Chemar

so sorry to hear all this ((((Dedee)))) perhaps just giving the Natural Calm ionic magnesium each evening may help with both sleep and anxiety? (the one without calcium) the lowest price I have found on it is at iHerb. They charge for the large tub what my health store locally charges for half the size!! http://www.iherb.com/ProductsList.aspx?c=1&cid=885

Greyhound are your parents not willing to help you with the supplements? also, doesnt the NHS there cover basic vitamins and minerals? even if you just continue on magnesium and a good multi that should help did you check the iHerb cost of shipping to UK and would that be more cost effective maybe? Dont give up! maybe just keep taking small affordable steps

interesting study in my Journal watch newsletter today seems the melatonin is a good pulsar treatment to "set" the sleep cycle another reason to maybe not use it continuously also interesting how the combination of bright light by day and melatonin by night helped set the circadian rythms and also how the light therapy helped aggression, depression etc http://psychiatry.jwatch.org/cgi/content/f...?q=etoc_jwpsych

I thought it might be helpful if we keep a running thread where we can try to compile a database, all in one thread, of the many things we discuss that have helped reduce tics, OCD & other associated issues that we represent here. Having each member "summarize" their child's diagnosis and /or symptoms and then document what has helped, would really be so beneficial for all of us as reference, and especially for newcomers to be encouraged by It would be appreciated if we not use this thread for discussion but *ONLY TO DOCUMENT* our stories thanks! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- here is our story: ( I have the details at this link(long thread!) Short version: My son has had "issues" since birth (conception if genetics considered, as he has inherited Tourette Syndrome spectrum of disorders) and is dx with ADD (no H) Central Auditory Processing Disorder, Sensory integration Dysfunction, Tourette Syndrome, OCD, anxiety ( and more recently Crohn's) Meds have all had horrid side effects, and it wasnt till we drastically changed his diet & added needed supplements that we saw relief! Important factors: ----nothing chemical or artificial eg no sugar substitutes like aspartame/nutrasweet and sucralose/splenda, absolutely no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial food colorings-dyes no artificial chemical additives ....if it has a long list of ingredients it is usually a big NoNo,! no MSG which is so prevalent and goes by hidden names no preservatives including ubiquitous sodium benzoate, NOTHING chlorinated and no white flour, white sugar etc (my son is very reactive to chlorine & derivatives) etc My son doesnt appear to have any natural food Allergies ie no gluten or dairy intolerance but is highly reactive to chemicals in foods and environment, and has dustmite and some other environmental allergies. He has a diagnosis of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) We found out via alternative physicians testing and personal research what nutrients my son was deficient in Bonnie Grimaldi's pioneering research and sharing of what she had used successfully was a blessing and helped formulate a supplement program for my son! Her Bontech supps werent around then but she had a website with her program which I and his physicians used to formulate his regimin (Sadly BonTech now discontinued) Magnesium and taurine along with good multi vitamin/mineral supplemts(s) seemed to have greatest benefit for his tics-- tho I firmly believe they need to be in combination with other vital nutrients (eg omega 3) to work optimally, and that it was his combinations of supplements that helped his tics reduce in frequency, duration and intensity, as well as helped in not having the OCD such a controlling factor in his life. Heavy Metal testing required chlorella to help chelate mercury out of his system and also then had cilantro and ALA to mop up any remaining mercury (note ALA should never be used first as it can carry mercury into the brain from what I understand) Initial treatment for the Candida albicans ("yeast") infection to his GIT was a very careful diet for a couple of months with capprylate (caprillic acid) as the yeast buster, and organic Kefir and natural yoghurt to restore good flora. We later found Candida Support by NOW and find it excellent whenever yeast regrowth is suspected We did have strep antibody bloodwork done at Shands (Dr Murphy) bu he was considered not to be PANDAS, tho PITANDS is very likely IMHO as he has had microbial exposures according to radiogenics/transdermal testing we had done, and he has used anti-microbial supplements like monolaurin, olive leaf extract and oregano oil, amongst others He finds acupuncture the most helpful therapy (we have a therapist who does it in combination with biofeedback therapy and other holistic electronic therapies,plus reflexology, chinese cupping, aromatherapy, herbal teas etc!--all in one hourlong session @ $85!!! ) He also has monthly chiropractic adjustments to help what tics tend to put out of alignment He had some Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the OCD and Tourettic OCD (when Tics and OCD morph into each other) Occupational Therapy was also very helpful for the sensory integration problems (he has always been very sensitive to light, certain sounds, smells, some tastes and oh so hypersensitive tactily) Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) tub soaks are very helpful to his tics and general relaxation His Crohn's is also being wonderfully controlled with careful diet and GIT healing plus substances plus anti-inflammatory supplements, which seemed to also benefit the tics Also--Minimizing stress and keeping things as stable and relaxed as is possible has made an enormous impact on his overall health. OK I think I covered all ours tho I will likely remember more and need to edit in It would be so helpful if other members would share their effective testing and treatments here too please thanks

Hi MaryAnn.....grapeFRUIT seed extract is very different from GRAPEseed extract Bonnie has the latter (grapeseed extract) in her supps and that is the one that is generally recommended as an antioxidant and good for immune system I have seen warning about grapeFRUIT extracts in the past...I forget what they related to but do remember one on warnings re interactions with meds

hi there is another thread here on this subject where you may find helpful input from others http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=758 You may also want to post at PcychCentral's forums. They also have live chat with psychologists that can help http://forums.psychcentral.com/ the main site also has a lot of helpful info http://psychcentral.com/ I hope you find a good therapist who can help you work through this and that your family will be supportive

I was actually very interested in mrsD's info on it being anti-inflammatory ya know Greyhound with my son having autoimmune disease re the crohn's I think I have become over cautious in thinking that things that are good for immune sytem may be bad for him....yet am also realizing now the balance and the dose and the specific action is what matters most! glad you asked the question

I saw mrsD gave Greyhound a comprehensive answer on NT, so here is the link for anyone else interested http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread4739.html

Oh, I absolutely agree it is info that needs to be here so all can check into it for themselves before using melatonin, PMom I dont think it is something that should be used regularly or continuously either. Only when needed. It is a hormone and all hormones impact other things and so caution sure is needed, and I really do agree that the unregulated sale of it, especially in doses greater than 300micrograms is somewhat dangerous would you mind telling what dose you were taking that made you feel bad? I know that if I really need to sleep, taking 300 micrograms is usually perfect and 600 micrograms when I am anxious etc seems to work better. Any more than that makes me feel very wired and next day I feel totally spaced out. my son hasnt had it in years, but it really did help him at a time when his OCD was very bad and he couldnt sleep properly at all. he never took more than 300 micrograms nightly over a period of about a month

Hi myrose have you considered getting pure cranberry and other juices and just adding a little stevia if you want it sweeter? most are naturally sweet and something like a pure concord grape is delish over crushed ice we get organic juice at Publix ( they have good selection in their organic natural section which i see is thankfully growing daily! We freeze our own popsicles. you can do it in tubs or buy a bag of sticks and those popsicle shaped freezer trays. we like the organic grape, cranberry and peach best. we make small batches at a time as they are best fresh

cant say i have noticed any mood impact from GSE Greyhound, tho it is known to be immune supportive which in those who need that, can boost enrgy I guess?? my son used to take it for anti-oxidant properties and overall health, but now with the autoimmune aspect of his Crohn's disease we are careful about what he supplements with....we have learned that when immune issues are at work, even good things can sometimes have bad effect

I have been doing some more digging around on the immuno properties of melatonin and found this which I think explains a lot re the TIMING of melatonin as well as the DOSE being critical in this, and that also it seems that some studies indicate and *initial* boost to immune system and then an ebbing of this with continued use. again reinforcement that the doseage of melatonin sold in many health stores is waaaaay too high and that micrograms are better than miligrams here. I wish my hubby would lower his, but he doesnt take it iften, only when feeling totally sleep deprived. He is a nightowl anyway, which is also I believe not good for the melatonin/sleep/biorythm system here is that article I just found http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/melimsys.html

phew well 19 (and a half ) is reassuring...I was concerned you may be a younger teen a good chiropractor can be helpful in realligning your cervical vertebrae....dont know if you have NUCCA certified chiros there now....i havent lived in UK since 1983 so am very out of touch

Greyhound do you have a physician or any healthcare professional that you are consulting on all this? I do have concern that you are experimenting with supplements without guidance from a healthcare professional and from what I have gathered I think you may be a minor? Sometimes there are underlying factors that need to be carefully looked before just trying supps that one reads about. not trying to interfere....just urging caution

that is very odd because all the information I have is that melatonin helps to LOWER inflammation and MODULATE the immune system unless I am missing something...... now when it comes to HIGH DOSES that is another matter............ I would be cautious to read into one referenced paper on a Wiki article that it may have immuno boosting properties but rather look at a lot of other evidence too IMHO

Hi faith we have found the dose of melatonin to be critical in this and very variable from person to person if my son had more than 300 MICROgrams it made him restless and next day groggy my husband needs around 3 MILIgrams but uses it very infrequently unless really needed I find 600 MICROgrams most helpful when insomnia strikes. otherwise 300micrograms is enough correct dose should promote sleepiness followed by sound sleep and no groggys the next day Our bodies normally produce melatonin (from the pineal gland) and theoretically it should begin to be released as the sun sets preparing us for the sleep that would come with total darkness However, in our modern world of electric lighting we seldom have total dark. any glimmer of light causes the pineal to switch off melatonin!! so very few of us are getting the right levels of melatonin in our systems anymore and this seriously hampers sleep we found taking melatonin about an hour before we want to fall asleep helpful. only used when really needed rather than daily we also try to ensure no LED or night lights and thick curtains etc to keep rooms as dark as possible. melatonin is also part of the serotonin biochemical pathway btw

hi Greyhound mrsD over at Neurotalk's vitamin forum really is best to answer the details re the various forms of supps as she knows the nitty gritty on their absorption and interaction you can also find a lot of info on iHerb's natural encyclopedia

Ann illness has always been one of my son's big tid triggers so you may want to look deeper into that. You say your son was ill? do you know with what? many viruses and bacteria, and especially strep (EVEN if the throat culture shows negative!!!) can trigger tics (look up PANDAS and PITANDS) My son can actually tell if he enters into a highly chemical environment (pesticides, strong cleaning products, chlorine bleach etc) His sense of smell is highly acute....plus he begins immediate tics when exposed. I use special laundry stuff etc and keep his environment (and his food) as chemical free as possible ************* Tami moving is gonna be stressful. That is unavoidable with it. But you can reduce the impact as much as possible by doing it in as calmly and orderly as you can. I dont know about your kids, but my son reacts to stress and good excitement kinda the same so it is hard to balance the stress of the move with the excitement of the new place. Being as relaxed as possible yourself (hard as that can be with all that you will be dealing with re the move) can make it MUCH easier on the kids (LOL you may want to mention to them that Skippy likely has family that would be devastated to have him move )

gfam dont forget to also look thru our "essential threads" list for some testing info http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2459

Hi Ann yes, stuttering can be a tic moving is one of the most stressful things...and for kids the change can be very very traumatic even tho they may not initially show it. The combo of that plus all the other changes to what used to be the "norm" for him could well be triggering much of this do also check your new place out thoroghly for possible tic triggers (new paint, carpet, woodwork, pesticides, mold etc) including if your mom maybe uses perfumes etc? kids have many different ways of exhibiting anxiety and stress. praying you will be able to help him adjust and settle in to the newness soon.

Hi the antibiotic usually needs to be prophylactic treatment if PANDAS

Hi and welcome tho so sorry to hear of this I would definitely urge you to have PANDAS blood testing run....the strep that can cause tics and OCD is frequently not detected by throat swab...only blood tests for the strep antibodies can show it. Many kids have tested negative for the culture only to have the blood test show very high strep antibody titres PANDAS kids usually respond well to antibiotics (many here report that zithromax/azithromycin has good results) if you use the search button at the top of the page and enter PANDAS you will get a lot of info on this condition. sadly not many mainstream docs are clued up on it tho so you may need to find one who is PANDAS parents will be on soon and provide more info for you I am sure.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080613/ap_on_..._dental_mercury so after years of calling anyone who suggested this a "quack" they are finally seeing the light

flower, what is VC? Vit C?? dont forget that the *die off* of the candida can cause a big waxing in tics if you arent detoxing well. epsom tubs, lots of pure water and acupuncture/chinese cupping/biofeedback resonance therapy helped my son have minimal die off reaction

Hi Tami yes, he had to have vaccinations (hepA, TD and Typhoid) and at the time it did not seem like he reacted at all. In fact, his tics were down substantially during and for some months after the trip. He went in summer of 2003 and took all his supps with him and maintained as careful a diet as possible (they had an RN as one of the chaperones) I was very against his going initially because of concerns re the vaccines, as well as his TS/OCD, but he begged me to not let the illness block his ability to join the group and, altho with much trepidation, I allowed him to go. back to the B1........he had not a single mosquito bite in the entire 2 weeks that they were in Managua which is pretty amazing!!