Chemar

sorry to hear you are being troubled by a new tic! are you taking enough calcium/magnesium and zinc? as well as Vit B6. those can sometimes help. hope it wanes quickly for you.

Hello Hollie and a big welcome to you. I am so glad that your brother was able to guide you in understanding about TS and tics. Yes, metals have been shown to have a very big effect on tics and can sometimes be the number one issue causing the tics. Many kids with tics test high for metals in the blood, with mercury being a big offender because it is used in certain vaccines. You can have blood tests run to check for heavy metal levels and there is also a hair analysis test. your child may also have a Candida overgrowth (yeast infection) as this is frequently found along with metal toxicity. If you bnegin reading thru the info here you will find a lot of stuff on metals yeast and other tic triggers along with the treatments that many of us have found helpful. At the top of this forum there is also a list of doctors who are specialised in treating these things naturally. from personal experience with my son I can tell you that medications often just make things worse. here is also a good article on tic triggers http://latitudes.org/articles/finding_triggers.htm I hope you will find the solutions to help your child and dont hesitate to ask any questions here. there are many wonderful folks willing to share their experiences to help one another.

OOOOPS In my rush to respond before flying out I made a major TYPO that should read ONE THOUSAND MG OF CALCIUM TO 500MG OF MAGNESIUM!! sorry!

Hi Gina yes! a chiropractor is an essential part of the treatment to alleviate both the pain and skeletal misalignment that happens with many kinds of tics. I would caution tho that with children it is important to find a practitioner that specialises in treating children and preferably one that practices the NUCCA system of chiro http://www.nucca.org HTH

ldjsue I have had personal feedback from a number of people who have been negatively impacted by the rigidity of the treatment that they have had, and have actually found increased symptoms of depression and frustration and rage resulting from trying to enforce tic suppression perhaps what you are referring to is different, and if so perhaps it is a good technique. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is excellent for OCD tho.

Hi just a quick post from me as we are under a new hurricane warning.... the Tourette Syndrome Association is funding research on the observations that nicotine and THC seem to reduce tics. Some people use nicotine patches to help with tics. I would never want to encourage anyone to smoke as the inhaling of the smoke does so much harm. But if you do smoke and want to quit, yet have noticed that nicotine calms your tics...maybe consider nicotine patch. Guest_B_N123 I know EXACTLY what you mean about the pain of having people stare when you tic.......I dont have TS, but my 15yo son does and I know how it hurts him. But, you just have to remember that you are very special and unique and blessed with many talents and abilities........use them to the fullest and you will find ways to overcome the hurts because you will be happy and fulfilled.

I am leaving for the airport to take my son to college so will answer in more detail tomorrow. Just wanted to say Hi and welcome and you are doing great by beginning to investigate alternatives! There is no "prototype" progression for TS and some have it lifelong and some go into a form of "remission" at various phases. But the more you do the good stuff to help, the better it gets! back tomorrow

I am getting ready to leave for the airport and wont be back till late tonite so will answer in detail then. Best combo for adult (12 and older >100lbs) is 100mgcalcium:500mg magnesium: 50mg zinc. People who have pyroluria issues usually need to take higher zinc, with Vit B6 back tomorrow

Hi Buddy feel free to contact me if you need specifics gotta run.....busy busy busy

This link was just posted on the BrainTalk TS forum and has some interesting info re pyroluria and associated issues. Lots of technical jargon to skim thru but very informative case study and conclusions. http://www.hputest.nl/ewhat.htm Eric (lord twitchalot) if you are reading this.....I particularly thought of some of the tics you describe having when I read the case study.......maybe zinc, Vit B6 and manganese could help you too?

Hi and welcome That is a very long wait for a neurologist! I know there are very good neuros around and that they are usually very accurate in diagnosis. there are no single tests that they preform...rather they diagnose by observation and questioning. A good developmental pediatrician is often an excellent alternative to a neurol;ogist, as long as you dont suspect seizures. My real caution with regards to neuros would be to avoid their suggestion to medicate immediately. There are so many excellent alternatives available. I apologise for the shortness of this reply, but I am in an exceedingly busy phase with my oldest son leaving for his freshman year at a distant college next week and so am dashing in and out continuously. I hope others who have seen neurologists will add their experiences here. Also, have you had a look at the sticky thread at the top of this forum on finding medical help? Those doctors take a more natural approach and there may well be specialists in yopur area that you could visit ahead of time who can begin to set you on the right path to helping your child. all the best, and please stay in touch. It is so very important to have a support group where you can vent, and learn and share.

hi buddy I dont mind being Aunty Agony We went thru the most awful time when my son's tics started and so I know how much I would have loved to have found someone who could understand and offer me positive directions to follow. All we got is "severe Tourette Syndrome/OCD.....no cure......have to go on meds" but I know now that it was all for a purpose......my son has grown stronger and developed such a caring and matured outlook from the hard road he initially travelled, and we are now able to help others from our experience. It also helped my husband to realise that his "habits" and those of his dad were in fact also TS and OCD. from everything you have posted, it certainly seems that your family has a TS gene circulating. Yelling and cursing are actually the least common tics for TS but, I guess because they are so....err.....noticeable that is what most people know about it! I am going to come back and post more tomorrow as my family are waiting for me to join them for something, but just wanted to encourage you that there is enormous hope for improvement.....even with full blown TS. I would urge you to start reading around this forum and also in the TS section of the website for the informative articles etc. Especially look at the posts here on the various tests and treatments that many have found helpful, and you will see a unifying theme. Most important is to try to have a healthy diet and start supplementing, with at least a good pure (no color or flavor) multivitamin/mineral and the extra magnesium calcium and zinc and vit Bs(especially B6) Feel free to contact me for more detailed specifics. good night and see you all tomorrow

Hi there everyone I was offline after the passage of Hurricane Charley knocked out our power and so missed these posts. Welcome to the newcomers Breathing tics are fairly common. buddy, GABA is a very good supplement for generalised anxiety, but it doesnt specifically help with tics The supplement that has been found to be most beneficial for TS tics seems to be MAGNESIUM, especially in the form of magnesium taurate. When one adds magnesium to the diet it is a good idea to also add calcium and zinc. Usually it is recommended that adults(over 12) with TS take 1000mgcalcium:500mg magnesium and 50mg zinc. Many people find that it is also good to add Omega fatty acids to their diet, as well as extra B vitamins. here is a link to a thread I posted as to the treatments that we have used to help our son go from extrememly severe TS to very mild tics. He also had very debilitating obsessive compulsive disorder, along with anxiety and depression, and you will see that we also found supplements that helped that. My thread is specifically designed for folks who have tics from Tourette Syndrome http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...p?showtopic=687 also Claire has put together an informative thread on treatments that she and others have also found helpful for transient or generalised tics http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...p?showtopic=689 please feel free to contact me for any further details

bumping up for buddy, neophyte and guest_Lawsmith and other newcomers

how good to see you back on the board efgh we have missed you. Glad your son is doing so much better but sorry you are suffering with the cervical problem. I have had a similar thing some years back when someone rammed my car from behind at a stop street. I was wonderfully helped by a chiropracter who practices the NUCCA system. (my son also sees her when he has had neck/head tics) here is a website that explains the technique......if you can find a practitioner in your area I would HIGHLY recommend it. http://www.nucca.org looking forward to hearing news of your summer vacation

Hi everyone I have received a message from a new member here who is looking for info on oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC) She indicates that someone once posted about trying this treatment for a 14yo child? I dont recall seeing this, but if anyone has any info for her, please could you post it here thanks

Hi Lulu i absolutely agree with Mustang Carole there. One at a time and go slow! I would think it more likely a withdrawal reaction to the absence of Bvits than the presence of mag taurate. Wasnt the Shaklee VERY high in calcium? you may also be seeing a reaction to the change in mineral ratios. I honestly believe that it is the COMBINATION of all the beneficial supps that brings the optimum results. Lulu, are you working with a naturopath or a doctor who supports alternative treatments? If not, it really is a good idea...it just takes the guesswork out of this. However, if that isnt possible, it may take a little trial and error for you to reach the right balance. Just always start at the lowest dose and then work up and introduce your supps gradually until you have the right combo feel free to email me if it gets overwhelming! God Bless

Hello Sakshi I am so sorry to hear that you are going thru all this pain. Have your parents taken you to see a doctor to try to find out what is happening? In the meantime it helps a lot if you put some ice in a bag and then hold that against your neck where it hurts. If your parents know of a good chiropractor who can help that is also good because sometimes the pain is caused when you skake your head so much that the parts of your spine near your neck get "out of joint". A good chiroprator knows how to help that. But most important is to try to find out what is causing the shaking and then try to treat it. Please keep talking to us here so we can all try to help you too with what we have learned.

You could always take the fishoil in capsule form instead of the plain oil! Some folks find it good to take a blend of fishoil, flaxseed oil and Borage oil, with evening primrose.....others do great on just the fishoil. Taking the daily supps is real easy for us....my son takes some in the morning with breakfast and others in the evening with dinner. By taking combo supps and a good multi, it cuts down on the number of pills that he has to swallow. Did you take a look at the thread where I list what he takes that has really brought his tics way down in frequency and intensity? Although it isnt necessary to take quite as many supps as he does (he takes some for his OCD and ADD too) still, the multi, magnesium combo and EFA supps are very important, as is increased vit B (he gets his B from the multi plus the Royal Jelly as he reacts badly to a BComplex supp) here is the link again http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...p?showtopic=687

yep! stress and exhaustion are the biggest tic triggers I know of! It is good to add magnesium, zinc AND calcium. Try to balance the calcium and magnesium in a 2:1 ratio....eg 1000mg cal and 500mg mag plus say 50mg zinc. Bonnie Grimaldi's research has shown that magnesium is the single most important supplement needed for TS tics to reduce. However, it works best when taken with the balance of the other important ones, like the vit Bs and the omega fatty acids, and definitely should be balanced with calcium and zinc. http://www.bonniegr.com

Hi Lee numerous reports indicate that one of the most effective supplements for vocal tics is acetyl L- Carnitine. I personally feel that a good supplement regimin that includes a pure multivitamin/mineral, high in the B vits, along with extra calcium/magnesium/zinc and a high potency essential fatty acid should be the foundation for everyone trying to help tics reduce.

so glad to hear your positive report BN123! Now just remember to keep up the things that you are finding helpful!

hi mommy007, so sorry to hear things are in a rough patch. I know very little about PANDAs, but I do know that Ronna has stressed that certain anibiotics just are NOT effective in bringing down the titres, and that only specific antibiotics will do the job. Hopefully she will pop in here to advise, or you could email her thru the members list info here.

Hi bok1 and welcome The Herpes virus, which causes "cold sores' lodges in nerve ganglia and can remain dormant for long stretches. Then, often under stress or illness and other stimuli, frequently neurally related, it becomes active and one of the first signs is a tingling sensation in the nerves of the affected area. Then the sore breaks out. I certainly can see why your son would therefore have them occur when his tics intensify. One of the most effective supplements for inhibiting the activity of the virus is L-LYSINE. If taken at the first sign of the tingling it can often block an attack. Folks who are susceptible find that it helps to take it as part of their daily supplement regimin, but at lower dose (say 250-500mg/day) and then up the dose to at least 1000mg/day when the signs come that the virus is active or when the sores erupt. You are certainly far more acutely aware of this interaction between the tics and the cold sores than your doc, who really should be aware of the "neural" componant related to it. Hope the L-Lysine proves helpful Stay in touch!

Hi again LuluGirl and a big welcome to Latitudes! sorry for the delay in replying to you, but I have been offline without power after the hurricane. Age 12and >100lb can usually take adult doseage supps, with the dose being halved for younger/lighter children. The usual daily dose that I have seen mostly for TS is 1000mg cal/500mg mag/ 50mg zinc and with 500mg taurine added. However, this does vary between individuals and there specific deficiencies and needs. That is why I always recommend working with a naturopath or other doctor or therapist who is qualified and knowledgable in natural treatments. I also replied to the other thread you posted on this topic. HTH