get a very strong effect. I get dazed and giggly on a glass of cider, totally speeded by a small cup of coffee, and sleep like a log on half a painkiller. - Inger, site-author
“Zoloft, Cipramil och some other antidipressive I don’t remember the name of, made me dangerously apathetic... could for instance put on morning coffee and sit down on the couch waiting for it to be done... The night after, when I’ve sat completely apathetic for like 15 hours and stared into space, it occurred to me that the coffee might be ready...
“Tried Strattera, for adhd... After having been through a long list of side effects... parts of my body started to go numb - very unnerving and it said nothing about such things on the insert and no doctor could explain it... Eventually I got apathetic by those too - though not to the same degree as from the antidipressants... But I stopped now that I have a child who needs a mother who is awake and cares.
“This last week I’ve been eating Zyban - more known as quit-smoking-pills... I tried them once to stop smoking and felt fantastically well. Alas, I didn’t stop smoking, but my closest friends said afterwards that they’ve never seen me so nice and with so much energy... They are used as happy-pills and adhd-medication in usa. But what luck comes twice... Yesterday my throat swelled and it got hard to breathe... This morning I checked my tounge in the mirror and notet that it was time for a visit to the doctor - I had big blister-like things sticking out on the sides of my tougne... The doctor had never seen anything like it and gave me antihistamines... so now it’s going down... Don’t think my body likes medicines... - ‘Panika’, female probable Aspie from Sweden
· Some individuals may have higher-than-average tolerance for drugs & stimulants and tend to get calmed down by things that would speed a typical person up, and vice versa (this is more common in the hyperactive type). Or to not get much of an effect at all, even at high doses.
“I fall asleep if I drink Redbull. Not one but after a few I get tired and fall asleep. Same if I drink 4-5 cups of coffee.” - ‘Paula’, adult with ADHD/TS from Sweden
“Antidepressive: All have very little or no effect. None worked antidepressively even at high doses, only side effects like hypomania and psychosis-like states. Risperdone, a neuroleptic: No effect. Concerta, a stimulant for ADHD/DAMP only made probems worse, no improved concentration ability, only side effects and depression. Sedatives and sleep medication: Large doses are needed for effect. Regular people may take a benzodiasepine to relieve anxiety, I need 10. If I have deep anxiety nothing works, I’d need general anastesia. Pain relievers have poor effect, local anastesia at the dentist’s doesn’t work well, often they have to give me several extra shots. Not even morphine has much of an effect at low doses.
“Can mention some illegal drugs I’ve taken too: Amphetamine: Only anxiety, no buzz even at a high dose. Haschish: Nothing, only cough. - ‘Sugrövmanövern’, female Aspie from Sweden
· Some are hypo-sensitive to some drugs and hyper-sensitive to others.
“1) Strong reactions I get on SSRI/SNRI where small dosage adjustments has big effects on how I manage daily living and mood. What substance is in it also has huge significance. Exefor is what works best for me.
“2) Weak reactions I have in everything to do with sedatives and pain relief. All local anasthesia usually stops working after 15-20 minutes, much to my dentist’s dismay... usually need horse doses of the strongest sedatives to get an effect at all. (Example: I need AT LEAST 30mg diazepam to notice any difference in what I consider ’mild worry’ - most people would probably sleep rather soundly on such a megadose.)” - ‘weasley’, female adult Aspie from Sweden
I would therefore like to suggest that an evaluation be made to determine the sensitivity level of each individual before any medical prescription is given. If you have had unusual reactions to drugs before, make sure to inform your doctor.
links
Allergy Wikipedia
MCS Wikipedia
Chemicals and Effects Upon Health
Guidelines for non-toxic living
Migraine Wikipedia |
