oftenaloof
Raven
Joined: Aug 22, 2012
Posts: 111
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 Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 12:59 pm Post subject: Aspergers and Hypothyroidism? |
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Could there be a link between the two? I've been doing some reading and finding out that there may be a hormone connection between the two.
What do you think? I have untreated hypothyroidism which I am going to get diagnosed and treated soon. |
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tchek
Snowy Owl
Joined: Jan 25, 2012
Posts: 153
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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I always suspected a hypothyroidism as far as I'm concerned but I recently took blood test and there was nothing wrong; but I learned later that you cannot know the state of your thyroid if don't make a scan so I don't know yet.
There are tons of similarity with Asperger and if you do have hypothyroidism, there might be a chance that the symptoms you attributed to Asperger (scatterbrain, bad concentration, hypotonia, anxiety...) might soften over month if you treat it.
This is my hope, being diagnosed a hypothyroidism so I could at least treat it. |
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Tuttle
Not a bird, a turtle.
Joined: Mar 27, 2006
Age: 24
Posts: 2592
Location: Massachusetts
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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The most common variant of hypothyroidism that occurs in first world countries is called Hashimoto's thyroiditis. It's autoimmune based - your immune system attacks your thyroid causing your low thyroid hormone output.
I have heard things that have said that there is a correlation between autoimmune disorders and autism within families and within the person. (I am hypothyroid myself and my endochronologist says knowing my case and family history its Hashimoto's, though we've not done any testing for it).
How do you know that you are hypothyroid without being diagnosed? |
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tchek
Snowy Owl
Joined: Jan 25, 2012
Posts: 153
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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I must add that I've tons of symptoms that I attributed to my Asperger that could be the result of hypothyroidism: a very caracteristic pale skin, depression, "tired" features, joint pain, hairloss, lack of beard, tiredness, neurastheny, frequent inflammation, absent minded, hard time standing straight...
Asperger has been linked to tons of stuff lately: lack of Taurine, Elhers Danlos syndrome, Cortisol response (stress hormone).
At least Hypothyroidism is treatable. |
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YellowBanana
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 15, 2011
Posts: 923
Location: mostly, in my head.
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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I have recurrent hyperthyroidism as a result of Graves Disease. Overactive rather than underactive.
If there's a link between thyroid issues and autism it is likely to be the autoimmune part that is linked as Tuttle says. Graves, like Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease.
| Tuttle wrote: | | How do you know that you are hypothyroid without being diagnosed? |
Well, it could be a case of self-diagnosis which will lead to diagnosis. I self-diagnosed with hyperthyroidism 10 years ago after going to and from the the doctor with various symptoms for a while. I finally put them all together, came up with overactive thyroid, went back to the doctor and asked for a blood test. The doctor suppressed a laugh and humoured me by doing a blood test to "rule it out". The next day he called me at work and asked me to go in to see him immediately - turns out my thyroid levels were the highest he and the lab had ever seen .... Fortunately I was eventually able to get it under control with medication as I was desperate to avoid RAI or surgery. It was stubborn as hell though - took a long time. Now I'm stable without meds but every now and again it flares up and I have to start taking meds again.
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Female. Dx ASD in 2011 @ Age 38. Also Dx EDD/BPD |
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CuriousKitten
Velociraptor
Joined: Mar 20, 2012
Age: 53
Posts: 487
Location: Deep South USA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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When getting tested for hypothyroid, do not go by the TSH alone! It only measures your pituitary's opinion of what your thyroid hormone levels should be. The only truely useful tests are free T4 and free T3.
_________________
If it don't come easy . . . .
. . . .hack it until it works right 
Aspie score: 142/200 NT score: 64/200
AQ Score: 42
BAP: 109 aloof, 94 rigid and 85 pragmatic
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emimeni
Musical Listener
Joined: Sep 29, 2012
Age: 23
Posts: 1064
Location: In my bed, on my laptop
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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I tend to be weary of anything linking autism to anything other than any psychiatric disorder that is based in fear or anxiety.
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Living with one neurodevelopmental disability which has earned me a few diagnosis'.
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MjrMajorMajor
Phoenix
Joined: Jan 16, 2012
Age: 37
Posts: 3048
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| emimeni wrote: | | I tend to be weary of anything linking autism to anything other than any psychiatric disorder that is based in fear or anxiety. |
Seconded. I have hypothyroidism and autism, but fail to see a link between the two...  |
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Tuttle
Not a bird, a turtle.
Joined: Mar 27, 2006
Age: 24
Posts: 2592
Location: Massachusetts
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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| MjrMajorMajor wrote: | | emimeni wrote: | | I tend to be weary of anything linking autism to anything other than any psychiatric disorder that is based in fear or anxiety. |
Seconded. I have hypothyroidism and autism, but fail to see a link between the two... |
This is because the link is not "autism causes hypothyroidism" or "hypothyroidism causes autism". It is "there is a correlation between hypothyroidism and autism - more people with autism have hypothyrodism themselves or in their family than the general population at a clinically significant rate and this is interesting." |
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emimeni
Musical Listener
Joined: Sep 29, 2012
Age: 23
Posts: 1064
Location: In my bed, on my laptop
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 11:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Tuttle wrote: | | MjrMajorMajor wrote: | | emimeni wrote: | | I tend to be weary of anything linking autism to anything other than any psychiatric disorder that is based in fear or anxiety. |
Seconded. I have hypothyroidism and autism, but fail to see a link between the two... |
This is because the link is not "autism causes hypothyroidism" or "hypothyroidism causes autism". It is "there is a correlation between hypothyroidism and autism - more people with autism have hypothyrodism themselves or in their family than the general population at a clinically significant rate and this is interesting." |
Or, could it be that "hypothyroidism and autism are both common disorders, and therefore, seeing them together wouldn't be unusual."
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Living with one neurodevelopmental disability which has earned me a few diagnosis'.
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Mack27
Deinonychus
Joined: Dec 08, 2010
Age: 41
Posts: 352
Location: near Boston Massachusetts USA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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| I have hyperthyroidism. |
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ghoti
out of water
Joined: May 05, 2012
Age: 45
Posts: 1306
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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| I have hypothyroidism, but so does my NT sister. |
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Sanctus
Phoenix
Joined: Jun 25, 2012
Age: 19
Posts: 829
Location: Southampton
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| Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 2:24 am Post subject: |
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| I have hypothyroidism, not Hashimoto though. It started about 2 years ago. Now I'm on meds, but I still have the symptoms (like being extremely tired) sometimes. |
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tchek
Snowy Owl
Joined: Jan 25, 2012
Posts: 153
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| Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 9:39 am Post subject: |
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This topic interests me.
I'd say that there are links between hypothyroidism and Asperger, as a lot of the symptoms overlap; and at the same time they are not comparable as Asperger is a syndrome, while hypothyroidism is a "root" problem (you can directly treat it).
Anyway, for those of you who are treated for hypothyroidism, to what extent your symptoms, and what symptoms exactly, did it ease? |
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Tuttle
Not a bird, a turtle.
Joined: Mar 27, 2006
Age: 24
Posts: 2592
Location: Massachusetts
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| Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:29 am Post subject: |
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| emimeni wrote: |
Or, could it be that "hypothyroidism and autism are both common disorders, and therefore, seeing them together wouldn't be unusual." |
That does not explain "statistically significant higher percentage than general population".
The occur together in individuals and families /more often/ than is expected with just how common both are. |
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