Chemar

efgh my son says it is a tic for him when he says certain words. It is often after he has heard someone else say them and so is a form of echolalia, and when he says them over to himself..I guess palilaia is also present. He says he gets great satisfaction from saying the words, and a relief from tension...they are usually words that have a "t" "p" or other similar sound so very expressive and phonic words. There may even be a bit of OCD at work with this as he definitely feels the "need" to say the words "just right" HTH

Hi Inositol is safe to take with SSRIs and 700mg/day seems ok as long as you are adult weight...otherwise 500mg/day. 5HTP is by far the most effective supp for OCD in my experience, because it directly elevates seratonin. BUT you cannot take it while you are on the SSRI GABA helps mainly with anxiety Lots of people are reporting good things with samE or the cheaper methionine. It is very good that you are taking the extra B vits and the omega supp Cognitive behavioural therapy is a highly recommended treatment, and, provided that you have a caring and compassionate person working you thru it, it should be a very positive experience for you. stay in touch

OK Leonor there is a thread posted to the top of this board that provides some useful lists for finding doctors who support natural treatments... here is the link (if you dont find one in your area, or need more help working thru it...LMK ) http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...p?showtopic=565

Hi Leonor and welcome Let us know what info are you looking for and we will all try to help as much as possible I have a son and husband with TS My son was on prescription medications for the first year after he was diagnosed at age 10......but we found they actually only made life worse for him because of the many bad side effects. So now we use a combination of natural treatments for him and it has had a remarkable effect in reducing the severity and frequency of his tics. Do you have a family history of TS? looking forward to your reply so we can all rally round to give you the support and info that you need. Cheri

Hi Munazza and welcome to Latitudes. My son was on Luvox for a year to combat the OCD and he too had horrible side effects. Sadly, with prescription meds, the doctors just want to prescribe more meds to get rid of the side effects of the other meds and the whole thing becomes a self perpetuating cycle. My son, as well as many others, has found relief from OCD symptoms by using some natural alternatives that IMO work BETTER than the SSRIs and have the added advantage of not having bad side effects in most people. However, these cannot be mixed with SSRIs If you intend to remain on the drugs, I can report that ACCUPUNCTURE does seem to dampen the side effects slightly, as does BIOFEEDBACK (not neurofeedback) and REFLEXOLOGY These techniques do seem to bring some relief from the side effects. If you look at the thread at the top of this board on FINDING MEDICAL HELP you may be able to find a doctor in your area who understands about using natural treatment and can help you move from the SSRIs to something better, like 5HTP plus Inositol and/or GABA, samE(methionine) etc DO NOTE THAT IF YOU DECIDE TO STOP SSRI'S AND START THE NATURAL TREATMENT, YOU HAVE TO COME OFF YOUR MED VERY GRADUALLY. ABRUPTLY STOPPING AN SSRI CAN BRING SOME SERIOUS REACTIONS. If you want more details on the alternative treatments that we have had success with, please let me know. Hope things get better for you....living with intense OCD is very hard and I feel for you. But there IS a lot of hope! As an extra....many also find that eliminating artificial foods (eg artificial coloring, Nutrasweet(aspartame) Splenda(sucralose) and preservatives, MSG, high fructose corn syrup etc can drastically reduce OCD symptoms.

Hi Katherine.... you can check the thread that Dr Sheila Rogers has posted re finding "alternative" physicians....hopefully you will find one in your area there. If not, let us know and we can put out some feelers for you http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...p?showtopic=565

Hi Aimee and welcome to Latitudes..... my son was on meds too for a year(also Haldol....or Horror-dol as he called it He has done so much better these last 3 years on natural rememdies. There is a lot of info on this Forum about all the good things that help in tic reduction.... The supplements dont have to cost a lot....even WalMart has some of them and I have started shopping at The Vitamin Shoppe (just opened near me and also online) as they have fantastic reductions in price compared with elsewhere! I have posted below a modified previous post of mine on what my son takes.....and put a star next to what i believe to be most important for TICS I hope this is helpful to you. Please feel free to let me know if you need more details

Hi I was really moved to read a post by our friend bygrace on the BrainTalk forum about her 6yo son's first visit to the psychologist. This is something that I think every parent here, especially those with younger kids, will benefit from reading here is the link http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/showth...ead.php?t=16489

5HTP is 5-hydroxy tryptophan....active in the seratonin metabolic pathway. It promotes the natural production of seratonin, which has been found to be deficient in folks with OCD & Depression. 5HTP also occurs naturally in the body and so taking it as a supplement works along natural pathways. SSRI's are the prescription meds given for OCD & depression like Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Luvox etc...SSRI stands for Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor....by the name you can see that they increase seratonin in an unnatural way, by blocking it's reabsorption. that is one of the reasons for the icky side effects....unnatural inhibition of a natural pathway. Eric, have you ever checked out the BrainTalk Forum? I love Latitudes best.... but I also frequent BrainTalk as there is a very wide spectrum of topics discussed there...also lots of adults with TS post there... the whole of BrainTalk is made up of numerous different boards for all manner and means of neurological, psychological, psychiatric and other "brain"/nervous system issues and it really is a very stimulating environment. It has just moved to a new server after many years on the MGH ones.. The BrainTalk TS board is at http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/forumd...aysprune=&f=253 and the main menu for all the other boards, in alphabetical order, is http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/index.php? There is also a great site which you may already know called "Life's a twitch" http://www.lifesatwitch.com Duncan mcKinley (Dr Dunc) who runs the site is a psychologist who has TS himself. really nice guy and very informed on all the latest stuff on TS. We are really happy that you have joined us here at Latitudes. This is the most caring group of folks you could ever hope to meet in cyberspace

Good Idea Eric! People with TS are well known to be amongst the most talented artists, writers, musicians etc. What a wonderful way to incorporate their stories, poems and artistic expression. I will tell my son about this and ask him to PM you.

Hi Claire.... interesting update! Sounds like you really have a good doc. Nutrasweet aka aspartame is put in such a lot of stuff ....and I notice that now the sucralose(Splenda) is appearing all over...even in mouthwash!!! I am personally so yucked by tap water stories that I dont even cook with regular water anymore....only filtered or reverse osmosis. The antioxidant boost prior to yeast elim is something mentioned many times here by me and others..... but just to stress again for everyone.... when going thru ANY type of detox it is essential to first boost your immune system to cope with it....especially yeast detox with the die off reaction producing such high levels of toxicity. Sure hope you start seeing dramatic improvements real soon and that your son continues on his road to wellness.

Shawn...my son found relief on just 50mg per day after only a couple of days. Some people find they need to take more...usually 50mg twice daily. You arent on any SSRI meds right? The 2 dont go well together. Hope you find it helps quickly. You may also consider adding 500mg Inositol per day as well. blessings! Cheri

Just wanted to add that avoiding junk food, especially artificial coloring and sweeteners like NutraSweet, splenda etc and MSG also helps keep OCD down!

Dear Banana welcome to Latitudes. My son has TS and OCD and the OCD used to totally control his life. it was horrible and made him deeply depressed as he hated what it was doing to him. He tried meds but it just made thing worse. Then we learned about how certain natural supplements can help to elevate seratonin in the brain and so keep the OCD/depression & anxiety stabilised. Since my son started these(along with others that help his tics) his OCD has become almost non-existant, and doesnt trouble him anymore. It is important not to be on meds when taking these supplements, as otherwise too much seratonin results, which is not a good thing. I dont know how old you are, but my son is 14 and weighs around 145lb so he takes 50mg 5HTP 500mg Inositol 500mg methionine each evening and 300mg St John's Wort in the mornings The most important of these, in our opinion is the 5HTP! followed closely by the Inositol. When he was very anxious, he also took 500mg GABA per day, but we keep that in reserve for emergencies and dont use it regularly. I should point out that, although most people who have tried the 5HTP are delighted at how it calms OCD...still, all people are different and for some it doesnt work, or they get a bit "wired" from it. But it is sure worth a try, and isnt even very costly....Natrol makes a good one that is available at most WalMarts and health stores. As I mentioned, he also takes other supps for the TS and I believe that it all works together for the best effect. I would be happy to give you more details if you need them. I am not a doctor, so i am not trying to provide medical advice, buit rather just sharing what has worked for my son.

Hey Eric I sure know about the nastiness of Haldol.....it did very bad stuff to my son, as did all the other stuff they tried him on. Thankfully, having found success with the natural treatments...especially supplements and accupuncture.....he is totally med free and doing GREAT! Gone from very severe TS/OCD to very mild. My son takes 5HTP for his OCD/depression and it has worked wonders. You cant mix it with SSRI's tho ....as it increases seratonin too...but in a natural way. I have read a lot about the research being funded by the TSA into Marinol and THC etc for TS treatment....I am glad it is helping you. Oops somehow the end of my post got lost.... Just wanted to add that there are so many really good natural treatments that could help you that may be far less costly than this med...especially as, although it seems to help you some, yet you are not necessarily wanting to have to take so much to get the benefit from it. If you need details on some of the helpful stuff we have found...let me know. I can truly idewntify because my son's TS used to be so very severe...so i know how it is! Would love to be able to help you any way we can.

Hi Shawn when my son's TS was really bad, we did exactly what it says in James 5:14 It was a very precious event for my son, and things progressed rapidly from there on in an amazing way that caused us to stop the meds that were hurting more than helping him, and start the natural treatment, which has totally turned things around for him for the better! We also asked the Pastor (who counsels with my son) to continuously pray for him, and he was on our church prayer chain and the Moms in Touch prayer group too. Plus multitudes of family and friends all lifting a chorus of prayer for him And, BEST OF ALL, my son came to his own deep and personal Faith and trust in the Lord!!!

AMEN!

Hi Eric and a big welcome to you Yes, there are a number of folks here who have noticed light sensitivity...my son reacts to fluorescent or flashing lights, and some here have problems with non-LCD computer or TV screens. Gosh! You do seem to be having a severe time with your tics. My son is 14 and used to have very severe TS/OCD He tried meds for a year but hated the side effects and so for the last 3 years he has been med-free and using a combination of natural treatments which have worked wonderfully and his TS and OCD are now very mild. He also had problems with ADD and SID and again these are so much better since he has been taking extra vitamins and minerals and oither supplements that help, as well as trying to avoid junk food and artificial colors, sweeteners etc and other tic triggers. There is a great article here that explains which things have been found to make tics intensify, maybe you will find some stuff on the list that you identify with http://latitudes.org/articles/finding_triggers.htm I do feel for you Eric, as i know how my son used to suffer when things were severe....but hope you will maybe consider trying some of the things that have helped so many of us....who knows...maybe it will help your tics stabilise too! Please stay in touch with us, and let us know if there is any detailed info that you need. Again, welcome to Latitudes

the fungus that causes "yeast" infection is called CANDIDA albicans.

Hi efgh TS and schizophrenia are two very different conditions!!! TS is NOT a "mental illness" per se...it is a neurological disorder and, unless there are comorbid conditions or other specific psychological issues, most people with TS live VERY NORMAL lives except for the fact that they tic.

We just had a teaching at church tonite on the blessings that come from when God knows best! Even tho we think the prayer is unanswered...He is orchestrating everything PERFECTLY because He sees the whole outcome, not just the tiny fraction that we are praying about. It is like a tapestry...if you see it from below...there are lots of dangling threads...but from above....it is a perfect, complete and beautiful work! Claire, I join with you in praying for the best outcome possible that God has planned for you. May His peace envelop you as you wait for His perfect answer

Hi Carolyn and welcome I know that Ronna's son is on the new Bontech program and does well, except he doesnt tolerate the fish oil....hopefully she will pop in soon and give you her first hand experience. There are others here too that have experience with TS plus, mag taurate and Omega supps from Bontech. I use the old program modified with additional supps for my son's specific needs Have used it for 3 years now with great success.

Sherry you sure let the SONshine thru you I am so very glad that the Lord has brought you into our community here, and know that He will both lead you as you seek to help your child, and then use you in return to bless others here. "......for in Him we live and move and have our being...." Acts17:28

Sherry sugar cravings are often a MAJOR indicator that there is an internal Yeast problem...the yeast feeds on sugar and so depletes it from the body causing cravings. There is an excellent book on Yeast problems called The Yeast Syndrome by John P. Trowbridge & Morton Walker. ... as an aside....some people who crave alcohol have found it stops when they get rid of the yeast!! Apparantly the sugars in alcohol are a yeast favorite food As to the liquid multi...there is a VERY good one for kids made by ChildLife http://www.herbalremedies.com/mulmin8flozc.html I have a lot of respect for all of these many ChildLife products http://www.herbalremedies.com/childlife.html but your daughter may need more of an adult strength one (check this with the doc) I have heard good things about this one from ADULTS using it http://www.herbalremedies.com/supmulviat32.html but it does contain the full range of amino acids too so......check with doc first! Also NATROL & Metagenics(very good company!) make liquid multivits for kids and adults, but you would have to get a separate liquid multimineral as their's doesnt combine them Other good liquid sources of supplements are SeaSilver and CellFood but, as they have rather specialised ingredients, they really should be discussed with a knowledgable doctor first before use for children. HTH

Hello Sherry and a big welcome to Latitudes! It does sound to me that your daughter has transient tics as by now, if it were TS, one would have expected vocal tics to have manifested. It would be great if your could find a doctor who practises Integrative medicine(ie combines the training from conventional med with specialization in alternative,natural treatments) There is a guiding post on this stuck to the top of this board. Or, if your own doctor is open to alternative medicine, you could get guidance there. There are many supplements that have been shown to help tics, but the most important seem to be having a good, pure, multivitamin/mineral daily and then adding extra calcium/magnesium/zinc, vit B1 & B6 or a B-complex , Omega fatty acids(Fish,flaxseed,borage and evening primrose oils) and Taurine(an amino acid) I should point out that some people just dont handle fishoil(Omega3) well, and so do better on just the flax,borage&evening primrose. Also, some also dont tolerate a B complex, but rather need to take the individual B vitamins separately FOR EYE TICS, MANY PEOPLE HAVE FOUND THAT THE AMINO ACID L-CARNITINE HAS THE BEST RESULTS Again, I would like to stress how important I beieve it is to be working with a doctor or naturopath's guidance even with supplements. Enough people have now reported how diet and environmental things can trigger tics...whether TS or Transient....that it really should be taken more seriously by the medical community, but sadly, it is still treated with disdain by many. Still, as the lists at the top here show, there are an encouraging number of MDs who are realising that treated the root causes of illness naturally is SO much more healing than just treating symptoms with prescription drugs, that frequently add nasty side effects. If you havent read it yet, Dr Sheila Rogers, who is the person to thank for this wonderful website, has written an excellent article on Tic Triggers http://latitudes.org/articles/finding_triggers.htm Most of us here have found that food additives are major offenders, especially artificial coloring, sweeteners like aspartame(NutraSweet) & sucralose(Splenda) and preservatives, flavorings, MSG etc and HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP Also strong chemicals(household cleaners, formaldehyde, chlorine, PERFUMES and pesticides etc) can be triggers as is DUST MITE, MOLD, etc and also some pollens. Some of our members have also found photosensitivity issues that trigger tics...specifically from TV and Computer screens that are not LCD....my son finds that goinf to the movies seems to set his tics off, and also reacts to loud, sudden noises(especially very high frequencies, plus deep booming bass sounds) There are also other issues that can trigger tics. YEAST (Candida) overgrowth, especially in the digestive system is a major problem implicated in many modern illnesses. This is often brought about by antibiotic use. It can be detected by blood and urine analysis, and easily treated by correct diet and a supplement called caprylic acid MERCURY and other heavy metals can also weaken the system and trigger tics. Mercury is implicated most often because of childhood vaccinations and dental fillings (the child can get high mercury even from the mother's mercury fillings during pregnancy) again, a blood test can show these(also hair analysis) and there are supplements like chlorella and alpha-lipoic acid that help to mop up mercury. PYROLURIA is a condition that has been found to possibly cause tics to manifest. Again, urine testing for this is simple and so is the supplemental treatment. For details on this, there is a very informative thread on the BrainTalk TS Forum http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/showth...ead.php?t=10944 As you have already discovered, stress is one of the biggest tic triggers Many find chamomille tea soothing, and also taking a soak in a warm tub with 2 cups of epsom salts dissolved in the water. Well.......I hope I havent overwhelmed you with info, but have given you some helpful info to work from stay in touch Cheri