Chemar

Satu if your child has a fever AND the OCD is so high too I would strongly advise having a strep test PLUS a strep blood titre as this may well be PANDAS or PITANDS linked! It is well documented that sudden onset OCD like this can be related to PANDAS infection as to the supplements....... GABA is good for anxiety while 5HTP and Inositol are beneficial for OCD If you cant get SAMe try for Methionine. BUT honestly...FIRST check to be sure this isnt a PANDAS related OCD outbreak! If so, then antibiotics are needed (check thru the threads here for related posts on this)

I would agree with carolyn! although the TSA is very good in many areas, when it comes to recognition of alternative treatments for TS, they are waaaay behind. All of those types of docotrs that you have been referred to by them will most likely tell you to either do nothing or will recommend the brain drugs that are commonly prescribed for TS by mainstream medicine. As carolyn has posted, those drugs, although they help some people, yet they have a loooooooong list of adverse side effects, some VERY serious and so should be approached with caution and much research. I would personally recommend that you find an Integrative Doctor who is experienced in treating TS Integrative docotrs have the advantage in that they are fully qualified MDs who have then gone further to specialise in Alternative/Complementary medicine . They generally have the letters MD PA behind their name When contacting any doctor, you should always FIRST ask if they have experience in treating TS, and if they are able to also consider natural treatment methods rather than just prescription drugs

Dear Zach i am so sorry to hear you are going through this! PLEASE contact the Tourette Syndrome Association and they will hopefully be able to put you in touch with an advocate who will be able to give you free advice as to your rights in this. Tourettes is covered by the Disabilities Act and for your landlord to evict you would be discrimination against someone with a disability. Here is the TSA website http://www.tsa-usa.org and their phone number is 718-224-2999 If you dont get help from them, PLEASE let me know and I will try to put you in touch with someone who can fight for your rights. I will be praying for you and your mom Zach. Dont be afraid...God is able to do more than you could ever imagine and He cares for you.

Hi honestly, the best you can do for yourself is to get a diagnosis as then you can start a treatment that will hopefully help you. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (done by a qualified psychologist) is often very helpful too. Once you have started therapy with a psychologist, they may also best be able to point you in the right direction for a diagnosis all the best

Hello TSmom and Hermann I just wanted to welcome you both to the Latitudes TS Forum

Hi Sunshine we havent used that particular product but my son did have benfits from using those three supplements as part of his treatment program.

Hi Tara I really would advise having a checkup with your doctor It could be stress related, or some form of oesophageal/reflux condition, or something else related to your digestive system or you may possibly have had a loud vocal tic that maybe caused some swelling on a vocal cord etc something you should have your doc take a look at so that it can be treated if needed.

Hi Family and welcome to the Forum I am not sure if you noticed but this thread is quite old, from 2002, and so i dont know if any of these people still check in here. I havent seen any posts by them in years. Anyway, I do feel for your situation. However, it is important to note that what your brother is struggling with are Co-morbid issues and not his Tourettes. Tourette Syndrome is about tics...motor or vocal and it is neurological not psychological or "mental" ......the issues of rage and other behavioural problems and suicidal thoughts and all of those serious issues are usually caused by either another disorder that is occurring along with the TS (for example, many people with Ts also have OCD=obsessive compulsive disorder) Often these "other" issues can even be a direct result of the strong medications prescribed for tics. Some of these meds can have things like psychosis, and depression etc as side effects. Also, sometimes people with TS suffer psychological problems brought about by the misunderstanding, ostraziation,stigmatization etc they suffer from other people, or because of their own embarrassment and frustration about their tics. So, the issues that your brother faces may be any or all of these, and the situation is therefore far too complex for you or your family to be able to deal with Your brother needs to be in the care of a qualified therapist or physician. I know you love him and want to help him, but from your post it is quite clear that it is draining you and seriously impacting your own life. The best thing you can do for him and for yourself is to get him the qualified help he needs. I dont know where you are located, but if you contact the Tourette Syndrome Association ( http://www.tsa-usa.org ) they may be able to give you a referral list for psychologists in your area who have experience with TS. They will also be able to tell you if there are any TS support groups in your area that your brother can amybe start attending. Being with others who understand may well help him get a handle on many of these things that are tormenting him. There are also TS support groups for family members. Please stay in touch with us too as YOU are in need of support as well.

bumping up for deagar

Here is a helpful thread on "getting started..." deagar http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=1211 Honestly, from what you describe with this sudden escalation and also that your child was exposed to strep, I would HIGHLY recommend that you FIRST get a PANDAS evaluation (blood test strep titre...not just throat swab) Most often this is the cause of a dramatic increase in tics and OCD Antibiotic treatment (see the new thread just posted by Ronnas on this) HTH

Hi Emily and welcome if the doctor feels this is PANDAS then you should have strep titres done to confirm and if so, it warrants prophylactic antibiotics. I am not too sure why the doctor would want to use Tenex If you start reading through the threads here you will find ones specific to PANDAS that I am sure you will find very informative. Hopefully some of our members who have more knowledge about PANDAS than I do will be along soon to give you more information

Hi Carolyn Grapeseed extract IS taken from the seeds of grapes Colloidal silver has actual silver content I would therefore avoid those if you have sensitivity to grapes and silver! I had not heard of the Enzymedica Virastop before I do however have personal experience with MonoLaurin, which is Lauric acid from coconuts and that is an EXCELLENT antibacterial/antifungal/antiviral....ie a general antimicrobial It is available through the Vitamin Shoppe http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/brow....jsp?id=CV-1068 Also OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT is very good to fight bacterial or viral illness, as is Goldenseal and Garlic METAGENICS makes some really good IMMUNE SUPPORT formulae http://www.metagenics.com/products/catalog...p?type=2&val=13

good that you spotted that Carolyn no, my son has no ragweed allergies

kfen honestly, NOTHING is a bigger trigger for my son than me being anxious, or commenting on his tics, OCD or stress etc. He has a built in radar and can sense immediately when I am worried about him so I have had to really learn over the years to mask my concerns and keep a very nonchalant attitude. Even giving him his supplements has evolved into my just having them waiting in a small cup at the table for him and when he has his meal he just takes them. NO reminders from mom etc It isnt easy but it is very necessary. if you ask anyone with TS they will likely agree that having anyone look at them or comment when they tic sets them off BIG TIME!

Hi yes, this is unfortunately a fairly common tic effect and can be very painful! It is very important to use a good oral antiseptic while this is going on (more than just a mouth wash) Also, tea tree oil promotes healing...you can either buy it as a ready made oral solution, or buy the concentrate and mix a few drops with water. There are also those protective oral pastes that may be helpful, and your dentist can also make a tooth guard to cover the teeth that are causing the injury. HTH

Hi Carolyn some people do have allergy to almonds the nut allergies are interesting as it is usually to a specific nut rather than to all nuts. Although they belong to the family of Rosaceae fruits (e.g. apple, peach, and apricot), almonds are most often classified as tree nuts. first signs of nut intolerance is often a buildup of gas, while some people get rash, itching, swelling of the lips or mouth and difficulty breathing.etc. Severe allergies tend to be more with peanuts but still, as with anything that may be a potential allergen, take it very slowly until you are sure you can tolerate it almonds are very healthy (and tasty too:) ) so I hope you dont react negatively to it.

Hello Doatline and welcome to the Forum I think we all can understand how you are feeling as it is an emotional place we have all been in and for many, still are in. Nothing "gets" to a parent more than wanting to make things "right" for their child and feeling helpless to do so. But take heart, as many of us can attest, with trial and perseverance their IS hope that you can make a big difference! also, thankfully, in answer to your last question....YES! many "mainstream" doctors are realising that there is so much more to healing than just prescribing medications that mask symptoms and frequently bring nasty side effects! The Integrative physicians (including DAN doctors) are using their conventional training with the added insight of specialization in alternative/complementary/natural medicine to bring a truly holistic approach to healing, and again, many of us here can attest to just what a difference that has made! (in case you havent seen it, there is a thread right at the top of this forum to help in finding such medical help) I hope you will be able to locate such a doctor to guide you and that you too will discover just how much things can improve for your child do stay in touch here....it is so very important to have a support group where you know people will understand what you are going through and who can share the ups and downs with you. I didnt discover this until we were already through the worst, and I know I could have been spared SO much emotional pain had I been able to be part of such a group back then.

kfen I find that my son de-stresses very well in an Epsom Salts bath. It always seems to calm him. If he is in hyper stress mode, I take him for an acupuncture/massage/reflexology session, which is his #1 favorite treatment...always shows tremendous and immediate benefit both for his tics and for his general demeanor and health. He finds GABA helpful for anxiety and the 5HTP that helps him with OCD also seems to have a calming effect. Magnesium, which is so very important in tic control, is also calminative. And dont forget the tried and tested calming effect of deep and slow breathing!

A big welcome to you Weasy I am so glad you made your way over here and I do hope you will find lots of useful info to help you learn about TS and how best to identify your triggers and the best treatments for you. as you are no doubt finding, there is a wealth of info here on the forum and also so much excellent info on the main website. this is a great group of very caring people who will always be here for you

Hi Roses yes, stress and anxiety and even good excitement have always been a very big tic trigger for my son. I am not sure I would classify the waxing of new tics as "moving to a new muscle group" tho....rather just that the focus moves from one location to another, just as sometimes the vocal tics may be up and the motor ones down and vv.

For anyone wanting to purchase NOW Candida Clear, iHerb(now called PapaNature) has it on special at present and VERY low shipping too http://www.papanature.com/store/ProductDet...s&pid=NOW-03308

I have tried many different brands, but I am very happy with the Vitamin Shoppe own brand (as I am with so many of their products) It has the same potency and purity of the more expensive brands at half the price!!! You can buy it direct from one of their stores or online a http://www.vitaminshoppe.com I have a store real close to me so I tend to use them a lot and have one of their special cards which gives me discounts and cash back on purchases I have also been ordering many of our supplements from iHerb...now called PapaNature. I have always used their excellent Natural Pharmacy resources to learn about supplements, but they have REALLY good prices on brand name supplements and often carry things that the Vitamin Shoppe dont. PLUS they are so very reasonable on shipping. They carry a wide range of echinacea/goldenseal products http://www.papanature.com

Hi Carolyn I am a big fan of Echinacea, specifically the one in a combo blend with Goldenseal I have always heard that it is a good idea to take it for about a month and then have a month off I believe it is helping to keep colds and flu at bay in our family I also like grapeseed extract(pycnogenol) which we use in the "plus" form where it is blended with green tea extract, selenium, bilberry and citrus bioflavinoids. Some people seem to also laud the benefits of colloidal silver for immuno support, as well as a liquid product called Cell Food

kfen here is a thread from the top of this forum to provide help in finding DAN doctors and other Integrative doctors http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=565 DAN stands for Defeat Autism Now, and altho DAN docs are primarily called so because of their work in alternative treatments for autism, many of the areas used there overlap with what is needed for the testing and treamtments for TS and some DAN docs have experience in using these techniques for TS patients. ALWAYS ask if the doctor has experience with tics/TS before you make the appointment. Many other Integrative doctors (ie doctors conventionally qualified who have gone on to specialise in complementary/alternative medicine...usually have MD PA ) are also up on all the tests and treatment protocols that the DAN docs use all the best to you

Hello the dose of Inositol is very much dependent on age and weight of the individual to be taking it Generally, I have always seen 500mg per day to be the recommended dose here are some links to tell you more about INOSITOL, which is also known as VitaminB8. (note the 2nd link is for niacin=Vit B3 which is also sometimes known as Inositol Hexaniacinate) INOSITOL=Vit B8 http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent....hunkiid=33802#I Inositol Hexaniacinate=Vit B3 http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent....&chunkiid=21769