FedUp

My younger son is also 19 and about 3 years ago he started having a lot of trouble in school; it wasn't that he didn't know the material, he couldn't concentrate and he was having difficulty with comprehension. He would put in the effort but not see the results. He does have mild TS but is not being treated for it, however he was diagnosed with ADD and some mild OCD. After trying several ADD meds, he seems very happy with the Adderal XR. When my older one heard about this, he mentioned that he has had trouble focusing for years as well. He was then diagnosed and find the Adderal helpful. Both only take it during school and not on weekends or summer because they don't like the way it affects them other than being able to focus. The younger one was still having trouble with comprehension so after he graduated HS and before he started college, I had him tested. We now know that he has a mild form of Aspergers which explains a lot of his behavior growing up and why he was having trouble comprehending (he tends to focus on details and misses the bigger picture which is also why those with Aspergers have trouble with relationships; they don't read people well). Anyway, if your son is complaining about focus, he may get a lot of relief with some of the ADD medications available now. Good luck!

My answer to the question of whether or not it is irritating & annoying to the person that has the tics is YES. I was not diagnosed until I was 27 yrs old and my husband read an article about the baseball player Jim Eisenreich. I knew there was something wrong with me but I grew up at a time when it wasn't "in" to see a psychiatrist or get help and my mother couldn't admit that something could be wrong with one of her children. I BEGGED for help when I got home after my freshman year of college and was sent to a hypnotist and a behaviorist, neither of which helped nor did either ever suggest the word Tourettes. Growing up I was constantly told to "stop it" and my parents thought I would make little noises or tic to get attention. When my husband told me about the baseball player, I immediately went to the library (this was 1987 and there was no internet access available). I read about TS and cried as I read my life before me. I was 9 weeks pregnant with my first child and began my journey of confirming the diagnosis. The first neurologist I went to had NEVER HEARD OF TS! I was dumbfounded! How could I have expected my teachers to pick it up or know anything about it if the neurologist didn't! He was an older man so I researched and ended up at a prominent hospital where someone was supposedly well versed in it. I was sent for genetic counseling to learn about the hereditary nature of the disorder and what the odds were. After my son was born I was put on Haldol. That started many years of tweaking and trying different meds. Back to the issue of whether or not the tics are annoying; I have a relatively mild case. I was a straight A student and graduated summa cum laude from a good university and my tics have ALWAYS interfered with my life because they interfere with my self esteem. Maybe that comes from my parents not knowing enough to know what was wrong or acknowledge there was something wrong, but it has affected many areas. Yes, I married and have two great kids but I am constantly aware of my tics. I've been divorced for 11 years (unrelated to the disorder) and am constantly afraid of starting the dating process and having to explain. It is the most horrible feeling to go to a movie theater (movies are my passion) and have someone next to me get up and find another seat, although I will admit that is better than those that turn around and say something nasty. It is difficult to hold back both the tears and anger. Six years ago I had to have titanium plates put in my neck because I had severe herniation and the discs were crushing my spinal chord. I am convinced this is a result of my tics because I had no trauma and I know other TS patients that have had the same surgery. I absorb most of my tics in my upper body and suffer from constant muscle spasms and pain. I truly feel the battering my neck has had over the years was the cause for the damage done. Have you ever tried to use the new voice activated telephone prompt systems with TS? "I'm sorry, I did not understand, please say ONE or TWO"..ugh! So, yes, I am aware and irritated and annoyed by my own tics and I can only imagine how others feel. My close friends and family barely notice anymore because they are used to it and I control it more when I am around others. Fortunately, neither of my sons had learning problems which was one of the things the genetic counselor advised could happen. They both have mild ADD (but half of the population seems to have that these days) and my younger one has some mild tics. I have always been very careful not to criticize and been open to getting him help if and when he wants it. He tried meds but didn't like them and is okay dealing with the little he has. It breaks my heart when I look over and see him ticking. Sorry for rambling. As my name here states, I am fedup and looking for a solution. I literally just took my first dose of Strattera today in hopes that this will help. I haven't changed my medications in years so my fingers are crossed.

wOW. That's a lot to swallow (pun intended!) Does your son take all of these every day? How many actual pills is it? I don't tolerate fish oil as it always makes me nauseous. I used to take zinc and magnesium but didn't seem to tolerate that well either but I can try it again; it has been awhile. I do grind my teeth terribly (my kids do as well) so I will definitely try the Bcomplex and the magnesium again. I have told both of my kids about that as well since they both grind. Is it recommended to start all of these supplements at the same time, or introduce them one at a time? Is it safe to introduce them while weaning off of meds or should it start after totally med free? Thanks

Yep, one in the morning and one at bedtime. Note that this was prescribed by a psychiatrist and not a neurologist. She said if the Provigil helped me feel less drowsy in the afternoons then she would remove either the clonidine or tenex but at this point I don't know what to think. Don't forget the prozac which can make people tired too! I would love to be med free; I get very upset and stressed out when a doctor prescribes another medication; I am not a pill person and I get very frustrated when I have to start something else. Just today I am supposed to start taking Zantac at bedtime and another med (forget name) before breakfast and dinner because I saw an ENT for trouble swallowing and congestion. He said I have Silent Reflux (add it to the list!) It just hit me, is it possible that I do have that candida infection and that is causing my swallowing and throat congestion problem? Hmmmm So, again, is there a specific type of doctor I should be seeing to manage all of this or is that just a dream?

Thank you. I will check out the link. If I had a yeast infection in my GIT, wouldn't that have been detected over the years? Or are you saying recently and that could be causing the increased tics? What type of doctor should I consult with to get all these tests or do I have to go to different ones? I had a scratch test done for allergies years ago and tested most allergic to cats (I don't have any) and a multitude of grasses, trees, pollen, etc. I don't know if that carries over into food products that come from trees for example or not but do I go to an allergist or what? Of course my insurance just changed this month from a PPO to an HMO so I guess I will have to go through the family doctor no matter what but I want to be informed as to what I should demand to have done. I read about the IgG testing, is that something I should have done? (especially with a lot of autoimmune in the family) I'm looking in to the NAET locally. I can take the vitamins (I do take a multi vitamin daily). I know part of it is the stress over being frustrated with the whole thing but I still would like to hear from anyone as to whether or not it is possible to re-direct a particular tic even if it becomes a different movement. Thanks again.

Hi, I'm new here and a bit overwhelmed trying familiarize myself with all of the topics. I find a lot of posts refer to children with TS. I am a 47 year old female who was not diagnosed until I was 27 even though onset was around age 9. Fortunately, I was always considered a mild case and it did not affect my grades, I married, had two children and was always successful in my work. I have now been divorced for 11 years. Over the past few years I have noticed an increase in my tics and over the past few months I have noticed a significant increase. Although my tics have changed over the years, the majority of them have been relatively the same for many years now, just noticeably increased. My biggest frustration now is that one of my tics has evolved as a way to disguise other tics and it involves my breathing. My stomach contracts, forcing all the air out "collapsing" my diaphragm and I constantly feel out of breath. I am on several medications including Prozac 40mg/day, Tenex 1mg (2 in am), Clonidine .1 (2 at bedtime) and recently I started taking Provigil because I was always fatigued. I do believe the Provigil does exacerbate the tics but it keeps me awake. I can stop taking it but since the tics have been so bad anyway I figure I may as well stay awake. I have tried other medications in the past but nothing ever has seemed to do much. I am completely fedup and at my wits end. This now affects my social life, my self esteem and I feel it may begin to affect my professional life as I changed careers last year and I feel my tics are holding me back from some things I need to do in order to be successful in my new venture. Someone read a post of mine on another forum and referred me here to look into some natural treatments and dietary options and I have read many posts. I would not know where or how to begin this. I also read that there are some tests that can be done to test for allergies and I am interested in finding out more about that. I have done a lot of research and reading over the past few days and am intrigued now by the possible link to autoimmune issues related to neurological disorders. There is a TON of autoimmune disorders in my family and I guess I am not surprised to learn of this. I would appreciate any advice anyone can provide for someone in my situation. I am even embarrassed in front of my son because my tics are so out of control (he also has a mild case of TS along with OCD but that's another story). I sometimes go through horrible tic episodes and then all I can do is cry. I don't think I tic in my sleep although I did have a sleep study done due to the fatigue and was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea so I now wonder if that is really just my stomach tic in action while I sleep because sometimes I feel like I do stop breathing when that tic gets bad. I used to wake up feeling relaxed and my tics didn't seem to start right away but lately as soon as I wake up they start. I don't know if it is just a ball rolling down hill picking up speed and I am more stressed over the entire situation or what. I think even if there was a way to train myself to replace this tic causing me breathing problems with something else I think it would be helpful. Can hypnosis retrain the urge so the tic will manifest itself in a different manner? I don't know but I am open to suggestions. Please help! Thank you.