Hi all! I was diagnosed as mild aspergers at age 14. A couple months after I turned 18 I developed severe tics/ocd and have lived that way for 17 years (I'm 35 now).
I've been reading a lot in regards to the basal ganglia damage caused by strep if left untreated. Is that true? Would that include tics? Tics are by far my worst symptom I've been housebound the past 3 years and unable to function (they're literally like seizures every second). They started out as whole body thrusts then 6 years later around age 24 I developed vocal tics that have progressed into severe motor/vocal tics the past few years. Literally everything (shouting swear words/noises/stomping/slamming tables/smashing my arm against my waist, violent head/neck/shoulder jerks etc).
I've been suffering so badly I can't imagine being stuck with them for life, especially after never having them the first 18 years of my life. I seem incredibly unlucky to not only develop them but also have such an extreme disabling case.
I've done a few functional tests which have given me an insight. Gut microbiome is stuffed, seem to have a severe chronic Bartonella infection (which probably started when the tics did), but I tested my ASO last week and was surprised to see it elevated at 370UI, despite not leaving the house at all for months. Anti Dnase B was normal. OAT test also showed marker 5 elevated (mold colonization), mildly high HPHPA and succinic/fumaric were elevated etc.
I went medical keto with no improvement, found I was ige allergic to 98% of foods so I essentially gave up and went carnivore 4 weeks ago, which has also done nothing. No chemicals in the house, I installed an RO water system a year ago, clean with vinegar etc. I've lived extremely clean and got nowhere.
The tics are just severe 24/7 with no relief. I also have severe visual snow/depression fatigue as my other main symptoms.
Is it possible to recover from this ? I've heard stories of people getting better decades later from tics, but I guess it all depends on whether it's neuroinflammation or autoimmune encephalitis and I'm extremely worried given how severe they are. Feels like my brain is gone. I actually had one day this year in April where the tics disappeared for a few hours, along with my old personality returning, as though I'd woken up from a bad dream. That day is the only thing that has kept me battling. I don't think that would be possible with a damaged basal ganglia? I was literally amazed that such severe symptoms could just disappear. There seemed to be no reason for it either. I just woke up with a non irritable brain and good mood. 5 months later and every single day has been severe tics/mental . I've been doing the Buhner Protocol ever since along with so many supplements, which haven't helped in anyway.