Chemar

Hi jc based on our experience with the sub-type of OCD that occurs frequently with TS (as opposed to the "classic" OCD, which is what I think Claire is referring to) it would not surprise me if the behaviour you are seeing in your son is related to OCD. I dont think your child has TS, but I honestly cant remember. However, the occurrance of tics and this related OCD is something which even folks dealing with nonspecific tic disorders seem to have noticed. It is VERY different from classic OCD in many ways. So glad to hear about the overall improvement

Hello Huey pycnogenol IS the active ingredient in grapeseed extract. It is very beneficial as an antioxidant and immune system booster. when my son was on his supplement program for his TS/OCD/ADD the pycnogenol was an important part of the overall treatment. I know that Bonnie Grimaldi used to include it in her program tho i havent checked to see whether it is still in her BonTech products for TS We still use it when anyone in the family is ill or run down. HTH

Some time ago I posted here for those who are dealing with Tourette Syndrome about a really valuable bit of advice from Lara on BrainTalk. Well, Lara has reposted those words of wisdom and so I felt it would be good to link over to them again. I stress that this is specifically for those who are dealing with Tourette Syndrome I hope that these wise words will help to reduce the stress.... and encourage those that have felt despondent........ to help you see beyond the tics http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread1486.html

thanks for that info Robin maybe if there is Pyroluria then the acetyl form is not good??? dont forget we were supplementing for tourette tics and so the metabolic issues may well be different in other tic disorders

Hi Jean the acetyl form means the carnitine has been reacted with actetic acid. I am not very up on biochemistry so someone with more knowledge there can explain in more detail. However, i have always been advised that ACETYL L- CARNITINE is the preferred form for tic reduction HTH

sincere apologies for the typo there while I was rushing thru here this morning I am editing my post above to read BAKERS yeast BREWERS YEAST IS VERY HEALTHY AND IS AN INACTIVE FORM OF YEAST LEFT OVER FROM THE FERMENTATION PROCESS ..... BAKERS YEAST is an active form of yeast that is used as leavening in bread and cakes etc. It is ok when cooked but unhealthy when not cooked and, for those that have yeast sensitivity and allergy, it causes health problems Candida albicans is a PARASITIC YEAST that has no relationship to either brewers or bakers yeast. It can grow externally as thrush, genital yeast etc and internally in organ systems, most frequently the digestive tract. the candida yeast feeds primarily on sugars and refined carbohydrates. So diets to eradicate it are low in sugar and refined starches in order to starve the candida. Cravings for sugar and even alcohol can often be due to yeast infection. There is evidence to show that many illnesses may be rooted in candida overgrowth. hope that makes it clearer.

Hi I would highly recommend a book called The Yeast Syndrome but John Trowbridge and Morton Walker. it not only explains what candida is, but also gives really helpful recipes to make the special diet more livable. Do also remember that Candida, the yeast like fungal parasite is NOT the yeast that we find in foods which is BAKERS yeast. Although your son has shown allergy to that yeast, his sytem is infected by a different yeast. all the best to you as you start along the road to helping him heal. it can seem overwhelming at times, but that is what makes a place like this so very helpful. You have support here from people who understand what you are going thru, and who have a vast range of experience and knowledge, and who are all willing to share and learn and work together to help each other

hmmmm I would also urge caution using anything for TS that elevates dopamine. I stress I am talking about Tourette tics now. There is research evidence that suggests that tourette tics may be linked in some way to a hypersensitivity to dopamine at the receptor level. Thus elevating dopamine in a tourette person could have a negative effect. Hi ROBIN yes, his tics were up a bit last spring too. However all allergy testing has always returned no seasonal allergies and only a dustmite known allergy. This time tho I really think he does have mononucleosis or some stealth virus thing. His OCD is elevated too and I know that viruses do that big time! There is a lot of mono going round the school too, as well as strep, tho his culture was -ve for strep but I requested bloodwork on that too to be sure. I will post back when we have all the blood test results back on 29th

here is a good info link for GABA http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/subs...5,10027,00.html as to the Overdosing on supplements....that is a VERY real problem and that is why I always suggest working with a qualified physican to formulate a supplement program. Age and weight are very important factors to consider as are inherant metabolic levels unique to each individual and the issues of methylation etcetc Always good to get a baseline test done to see just what is initially deficient or in excess and then work with the physician to supplement as needed. I also believe in starting out at the minimum dose and then working up gradually as needed. We found with my son that he freqently responded very well to the minimum.

DOnt forget the L-Lysine It INHIBITS Herpes ability to reproduce. The herpes virus lives in spinal ganglia and is most often dormant. But, with stress or some of the other things you mentioned above, it begins to reproduce and that results in the tingling and numbness and burning and other often painful sensations along the nerves. It then breaks out as the blister and sheds the virus in order to spread. The L-Lysine seems to keep it dormant, or, if taken at the first symptoms, can often stop the repro cycle and prevent the outbreak. It isnt a cure, but sure is a safe and effective preventative. needs to be combined with the zinc.

Hi Denise how nice to see you here intersting research you have done there! my son hasnt ever had cold sores or other herpes outbreaks so I cant comment on the correlations. He did have pretty severe chicken pox when younger tho, which is also herpes viral. he started ticcing more again a few weeks ago after over a year of extremely mild tics, and then got some glandular swelling. sure enough, doctor has run tests to see if it may be mono, which is Epstein Barr virus...again a herpes relative. We will know next week when the blood test results are in

yes, Susan, my son also seems to overheat easily and sleeps with light covers and a fan on even when it is cool weather (infrequent here in Florida ) He used to sleep-sweat even as an infant! Now that he is older, he finds that sleeping with one foot outside the covers seems to help him stay cooler and comfortable.

hi Spartan we havent ever dealt with strep,but I do know that strep is implicated in intensifying tics and OCD. However, the antibiotic should hopefully reduce the impact. have you ever been evaluated for PANDAS. I am real ignorant on all the details there as it was ruled out for my son early on, but you may want to read Ronna's valuable posts on this, especially as you have had frequent strep hope you feel better soon and that the tics stay down. Remember to build your probiotics because the antibiotic depletes the good stuff in your body too. Natural yoghurt and kefir are two easy ways to take probiotics...

Hello Alice You can find information about Bonnie's supplements called BonTech on her website at http://www.bonniegr.com you just send her an email thru the contact and she will put you in touch with the person who does the marketing of her products. Many people do wonderfully on Bonnie's program, tho some just dont seem to respond to it at all and others find they get worse. It is certainly worth trying tho, especially as it is carefully formulated for TS specifically Do remember that with true TS often the tics will never fully go away. The supplements etc do help tho to make them much more manageable. all the best

dear Dara I was given some really good advice when I was going through agony after my son's diagnosis with Tourette Syndrome. I was reminded that what I was feeling was a form of grieving, and grief has many stages. I dont know what is causing your son's tics and so I realise our situations are possibly very different. In my case, I simply had to accept that my son had inherited TS from my husband (I have written befire about how our son's diagnosis brought clarity for the family on what my husband and his dad had experienced when they were younger which had been called "bad habits" but were in fact tics) With genetic TS, there is no cure. As we have shown however, there are many good and natural ways to decrease the severity and the frequency of the tics and the associated disorders. And for that I am so very thankful. But truly, the turning point for all of us came in acceptance of the situation. Once that happened, we already saw an improvement because we could now appraoch the treatments with a more peaceful attitude, and so, by the stress and anxiety etc going down...we actually managed to achieve more than when we were freaked out about it all. As I say, I realise your son's tics may be rooted in something other than TS and so the solutions for you may well be very different than for us. I just know that a wonderful thing happened when we simply said "it's OK to tic, because that is what people with TS do!" Our son stopped feeling like he was doing something "wrong" and so he embraced the dietary changes and supplements and the other good things as a way to help him. I do hope you find solutions that will completely "cure" whatever is causing the tics in your child. But most of all I pray you will see beyond the tics and just treasure these precious years, and remember that, although tics are distressing to you, you have so much to be thankful for. When I used to feel it all getting to me, I would go into some of the BrainTalk forums where parents of severely disabled or terminally ill children posted, and I would be amazed at their positive outlook and the little things that they so appreciated. It made me realise again that "it's really OK to tic! It could be SO much worse." I hope I have expressed this well, because I wouldnt want you to think I am insensitive to what you are feeling. I truly do understand the roller coaster of emotions that you are going thru because I have been there. And I hope that you will soon reach the point too where these undersatndable emotions subside some and so your own health and wellbeing wont be so impacted, so you can just do the best you can for your precious son. with much love and understanding Cheri

hi simon my son took supplements (but not bonnie's, we put together our own combinations from the health store) and he definitely had reduced number of tics and less "urge" to tic not just better control. also the tics he did have were much milder than the ones he used to have. i really feel that the supplements helped lessen the tics

hi Simon with true TS the tics are a more daily presence than with tic disorders. even tho they wax and wane in TS, yet the tics are generally present to a greater or lesser degree each day. For some, they do seem to go into longer waning periods and can have tic free periods, but for others it is daily......at least that is what I have come to understand from my contact with many people who have TS in a wide range of age groups

I have never seen it here in the USA in fruit form efgh, but I believe bilberries are indigenous to the UK

hi efgh we buy bilberry capsules at the health store. Bilberries are a fruit and are high in nutritional good stuff. During WW2 it was noted that the pilots who ate bilberry jam had better eyesight than others and research has shown that bilberry has remarkable vision effects. It is now also known that this is an excellent antioxidant

Hi Nancy well yes, that explanation of the methylation does make sense. perhaps we were told not to use the TMG simultaneously because by then he was using the regular methionine rather than samE??? iHerb health encyclopedia also says TMG is an alternative to samE tho??? but I would follow the docs advice on this as he clearly knows what he is doing I really would recommend the bilberry as an extra antioxidant. it is really good and has the added bonus of being an excellent supplement for vision. we also use grapeseed extract (pycnogenol) when we need that extra antioxidant boost. i have the "plus" form

Hi Nancy we used the NOW brand of samE and once when the health store was out of it I got the NOW methionine which seemed to work just as well tho possibly slightly slower action. didnt ever use the TMG (which shouldnt be used with the samE, but rather as a substitute for it) Are you already supplementing with INOSITOL? If not, it really is highly recommended for the OCD/anxiety issues and can safely be used at the correct dose with other supps. Uva Ursi is a very good antibacterial do remember to give antioxidants now to build his system for when you do the parasite eliminations as that helps minimise die-off reactions....bilberry, beta carotene, vit C etc are all good and one also gets mutltiple antioxidant combos now HTH

Hopeful I just wanted to add to my post above that if you think it would help I can ask my son, who is 15, to reply to any PMs you may want to send me with specific questions on how to encourage her. He used to have very severe TS and OCD and depression but is doing just wonderfully since beginning a supplement plan (not bontech) 4 years ago he really has learned a lot about what triggers the tics and how to cope so maybe he can help best, especially as you all are probably around the same age

Hi Hopeful your girlfriend definitely needs to try to get help. Can she talk to a counsellor at school who can maybe get her parents to "accept Tourettes" by explaining it to them? I can see why it must be very hard for her if her parents arent helping her. Magnesium is VERY beneficial in tic disorders and so it would be very good for her to take some alonmg with a good daily multivitamin supplement. Some people just dont react well to the bontech products, tho others do so I hope she wont be totally put off trying healthy stuff. although I am not a big medication fan, still some people seem to be helped by a new med called Abilify. There are supplements that also help with depression but I am hesitant to mention anyhting because your girlfriend is a minor and really should be receiving professional help with all this. I do hope she will maybe talk to a school guidance counsellor to try to get her parents to provide her with the help she needs, She is blessed to have you to care for her. Please do stay in touch and we will all try to provide all the support we can Also, maybe visit these 2 sites to help you learn more about TS http://www.tourettesyndrome.net and http://www.lifesatwitch.com

Natalie I would highly recommend that you find a DAN doctor or some other Integrative physician who can help you do what is right for your child. Most Conventional doctors sadly are either just ignorant or willfully opposed to anything that is out of their realm of experience.

Hi Natalie IMO you can either delay for a while or request that it be given as separate measles, mumps and rubella at different times rather than all together in one vaccine. The combined one seems to be the one that has caused the most problems. it is so hard, especially as the public schools insist on the vaccines, yet there is so much negative info about them and the neuro problems they may cause. truly a rock and a hard place