julia24

I know you wrote this waaayyyy back in July, but I just wanted to say I appreciate your explanation of things. I have a very mild case of OCD, my primary issue is Tourette's. The OCD only comes into play when I have something new in my life that I'm afraid of losing. My first pet was big & I had constant fears/thoughts of fire burning down the house. My first child was also big & I had constant fears/thoughts of forgetting her in the car. But my husband has a much more severe case of OCD & I found it so helpful to read what you'd written about your case, as it's just as he's described his. His invasive thoughts are extremely hard for him to cope with sometimes, but he never shares details with me -- probably for the best since as you said, they can revolve around the OCD-sufferer hurting someone they love. He's probably smart not to freak me out with them. I think one of the most interesting parts of your analysis was the fact that the anxiety may come *first*, with the intrusive thoughts following *next* as a way to put definition to the anxiety. I'm on here today at his request looking up natural supplementation for OCD since a change in diet & added supplements have allowed me to go med-free finally for my Tourette's (thanks to the TS forum here :-). It makes sense that he could be having a much harder time with his OCD recently since he has been extremely stressed lately by supporting us on a job he hates & dreads. I want to consider this anxiety/serotonin receptor link heavily while I look into supplementation. Thanks for your astute description!

Tics have been subsided lately (even though I hate to say that....feel like it's asking for trouble), but I have had MAJOR brain fog for about 2 months. Sometimes to the point of not feeling like I should drive. Also way increased chemical sensitivities, so say I'm in a room next to a room cleaned with bleach, tics will increase until I leave the area. My first thought was candida since I've struggled with it my whole life. Our summer has been hot & humid for the past 2 months, perfect for yeast growth, plus I've overindulged in watermelon & ice cream. I did some quick research on the candida diet so I could figure out what symptoms to expect with die-off. One thing that caught my eye was that if you have heavy metals, the yeast overgrowth could be your body's way of protecting itself from the metals. So the symptoms you would chalk up to "die-off" might actually be the heavy metals that have now become exposed when you've killed off the yeast. Anyone else heard of this? Of course, symptoms have been getting worse since I started trying to kill the yeast. After a m/c last October, I had a blood test for mercury ordered by OB & paid for by insurance. It was negative. Should I trust a blood test? Would another type of test be more accurate? It looks like I can order a urine or hair test from labdirect, but I'm not sure which type of test is best. Also, money is a huge issue, so I'm kicking around adding in chlorella & doing some epsom salt baths just to see what happens. Maybe that's a bad idea? I'm also looking for sites that list the low-tech tests you can do, similar to the spit test for candida. And, as always, I could be pregnant at any time, so even low-tech oral chelation (such as with chlorella & epsom salts) would bring about its own concerns with possible pregnancy. So, I'm stuck now. I'm always tempted to leave low tics alone, but this brain fog is KILLING me. Any advice on testing appreciated. -Julie

Thanks for the quick ideas. I want to expand a little on a couple: Chemar, this feels very hormonal but I am not pg. What else might be causing hormonal stuff? Any ideas? Cycles are normal, but PMS mood changes have been greatly increased since my miscarriage back in October. Caryn, thx for the lead! I don't have time to click on the link this a.m. -- must run out in 5 minutes -- but I may have questions later! Re: seasonal allergies, I wonder if the upswing most of us usually feel in the Spring was delayed this year due to weird freezing patterns here in the Midwest. In that case, maybe mood & tic increase are unrelated. I remember someone saying once on here (I love that vagueness....sorry) that nose tics are often caused by **xyz**. I don't remember what that cause was. Anyone else remember what it was? -Julie

I'm wondering if there's any ideas you all might have ideas on what could cause a sudden upswing in tics along with the development of a completely new one -- exhaling through the nose -- after years of no new tics. (There's been one new one besides this in the past 20 years that developed while I was pg the first time & has since disappeared.) Concurrently, I've had a major mood change best described as depression, weepiness, anxiety, paranoia & insecurity as well as more rage outbursts. While I'm always prone to worrying more than most people, this mood is much darker & more helpless feeling. So, assuming for the sake of argument that it all had the same root cause, what would be your top few guesses?

Thanks, Carolyn! You gave me such a quick response--sorry I'm coming back late. We're on dialup for awhile & it really cuts down on the computer time. Is there a quality-driven reason you prefer Doctor's Data over Genova? -Julie

I know there are some tests you can get done w/o a script. Is a stool culture one of them? Are there any other alternatives for testing for the possibility of parasites & other "bad" bacteria in the gut? TIA - Julie

Chemar, I know this is probably a dumb question, but how do you access the article from that link instead of just the abstract? I run into this issue on PubMed all the time & I end up just clicking away to find info somewhere else. I think it's time I figured it out. Thanks! -Julie

Thanks, Chemar! I've tried hot lemon water before. It's OK in a pinch, but it doesn't do anything for me long term. Same with fruity herbal teas. I think I need something with some bitterness to it (rather than just sour). I am *definitely* going to try the Chamomile. I've always been afraid to try in case it would increase symptoms. If it actually had a beneficial effect, I could probably switch to that long-term. Thanks so much for your ideas. : )

In times like this past month, when symptoms have been kicked up due to ???, I simply can't tolerate any of the foods that I can commonly consume in small amounts. Coffee & chocolate are big ones for me. I've had to lay off the chocolate, which is hard, but easier than coffee. I need a hot drink to substitute for the coffee that won't increase tics. I know no one can tell me how my body will react to anything--I'm just brainstorming for ideas from others who might also have TS, since it's a good starting point for trying out new drinks. Here's what I can't tolerate at all right now: caffeinated coffee of any kind, hot chocolate, regular decaf coffee, green or black tea (with or w/o caffeine), or any kind of mint tea Here's what I can tolerate in small doses: Newman's Own swiss water processed decaffeinated coffee Calories are an issue + I don't like large amounts of milk so milk-based drinks are out. Any ideas or drinks you or your children like to consume? TIA -Julie

In short, I don't know the correlation between allergies & TS in general. However, I always have two bad months a year, early Spring & mid-Fall & they seem to correlate with allergy season. I don't have any tree/grass allergies that I am aware of. I wonder how much of it is allergy-related vs. an increase in molds & poorer air quality in general. My month of March has been absolutely horrible--morning 'til night--with the worst of it in the past two weeks. I finally am starting to feel a tiny bit of relief in symptoms. It has seemed to me that it takes my body awhile to get used to weather changes & then I'm OK until the next one. But, like I said, it's all just my experience & conjecture. I hope your son gets relief soon! I'm loving the warm weather but I'm darn sick & tired of the increased symtpoms. -Julie

I'm not gluten free, so for me it would be straight trial & error, but the first two I would try would probably be buckwheat flour & sprouted wheat flour (I'm only slightly familiar with the GF diet--I think sprouted wheat is GF--forgive me if that's not true). I'm watching to see if somebody has a better answer! I enjoy picking up more facts about GF diet, even though I don't have to follow it myself. -Julie

Carolyn, I make a really easy gravy. I just take drippings from any meat I roast & freeze it into an ice cube tray, then dump the cubes in a bag. When I want gravy, I defrost a few cubes of drippings & mix in a couple Tbls. of flour & salt to taste. I boil it on the stovetop & after it boils, it thickens. If it's not thick enough, you can just whisk in more flour. You can also add any spices you like. My husband tells me I'm not making it the "right" way, but whatever. It tastes good & it's easy & I always have the ingredients on hand. I'm not sure what flour you use, since you said gluten-free, but any flour would probably work. You can do the same thing using broth if you don't have any drippings, just add a little more flour. -Julie

OK, I've been thinking about this for awhile, and since I have a cavity filling coming up, in a tooth that already has a mercury filling, I want to pursue it. I have a few questions I was hoping to get answers on. * What type of dentist should I look for? * Do I have to do them all at the same time? * Do the dentists that remove mercury fillings properly usually take insurance? * How long would I have to wait before getting pregnant again if I do this now? * If I can't get them removed at this time, are there any precautions I can take while my current dentist is working on the cavity in my mercury-filled tooth? (BTW, my current dentist is very talented with the fillings & pain elimination & "chairside" manner, but he totally thinks there is zero validity to mercury fillings causing any problems. Though, he has agreed and marked on my chart that I am to receive white fillings only.) * After dental work that involves mercury fillings, is there something I should take to help the mercury work its way out of my system? Thanks & sorry for so many questions all at once. : ) -Julie

Thanks, Chemar! That's perfect info! -Julie

Yes...someone else on this board has a child who reacts to a B Vitamin (or vitamins) as well. Is it Chemar maybe? My grandmother, who raised me, was told by the doctors that B Vitamins supplemented the nervous system & that I should take a B-Vite complex each day. They also told her starting the day with protein with a complex carb helped tics. So she sent me off to school each day with a lovely cocktail of my two biggest triggers: a B-Vitamin supplement and turkey lunchmeat (nitrites and all) on a piece of caramel-colored "wheat" bread. The poor woman, she was really trying, but you can imagine what my school day was like. How would you know if you were a high histamine type? I've never had seasonal allergies, and I have never had true food allergies. I have food & chemical sensitivities, but they only manifest themselves as tics--not as your typical "allergic" responses--runny nose, watery eyes, hives, nothing like that. -Julie

Could someone briefly tell me the process here with dopamine & serotonin as it relates to TS? I remember when you raise the levels of one of them, TS symptoms increase. I can never remember which is which, though. Nor I do I know if it's more complicated than that (i.e...other factors to consider besides just dopamine & serotonin). I am starting to dabble in herbal remedies for different things--congestion due to cold, headaches, memory function, etc. I have a large reference book called Prescription for Herbal Healing, and I have noticed that on some of the herbs, it states that they affect serotonin levels. It is interesting, because if they affect serotonin in the right way, maybe it would actually help tic symptoms. But if they affect it in the wrong way, it could make TS worse, so I'd want to avoid. Thx, -Julie

Thanks for the info, orthomolecular. I couldn't access the PP presentation, since I don't have Microsoft Office (I'm on a Mac & haven't come across it yet for a decent price). But the other link had info I had never read before. I stayed up late trying to make as much sense of it as I could. I have a definite tic reaction to B6. I have not isolated B12 & Folic Acid to try them separately. I have been taking 2 TBLS. blackstrap molasses to build iron up in my blood after blood-loss induced anemia, and it contains B12. I have had no noticeable reaction. Now I'm wondering if I couldn't isolate the B12 & Folate with no problems. There was so much new info, I had to bookmark to come back again later. I couldn't absorb it all on the first read.

I eat organic only off the top 12 most contaminated list, & hardly ever buy organic from the least 12 contaminated list. This blog link explains better & also links to a downloadable pocket guide: http://moneyandvalues.blogspot.com/2006/10...r-and-save.html It's so much about $$ for us, so if the organic is same price or close, I'll go organic. I rarely buy organic frozen veggies, though. Also, if a fruit has edible skin, I'll usually do organic. Now, to the question of whether it has helped? I can't really say. But I'm doing it less for my TS & more for long-term health and to avoid cancer. I did so many things at the same time, it's hard to know exactly what made a noticeable difference.

I'm looking for input from anyone who is sensitive to MSG (i.e...all of us or our kids here LOL!). Do you (or your children) react to natural glutamates, too? Or just the chemical ones, under all their different names? Is a natural glutamate reaction the same thing as reacting to salicylates? -Julie

I had heard so much about kefir lately, I decided to try it when I saw it at Trader Joe's. I noticed after drinking most of the bottle, though, that it had a streptococcus strain listed as one of the "friendly" bacteria. Is this something that I shouldn't ingest with my TS? Honestly, I never presented as a classic PANDAS case, so I haven't done much research on that aspect at all. So, this might be a really dumb question, but I have come to associate "strep" with "stay-away-from-it" in my mind. -Julie

OK, and here's one more thought. I have heard that chlorine (which is my major concern right now) will evaporate if you leave water to sit out. Is this true? We can't afford an expensive water system, so we have the Brita filter for our water. I've been thinking of basically settting up a homemade water system, where I let a large containter of water sit out for a day to evaporate the chlorine, and then running it through the Brita filter. You think it would work? And do Brita filters remove parasites? Maybe I should add boiling to my homemade water system.

Sure, it could be. But don't stress about it. In my experience, the most interesting people you'll ever meet have some form of OCD. Of course, it could just be that I tend to be drawn to people who are similar to me. I have had TS since 9 y.o. & OCD for as long as I can remember. Although, I have never had a severe OCD problem. I have very few "compulsive" behaviors, and occasionally I am struck with obsessive thoughts that, while annoying, are certainly not debilitating. My husband had much more severe OCD as a child, with the typical hand-washing, light switching, very obsessive thinking, but it was not debilitating for him, either. I used to check things--like the stove, the doors, etc.--safety things--every night before bed or each time I left the house. I just quit one day. Same with my husband, he could just quit his compulsive behaviors one day. My husband has much more disturbing obsessive thoughts, but he recognizes them as "OCD" thoughts & so he doesn't put much stock into them. My daughter (3 y.o.) shows many signs of OCD. But, personally, I'm just not that worried about it. From my experience (and I stress *my* experience), OCD has been much less debilitating than moderate TS. And easier to overcome without meds. So, while I would do a little research in case it develops into something debilitating, and so you know how you want to handle it as a parent, I wouldn't focus on it too much. There are so many people in our society that have mild OCD. It might turn out to be no real problem at all. FWIW, the same diet helps me with TS & OCD. -Julie

Thank you, Patty. I am doing OK--building my strength back up from blood-loss induced anemia. I am so thankful it was not my 1st. My daughter is very healing right now (as she always is). -Julie

I wanted to add a different perspective on this stress question. For me, my tics have always been much worse when I'm doing typical American "relaxing" activities, such as watching TV, reading, sitting & doing nothing. My grandmother pinpointed the connection when I was very young. When I am concentrating hard on something, I don't tic. Similary, when I used to be in the drama club and had plays onstage during high school, I naturally did not tic. Not once. When I am working hard at an activity that occupies most of my mental energy, I don't tic. I used to read a lot when I was younger, and I never ticced when reading, because I had the ability to drown out everything else that was going on & pour myself into the book. Now, though, I have a 3-year-old & I am always reading with "half an ear," so to speak. Now, reading increases tics. I just wanted to throw that out there as another possible cause. Stress does cause more ticcing for me, but the stress has to be extreme--not just daily little struggles. More like trauma (at least for me). But my ticcing is like clockwork every time I try to do a "relaxing" activity. And, FWIW, Chemar hit the nail on the head with the "internal biological stress" that we never see. I kept wondering why I had this sudden noticeable increase in tics about 10 weeks into my pregnancy. A couple weeks later, I found out that the baby had died at that same time. Immediately after the miscarriage happened (and I mean within hours), my ticcing had improved. I can't help but think that I was reacting to an internal biological stress. Oh, and some illnesses increase tics for me, while some don't. -Julie

I like soy milk as a milk alternative, but it's one of the more processed foods out there, and I really try to stick to a whole foods as-close-to-the-source diet as possible. I have read that goat's milk is much easier for most humans to digest than cow's milk. I believe I read that in The Maker's Diet book, which did seem to have sound whole foods advice. I have been considering trying it in our family, too. The idea of cow's milk curdling in our stomachs just doesn't appeal to us, though I am not tic-sensitive to small amounts of it. If you try it, please post your results with it! And let me know how it tastes...If I find it somewhere & try it, I will post my results, too. -Julie