MichaelTampa

More good and bad to report. After wearing the device for 6 days, taking out only for meals, I finally had to take it out yesterday evening, and have kept it out. I am looking to heal flesh wounds in my mouth created from wearing the device. I thought I had slowed into it early on and things were going good, but the continued wearing now seems to be a problem. It is actually not the device rubbing causing the sores, it is my upper wisdom teeth rubbing on flesh that is below/behind them, no doubt from the whole jaw replacement causing rubbing that wasn't there before, perhaps flesh that wouldn't have grown there if my jaw had been there all these years. Yikes! What a difference not wearing it! Besides just getting nervous and confused in head (probably from transition), a phlegm problem that has been around since I hit rock bottom emotionally in June last year and went on disability (inability to think/concentrate/do) and had the flu finally cleared up about a week ago (when I was wearing overnight most nights), and is back in full force this morning. Hoping to heal up soon and try to get it back in, but thinking I may need to go really slow in the beginning to prevent it from just happning again. Yikes! Also, a clue here, more benefits were really kicking in as I got to wearing overnight (meaning, almost all the time, versus just half the time). Is anybody else wearing the device having this problem of getting sores?

love_nfp, First of all, my medical coverage with Aetna is just medical coverage as well. This is through my employer, and they offer dental separately which I have taken some years, but not recently, so the MRI was definitely covered through the medical. Regarding the MRI, Dr. Sims office just gave me a paper ("prescription") that I took to the MRI place, the MRI place submitted it to my insurance, and hasn't even charged me anything yet, although I have already received the claim information from my insurance that they covered it. So, I very much believe neither Dr. Sims office nor the MRI place worked very hard. It was probably just medical diagnosis codes that did it--this is my guess anyway. I noticed on my receipts for the office visits, X-rays, and dental device, the diagnosis codes Dr. Sims used are 784.0 (cephalgia), 723.1 (cervicalgia), 784.0 (head and/or facial pain), 524.10 (mand. disc. to cranial base), 379.91 (pain in/around eye), and 388.30 (tinnitus). Perhaps these things sound medical enough and not dental enough. I was a bit surprised the MRI was covered, and will be more surprised if the rest is covered, but, who knows, maybe it will, maybe dentists are considered enough like doctors and if they are doing "medical" things, it counts.

FYI, I had my first appointment with a gastroenterologist yesterday, looking for an endoscopy and colonoscopy, which did get scheduled for a couple weeks from now. I mentioned celiac as one other possibility for things going on, and she suggested "this new test that looks at genetic and also other factors", and it turned out to be the prometheus test that jee'smom was recommending. So, that is the testing we will do in a couple weeks.

FYI, I purchased the Paracidin and also Quantum AllerCleanse, another item made by the same company--Premier Research Labs. I am still fighting candida and having gallbladder problems and sensitivities to everything, so I thought I would give these a try. It turns out these products both have many ingredients (12 for Paracidin, 24 for for AllerCleanse), not necessarily bad, just lots of herbs and AllerCleanse has enzymes as well. For me, though, with a very sensitive body, products with multiple ingredients almost always test bad with kinesiology ("muscle testing") when my acupuncturist tries to determine if they will be helpful for me. As it turns out, these both test good and I just started taking them yesterday. I am on so many products, and really seem to have turned the corner with candida about a week ago, so, I'm not sure I'll have much feedback that they were helpful or not.

Everyone's insurance is so different, but I thought I'd also share my experience so far. I had my MRI in Annapolis, Maryland (20 minutes from Dr. Sims' office). My insurance is Aetna PPO, and, it did cover the MRI, subject to the usual coinsurance and deductibles that apply for my coverage. I am still awaiting word on how much of the X-rays and the Sims office visits and the device itself will be covered. I submitted these receipts myself, and, for that, it normally takes 4-6 weeks before I find out, but I'll let you know.

Okay then, finally getting to an update. By the way, I have also finally watched the Dr. Stacks youtube video, and it looked like his work was a little more careful/deliberate than than what Dr. Sims did. For example, he let the patient try out different levels of adjustment in his home or hotel before deciding. If I knew what I know now and was deciding to go, I would probably go to Dr. Stacks instead of Dr. Sims. I got the device on July 23. I am much more calm emotionally--less anxious/nervous. My wife and I noticed this just the second day. My resting pulse measurements illustrate it too. Generally, they had been about 80 (range of 75-90). Now, they are about 70 (range of 65-80). That's quite a difference, and the difference in calmness is really wonderful too. I do have periods of real stress here and there, for some minutes or even an hour, and there are some terribly traumatic past events that can be worked on some more, but even here, now it is clear what that is, rather than just being in a constant state of nervousness the whole time and not ever really knowing why. I have been in just a better mood of happy a lot, even with a mild headache when I had one, and when things go badly at work or whatever, I have been able to have a much outlook on it and still be overall happy. I am just walking down the hallway smiling for no reason, and that is happening a lot--it's crazy! My one therapist (on the way out) noted I am not constantly having both hands on my chest by my heart, as if to try to calm myself. My other therapist (the new one) noted that my facial muscles were much more relaxed, including but not limited to area of eyes. I'd say my biggest presumed-to-be-TS-related issues have been: 1. sensitivity to fluorescent lights and other EMF's and radio waves (cell phones, wireless laptops, etc.); 2. the uncontolled anxiety/stress/nervousness/moods; and 3. all sorts of digestive problems; digesting poorly; acid reflux; food allergies; etc. My sense is that issue 1 (lights etc.) has not been helped with this, but, I am not sure. I have not really had a good test, and am kind of waiting until it seems like a good idea. Both my therapists and I are concerned about, at this time, so much conditioning of my body to react a certain way (a la Pavlov's dogs), going out and testing and getting disappointed. So, we will wait a while, and see if I can get more prepared for that. But, really, I am going to work, due to all the adjustments, I get only some exposure at work, and I think the results of mild head disturbances are happening. But, I have had headaches almost every day, even without any fluorescent light exposure, ever since getting the device. Actually, not the first couple/few days, where I was just really tired a lot, but ever since like 2-3 days later. I think a lot of that is the adjustment of bones working through. But, I started to feel really good this morning, without a headache, now I have a mild head disturbance by the end of the work day. For the fluorescent lights at work? Probably. Just another day of headaches, but a mild one, from the device? It's possible, it's just not my guess. If I had to pick one thing I was hoping the device could do, it would be help with the fluorescent lights and EMF's. This is really debilitating, limits me in so many ways of what I can do, and causes many issues beyond headaches--nightmares, acid reflux, rage attacks. Perhaps, if it can't help the headaches, maybe improvement of mood will at least limit the impact. We'll see. Issue 2 has been enormously helped, as I've said. Issue 3 has improved only very slightly the last few days. Every couple/few months I go through with my acupuncturist doctor, and she does kinesiology testing of all my supplements, to see which ones to take and how many and all that. We did this just last Friday. I had been taking 59 items, and I tested for no longer needing/tolerating 11, so now I am down to 48. Also, on 13 of the remaining items, the dosage was reduced (such as from 2 times per day to 1 time per day). After making this reduction, then my elimination improved just a little bit. It is still horrible, and I am going to a gastroenterologist tomorrow in search of some procedures that might help look for problems. It is possible there is a lot of physical damage at this point that just needs to be healed before anything like this could improve. Or, another possibility is that this will stop the process of introducing food allergies, and maybe after I fix them up, I won't keep getting them again. So, it's a little early to judge impact on digestion, but, not much so far. Those are my big-time issues, but there are other items that could be noted. The need for less supplements (primarily B vitamins and neurological related herbs/supplements) is a great sign. That was just 8 days after getting the device. Both of my therapists say my eye tics are less now. I would have said I am still having them the same amount. I think we are noticing different things. I am aware when I have the big episodes, of blinking like 10 or 20 times in 5-10 seconds, and to me, I think I have that just as much. But they both say there are more subtled eye-blinking tics I have that they see as happening much less. Dr. Sims also noted that he saw me having eye blinking tics, after being there 15 minutes, and my reaction was, to me, no you haven't, because I haven't had any since I came in here. Yet, besides those 3 people, I can't get anyone to acknowledge seeing me have eye blinking tics. Very interesting. Anyway, there's some good news here, how much depends on how you look at it. I did have a brief period of time (a few seconds) a few days ago where there was no music playing in my head. This was the first time I can ever remember this happening. Aside from that, when I am not asleep, there is music just constantly playing in my head. I would have thought it would be much more peaceful without the music, but must say, didn't notice anything like that. I have painless spasms all over my body, but very infrequently (every few days). It turns out, those are continuing. I have painful pulsing spasms in my left foot (on stomach meridian). Those are also continuing. Oh well. I still do occasionally speak in accents, and some other things like needing to finish sentences, repeat ideas, repeat phrases, etc., and all that is more or less continuing. It's hard to judge if it's reduced, but probably not substantially, at least not in my opinion. I can swallow really small pills without chewing them sometimes. This is something I was never able to do. This happened early on, from the more relaxed state, and does not have anything to do with jaw adjustment, and is not even done with the device in. (By the way, I can't eat with the thing in.) I have this thing where I will wake up from sleep or almost-sleep choking, unable to breath, but there's nothing I'm choking on. This still happens. It kept me from sleeping with the device in a couple of nights, when I have phlegm and then with the device in, the airway just seems too narrow. But now I am back, having worn it for 3 nights straight. I think it really helps to have been able to wear it overnight. Without that, still the jaw is in the wrong place about half the time (including meals). Still surprised with all these benefits from relaxed state, that I have have incredibly frequent urination and bad digestion, not helped by this. Anyone else get headaches from wearing this? Did they go away eventually?

ccc, I'm sorry to hear this has turned into something so complicated now and hope it will all turn out for you somehow. By the way, thank you very much for bringing the topic up. Getting the device has already helped me. At this time, no, not as much as I was dreaming of, but, we will see over time. Although some people may have dramatic results right away, I do believe there can still be improvement over time. I wish I had more time to give an update, it will probably be tomorrow when I get to that. There is some good and some bad to report, but I am glad I have the device. Michael

Another question I have is, what would a corn free diet have to do with celiac disease? I thought corn was gluten free. Back when I was trying to do gluten free for a while, I would use corn flour. I am battling candida, and believe I have determined that eating corn flour sets me back (is good for the candida, not for me), and that goes with the theory of mold that I remember being discussed a couple months ago. Is there more to it though, and how would it relate to celiac?

Caryn, Where would you suggest getting a celiac disease screening? Is this something to get from an MD, or someone else? Is there a specific form of the test you would recommend asking for? Michael

Hi there all, Sorry to be just now posting to give some of my experience. I see this thread has grown by a number of pages since a week ago when my wife and I began our drive to Maryland. As a caveat/reminder, I know that every TS is different, but I am truly not the "normal" TS case, in that the worst of my symptoms are not the motor/vocal tics. It is the emotional/thought tics, and the big sensitivity to fluorescent lights. Most doctors would ignore the minor visual tics and say I have an emotional problem and a light sensitivity that they have no idea what to do with. Anyway, we did go ahead and get the device for me. I got it Thursday afternoon. It is a 9 millimieter adjustment, moving my jaw downward that much. My jaw is also being adjusted one half tooth to the left and forward as well. I cannot eat with it. The 9 mm is on the high end of what Dr. Sims sees, but not out of the range. With the device in, my front top and front bottom teeth do not touch, and so ripping food with these teeth is out of the question. With the device in, the molars are covered by the device, so there is no feeling of what is being done to the teeth, and my tongue is so far down that it cannot clean the device's fake teeth or feel what is going on with the food up there. I have been experiencing some soreness and rubbing, and have not yet tried to sleep with it. My mouth is somewat adjusting, and I may try sleeping with it tonight. My eye-blinking tic does not seem to be helped. Again, for me, this is minor. I have not experienced any of the minor painless muscle spasms in arms/legs since I got the device. That's good news, but also nothing to celebrate because they never bothered me. The sharp painful spasm in my left foot is too early to judge. It really acted up with the MRI which got Tuesday afternoon, following the first appointment Tuesday morning. I am very sensitive to EMF's these days, and while some adjustment was made to fluorescent lights in Dr. Sims office, I still got some there, and of course at the MRI facility, and then the MRI itself is lots of magnetism. Anyway, it was a very difficult day which is going to take my foot some day to calm down from all that exposure, which it is doing, but it has not gone away. To top it off, I have this Philip Stein watch that radiates Schumann (sp?) frequency to keep me more grounded and emotionally stable--it helps. I have just had it about a month, and wear it by my ankle (not wrist) because I am too sensitive to touch to adjust to it there. I finally adjusted to having it on my ankle, and so I forgot about it, didn't take it off for the MRI, and remembered about 10 minutes in. I was totally freaked out! Before the MRI, there is this questionnaire that talks about how dangerous it can be to have metal in/on you during the MRI! My ankle was not in the machine, but it was close. Anyway, the tech took it off when I told him about it, but this only added to the experience. The situation of having breath stop during sleep, or almost stop during restful quiet on couch, has not happened yet, and this could mean that this problem is helped/corrected by this device. Just going a couple/few days without that is no proof yet--this didn't happen every day or anything like that. I swallowed a tablet whole for the first time in my life yesterday morning. It was small, and I still had to bite it to get the bite reflex going, but, it didn't break and I was able to swallow it whole, and, as I said, I've never ever done that before. The device was not in my mouth at the time, I do not wear to do anything with pills/food, but I do drink water with it in. By the way, it is quite an adjustment to try to speak clearly with this thing. Again, I think the 9 mm adjustment is the key, and how far the tongue is away from the roof of the mouth. It's hard to get it up to the roof to make the "s" sound, and it doesn't help that my tongue just fit before the device, and now the device is taking up some space inside the teeth as well. I don't think I bit my tongue at all yesterday. There's progress in adjusting to the device! The biting is not a tic, just with the device in, there's less room for the tongue. I must say I am glad I am going back to a job tomorrow where my skills are established and my judgment and knowledge is trusted. To start a new job with a lisp like that would probably be difficult, people do judge you based on stuff like that, even though of course it is not fair. I am going to test fluorescent light effects slowly. There is so much of the "don't think about the monkeys" going on, and I see it in trying to notice if my eye-blinking tic is still there. The flourescent lights sensitivity has grown over time. I believe my therapist thinks this relates to anticipation of the result, and I am not going to rush into a store with these lights to see what happens. My anticipation will cause the bad response. I feel I need to go slowly and get a small exposure here and there that I might tolerate anyway, and build and see what happens like that. This is really the most pressing issue for me, which I only presume is related to TS, as it's the best/only theory out there at this time. I still have music endlessly playing through my head--all the time while awake. Yes, all the time. Dr. Sims did say that it can take time, at least a couple weeks, for the emotional symptoms to be helped (he calls them OCD, as do many). He believes building up serotonin is part of that. My overall level of anxiety/nervousness really has decreased, and so does my pulse after having the device in for a while. I am expecting more good to come as I learn to sleep with the device. It's hard to put a number on this, I don't know what normal is, but there is real improvement here. We'll see how it lasts as I return to work tomorrow! Next to fluorescent lights, this is probably my biggest TS issue. Okay, well, then there's digestion. No improvement yet. However, I am going to a gastroenterologist in a couple weeks. There are real signs of problems as this really worsened a couple months ago. Anyway, with all the candida and food allergies, this device will only do so much. Maybe it can help support normal digestion once the candida is controlled and food allergies removed (again! again! again!) and the GI tract is pronounced healthy, but to expect changes at this time here seems unrealistic to me. I really do believe that Sims and Stack are on to something here that will relate to a lot of TS. I believe Sims is sincere. I really wished he believed more in energy testing and allowed me to bring in someone to help finetune the adjustments. I think he does not devote enough time to really testing and getting it just right. There are 3 dimensions of adjustments--up/down, forward/backward, and left/right. Sure, all the X-rays and MRI's are nice, but they're obviously not enough, and I blame this on the mixed results we are all seeing. To do it by observation, there are too many combinations to have someone sit through at 30 minutes each to really see what the effect is. That just seems like the harsh reality. What he could do combined with someone really skilled, like someone with Eden Energy or similar training! Try a simple adjustment, ask the body how it feels in a couple seconds, ask the body which direction to try! I will give this some time with this device as it is, but I expect to be working on arranging a local dentist here who believes in this testing or will tolerate it. We may have someone in our area who is a dentist who will believe in it and do it (but he has fluorescent lights everywhere--ugh!). If not, a combination of a good dentist who is eager to learn and who will tolerate another expert helping out (my acupuncturist who is very skilled at energy testing) is what I'll be looking for. That's it for now! In short, mixed results, symptom number 1 not tested yet, some help, it really can take time for me, we'll see. This is probably it for me on the computer today, but will be happy to answer any questions tomorrow or whenever. Michael

Faith, Wondering when your appointment is and if we'll see you there. My appointment is also on the 21st. It's at 9AM. I'm 41, will be there with my wife. She is just coming along for the ride, I am the one going for treatment. We are driving up from Tampa. Fluorescent lights cause too much of a problem for me these days that the idea of flying up was not really an option. Michael

melanie, As far as I have kept track from the posts, Gemi was the first one from this board to go. But then someone was scheduled for Monday and then someone else on Tuesday and then me on the 21st. So hopefully we'll be hearing more this coming week. Michael

Bonnie, I am a vegan, and I take DHA and EPA that is not from fish. It is Spectrum flax oil with DHA and EPA. They get the DHA and EPA from algae and add it to the flax oil. Spectrum makes quite a lot of different flax oils, and they are available in many health food stores. Another option out there that I do not take (I tested bad for it) is Dr. Fuhrman's product called "DHA Purity". It is vegan, again derived from algae. This is really just a spray with the DHA. It is not flax oil. Just wanted to let you know in case you had not run across these options. Michael

Just to tell you what I have heard. I have an appointment in a couple weeks. The original cost is the $300 or so dollar amount. The total cost is in the $5000 range. It is very possible the device itself is in the $3000 range. The total cost includes the $300 or so for the first visit, and another $300 or so for the second visit, and the cost of X-rays (and maybe MRI's, I don't remember). But, anyway, the point is, there's the cost of the device, but then a number of other things and it does add up to the $5000 or so. I was also told that the first visit, just the $300 or so, is what's needed to determine if the device will work. What they have said is that all the other stuff is only done after that information and decision has been made. Michael

Thanks for the update. Gosh, that's quite a few complications that developed. I'm sorry to hear about all that, and hope you can sort through it. Yes, tourette's does go away for many children before they become adults, and this all fits the possibility of as the bones finish growing, they end up in good places in the end. That's a tough situation to work through, you don't know what's going to happen, do you tough it out hoping it gets better, or do something now. I'm sure we're all pulling for you, hoping you can figure that out somehow. For those that are interested, I have made an appointment for July 21. My wife and I will drive up from Tampa. Most of my tics are the emotional/thought tics (things that end up looking like anxiety, depression, bipolar, OCD, ...). That has the added complication of, it may not be so easy to know if the tics go away just like that, versus someone who is constantly having motor tics. I am considering hiring a local acupuncturist or someone like that to be there and help out with some energy testing in terms of answering the, "is this better", "is that better" questions. Thanks for pointing out, it seems like it's not just the trigeminal nerve (#5), it can be others involved as well. When you have time, can you explain more about the situation of your doctor ordering the MRI's? Is this something where you called your doctor? I'm wondering if I should be trying to visit a local doctor before going there. I'm a bit confused about how the logistics of that all work out.

I would think to not lose hope so quickly on natural treatments. My guess is that your neurologist is, just like most medical doctors, an idiot (or, to be more nice about it, simply has little understanding about nutrition and how the body works). A standard doctor's view of these tests is to look for a serious deficiency, based on standard measurements. What is missing in that viewpoint is that individuals have individual needs, and there is no big thick line between "normal" and "seriously deficient". There are lots of in between values, and certainly there is plenty of possibility for improvement in function for people that don't fit into that "seriously deficient" for the "average person" category. Michael

Myrose, Your earlier post on this thread--post 38--contained a report, where he did state that it helped related symptoms, not just tics. Thank you so much for posting it by the way, I was happy to read it and pass it on to a couple of my doctors. This claim was on page 7. It was interesting how it was written, and wonder if it was a mistake in language. It says, quoting, "This procedure eliminates the chronic noxious stimuli into the CNS via the auriculotemporal nerve, by decreasing and/or eliminating the movement disorder involving tics and the associated co-morbid conditions." If I understand correctly, this is actually saying that the procedure reduces the tics and related conditions, and as a result, it eliminates the noxious stimuli into the CNS. I can't help but think he meant to say the reverse--that eliminating the noxious stimuli reduces the tics and related conditions--this reverse meaning would be given by changing the word "by" to a "thereby" or a "therefore". In any event, the claim is made that the related symptoms are reduced, and it makes sense to me, that, if this has any merit at all, it would reduce the related symptoms too. These "co-morbid symptoms", that so many people talk about and treat as if they are entirely different conditions, are actually caused by the same neurological problems (whether it's a compressed nerve as Dr. Sims believes, or something else), and so it is reasonable to expect they would be helped as well. Michael

Has anyone spoken with Dr. Sims regarding adults with Tourette's, if his approach can work for them? Would you just wear the device always? I am guessing for kids, there could be hope that when the face and jaw grow to their final form, you might not need the device anymore? Michael

I'll give you my thoughts as an adult with no kids, but who played competitive tennis as a child, including going to tennis camps and lessons, and then in high school and college. Reacting in that way to playing poorly during a lesson or clinic is definitely not something that would normally happen. I have seen crying after matches and tournaments and the like. While that is uncommon, it happens enough that I've seen it a number of times here and there. I have seen this crying at various ages, and one of my high school teammates was someone I saw crying many times out of a disappointing loss. To take a wild guess, I wonder if he was really disappointed he lost in the finals, and then wanted to learn and improve so he could win next time, and so he felt like he had a lot riding on the lessons, and then they went poorly, and he concluded he wasn't going to be able to improve the way he wanted to?

My "tics" are primarily the uncontrolled emotions and thoughts, that most people classify as the comorbid conditions of anxiety/depression/bipolar, and I take the 5HTP and GABA (along with many many other things) with the idea of providing the body with the nutrition it needs. I have bad digestion, lots of allergies/sensitivities, and so I know I don't get much from food. The 5HTP and GABA are things that I have noticed that they help lessen anxiety. Not a lot, just a little. I take 1000 mg GABA and 100 mg 5HTP each day, although it is split up--half at breakfast and half at lunch. Although many take tryptophan at night, and probably it is common to take 5HTP at night, my sense is it interferes with my sleep, just like taking tryptophan absolutely wired me up. I hear that GABA and 5HTP are important to balance in your body in the right ratio to each other. Not suggesting my ratio is best for others--my doctors tests me for what to take--but suggesting people consider if they want both or just one.

I currently take 5HTP with GABA, and do okay with it. I have tried tryptophan to help be calm and relaxed, and also as I am a vegan, it is an amino acid I probably get less of in my diet than most. It made me so wired and awake, it was unbelievable. I took it in the evening, and probably only slept 60 minutes the whole night. I tried again with similar results, and haven't tried it since. I hear talk on this board occasionally of amino acids being problems, and it makes me wonder if there is an amino acid allergy/sensitivity that I am dealing with. Certainly interested in hearing any other experiences with tryptophan and thoughts on what these adverse reactions could be about.

Like some others, I am skeptical and hopeful about the idea of this working, but not wanting to get my hopes too high. But, I can see how something that would work with the physical tics would also work with the "comorbid" conditions such as OCD and depression and bipolar and anxiety. Influenced by the doctor that diagnosed me, I come from the school of looking at these other conditions as really just TS symptoms--NOT other conditions. This approach looks at TS as uncontrolled movements (motor tics), uncontrolled vocalizations (vocal tics), uncontrolled thoughts (thought tics), and uncontrolled emotions (emotion tics). Certain combinations of thought tics and emotion tics end up looking like OCD and other mental disorders, but, are actually neurologically based, just like the physical tics. So, if you have something that can relieve all sorts of various physical tics in the body, it is likely fixing the neurological problem, and, if so, I would expect it to fix these other "comorbid" conditions, since they stem from the same neurological basis. Well, that's my belief anyway.

Hi there, Just eager to get a look at the presentations that were made there. I was not healthy enough to attend, am kind of looking at what avenue of treatment to head down next, and was hoping there might be some information in there to help me make the best decision. Anyone know when they are expected to become available? (Or, by chance, did I miss it and are they already available?) Michael

I am only one in my family with Tourette's, and, while I'm sure there are many families with multiple cases, there probably are a number of families with just one case. About the OCD, the doctor that diagnosed me looks at all the psychiatric-like comorbid conditions of Tourette's (like depression, OCD, bipolar) as really part of the Tourette's--not a separate condition. While many look at Tourette's as uncontrolled movements or uncontrolled vocalizations, he adds two more things to the list--uncontrolled emotions and uncontrolled thoughts. It is just a pattern of some system in the body doing something out of control. Without a doctor with this view, I would never have been diagnosed with Tourette's, because my movements/vocalizations are so minor. But, if you look at the totality of my case and compare them with lists of Tourette's symptoms, you would see a perfect fit. The diagnosis explained many things that were previously a mystery. It sometimes looks like I have depression, and sometimes OCD, and sometimes bipolar. The symptoms can be identical, so you can call it depression/OCD/bipolar if you want, albeit temporary. But, the thing is, it comes from a different source within the body (neurological vs. psychiatric). And that matters when you look at how to treat it. For example, while fluoxetine may help depression, for those with Tourette's exhibiting depression, it will not help, but put things in a different worse direction. (This is what my doctor said, but, I will say, before I went to him, I had tried fluoxetine for depression, and it did put things way off course and definitely worse.) Maybe you really do have OCD, I cannot say. But, I would suggest you consider the possibility that this may all really be a part of the Tourette's. By the way, your mentioning of tightening up and breathing reminds me of a breathing problem I have. Sounds like it is probably different, but I'll note a little similarity, and am curious if others with Tourette's experience this. Anyway--some nights, when I am just falling asleep, I will awake abruptly and not be able to breathe. I believe it is the stopping breathing that causes the wakening up, but it happens fast and is hard to be sure on that. I am fighting for 10-30 seconds, sounds like wheezing, where I am really making deep inhaling and exhaling movements with a noise, just fighting to have air go through either way, and eventually it does ... at least so far. It is extremely frightening. Sound familiar to anyone? It is a question I ask myself--is this from Tourette's or some other problem, like sleep apnea.

I have bought them at health food stores. I'm not sure where else.