Olivia

Hi Melanie, I agree with Chemar. No neuroleptics, they caused this tourette's problem for us, you don't need more problems. There are many legal cases againist these medicaitons, they have been misrepresented. Find another doctor. Olivia

It has taken me a few days to get into this website again. Anyway, my son had his blood tests through Laboratory Corporation of America, we had a Serotonin, Serum test done which cost $284. Hope this is helpful. Olivia

Hi Guy and Kim, I have been so busy, haven't been able to go online. I'll look back into our medical records and find the name of the tests and the labs who did them. It was done in San Francisco, but will get more details for you. Olivia

Hi Guy and Kim, I have been so busy, haven't been able to go online. I'll look back into our medical records and find the name of the tests and the labs who did them. It was done in San Francisco, but will get more details for you. Olivia

Guy, Yes you can get blood tests for dopamine and serotonin. When my son was put on supplements we could see that the dopamine was increasing, which is what he was very low in. Olivia

[ Kim and Guy, The doctor has said he has Tourette's. He has a vocal tic and spontaneous movements with his arms and hands. Regarding the blood work, he should have been tested for levels of dopamine and serotonin, and cortisol before being given these drugs in my opinion. These brain chemicals were way out of balance and we had no idea until we worked with a mind, body oriental medicine center where they tested for these things. A neuropsychiatrist we consulted with later said risperdal was making things worse for him and said that his system was so sensitive that he could only handle naturopathic interventions. I think what was most disturbing to me about the response I was getting from the doctors I consulted with was a lack of curiosity or interest in what was causing it. At UCLA, who was monitoring his intake and initiated the taking of Risperdal, the doctor shrugged and just said it couldn't be tardive dyskenesia because he had only been on it 4 months. I have found out that it can come on after one dosage. A neurologist gave me another non answer that was incorrect. They pretty much dispense medication and never suggest other methods of treatment. I decided to rely on myself to do the research and find another way to go. It hasn't been easy but I have had more success. I don't think the medications are safe, brain research is not even advanceded enough at this time. I have heard that neuroleptics can take 15 years off a person's life. The good news is that with supplements, cognitive training, good diet and exercise, I think many things going on in the brain can be helped. Olivia quote name=kim' date='Mar 31 2009, 07:01 AM' post='31516] Olivia, Your very welcome! Wondering if you could tell us what they saw in the blood work that was helpful? Sure can relate to the anger over noone acknowledging the movement being drug induced. Seems the undesirable side effects of modern medicine are far too rarely reported. Guy, Some articles say that TD movements can be indistinguishable from the original movements. I don't think it is strictly limited to the face/mouth/tongue, maybe just most common in this area? As in Olivia's son's case, if they aren't even acknowledging it, how often do you think it's reported and how accurate of info do you think people are really getting? Makes ya wonder.

Dear Melanie, I just saw your post today and wanted to write. Don't listen to that doctor, there are a variety of ways to help your child. Having a doctor like that is so demoralizing, she is not supportive and encouraging. Anyway, if you go to the website: Alternative mental health/Safe Harbor, you can find some alternative professionals who will help you with this. My son developed his tics from Risperdal, a neuroleptic. There are many great supplements and methods to help your child that won't be as hard and potentially as harmful to him. I believe that brain research is fairly new and there is more knowledge all the time that will bring answers and solutions. Unfortunately I met with many doctors like yours and became very frustrated. There are wonderful people out there who will be helpful and have ideas that can really help. All the best, Olivia quote name='melanie' date='Mar 23 2009, 04:08 PM' post='31249'] Hi everyone thanks for reading my post and for being here im sad today Well I called the dr to ask about the tenex she raised the dossage to 3mg daily she says thats even a low dose and I should try a neuroleptic again any way I asked her when will this get a little better and she said never i ALMOST DIED i thought this would at some point get a little better should i continue with a dr whho has no hope or listen to drs who have me try a million different things maybe I dshould start him on a different diet I need instructions exactly what to do Should i have him allergy tested he has a dan dr good one should he be testing for something or should I just give into tourettes and the cursing and anger what should I do I am not any further with this then i was 1 yr ago maybe worse Melanie

Hi Kim, Well maybe that was part of his problem. He has never seemed to have a problem with lactose, but we recently had blood tests of possible difficulties and we found he should not have dairy products. Good thinking! Unfortunately the doctors don't take the time to inquire about any of this. Thanks Kim Olivia

Hi Kim, Thank you for your kind words and references to articles. Actually he did not have TS at all before taking the Risperdal. My son originally was given zoloft as an anti-depressant, which was upped in dosage, too high, and he begin to have occasionally rages. To counteract the rages he was given Risperdal, absolutely the wrong medication for him. 4 months on Risperdal and then he had the Tourette's tics from the withdrawal. I shall study those articles and try some of the suggested supplements. Interestingly, the hand movements stopped, but we now have the vocal tic. I believe it will slowly improve with supplements and the cognitive skill focused activities he is trying now. Thanks again for caring. I have always been very cautious about medications, but he was just given Risperdal without any warnings or investigation by the psychiatrist. One thing I learned in hind sight is that there were no blood tests done prior to giving him these medications, if they had they could have seen he should not have had them. It was even more upsetting to have no doctor admit that this was a side effect of this medication. I had to call the company who made Risperdal to validate my guess. We all need to be better educated about these drugs, the doctors are too eager to use them on everyone. For heaven's sake look at our TV ads, they are encouraging every one watching to ask their doctors if they need a drug. I'm wondering if you have read any of the studies on Pub med? I copied the titles, the year, and the "conclusion" line for a few of them. Maybe you know all of this (or more) but in case you don't, hope it helps. There are many more. I just went to Pub med http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ typed the words ... tardive dykinesia vitamins...and hit GO here are a few. Pyridoxal refers to a form of B6 (P5P) in the first study 2008 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1867024...Pubmed_RVDocSum Pyridoxal plasma level in schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients with and without tardive dyskinesia CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that schizophrenic and schizoaffective male patients with TD have lower PLP plasma levels than non-TD patients. 2005 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1805255...Pubmed_RVDocSum High serum homocysteine levels in young male schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients with tardive parkinsonism and/or tardive dyskinesia. RESULTS: Men with TMD (demonstrating tardive parkinsonism and/or TD) had significantly higher mean serum total homocysteine levels compared to sex- and age group-matched controls. The difference between groups was almost entirely attributable to the homocysteine levels of young male patients (age group, 19-40 years old) with TMD. CONCLUSION: High serum total homocysteine level may constitute a risk factor for certain variants of TMD, especially in young schizophrenic or schizo-affective male patients. Further prospective studies are needed to clarify these findings Vitamin B6 treatment for tardive dyskinesia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. CONCLUSION: Vitamin B(6) appears to be effective in reducing symptoms of TD. The specific mechanisms by which vitamin B(6) attenuates symptoms of TD are not clear. 2004 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1470995...Pubmed_RVDocSum The effect of vitamin E treatment on tardive dyskinesia and blood superoxide dismutase: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. These results support earlier findings of the efficacy of vitamin E in the treatment of TD. Moreover, the efficacy of vitamin E may be due to its ability to increase SOD level, which may reduce oxidative injure in tardive dyskinesia.

Please be very careful about allowing your children to take Risperdal. My son has developed a Tourette's problem as a side effect of taking this drug. My son was 28 when he was put on this drug. He was put on it because the Zoloft, the anti depressant they gave him caused him to have rages, which he had never experienced before. To calm him he was given Risperdal. While on Risperdal he gained about 20 pounds very quickly. After 4 months his was throwing it up and could not tolerate it. We cut it down as slowly as possible due to his reaction we had to stop it. Within 3 weeks, he was twisting his wrists and flipping his hands uncontrollably and muttering "Jesus Christ" over and over. It's taken over a year to stop the hand twisting. Now he has a vocal tic and makes repetitive movements with his arms spontaneously. His doctor at UCLA said he didn't know why he had those symptoms, neither did a neurologist whom we paid $350 for a visit. I called the company that makes Risperdal and they said it could cause those side effects but they had no cure. I am on the look out for alternative medical solutions and feeling very disappointed with our mental health professionals. Ollivia