Detox diet - Blogging our journey

[KevinInMA]

Too late.... I didn't think of that. Hopefully we won't see much of a affect.

[KazBax]

Hi there. This is actually my very first post on here! I have been lurking on the site for a week or two when I have time, reading through various topics and posts, gathering information, and the last couple of days have been reading through your blog. My heart goes out to you and kudos to your determination and perseverance in creating this new diet for your son. I will definitely continue to follow your journey, as I may have to begin a detox diet for my daughter at some point.

 

I have recently (within the past two weeks) self-diagnosed my DD10 with tics/mild TS. I am about to post her story in a few minutes and begin our journey towards relieving the tics.

 

Kat

[KevinInMA]

Hi Kat,

Welcome to the group. There is certainly a LOT of information here and a bunch of very helpful people. It's really a great support group for parents trying to figure this all out.

 

One thing I can tell you, and I have a feeling many would agree, is that if I knew then what I know now, I would NEVER EVER have taken him to a neurologist. I'm totally not convinced that the Tenex that my son is on is actually helping him just like I'm not convinced that the Nexium that I'm on is actually helping me. Coming off it at this point would be more complicated than staying on (for both of is) until we get the dietary changes worked out so I'm going to keep on it for a little longer. I AM, however, looking forward to our appointment with his neuro in March and telling him to suck it. Of course, if there isn't any marked improvement by then, I won't be quite that harsh but we're learning so much even in the just the past few weeks.

 

It just kills me that the route to healing that we're taking is virtually never considered by doctors. I know this is working. It's just incredible challenging and daunting a task and everyone has to be bought off on it for it to be successful. It takes a very strong willed kid to do this. I got lucky. Very lucky.

 

Brandons diet is extreme. I don't think it's necessary to go full-out like this. It would just take a lot longer any other way.

 

Good luck to your and your daughter. I hope you get it worked out.

[KevinInMA]

Great day. One B+ and the rest A's! He's having a great year. I never thought he's accomplish this much so soon after the ridiculousness that was last year. So proud of this kid.

TIcs at a minimal again.

Just like last time, it came on quick, hung around a while, then disappeared quick.

[mommyfor4]

Hi Kat,

Welcome to the group. There is certainly a LOT of information here and a bunch of very helpful people. It's really a great support group for parents trying to figure this all out.

 

One thing I can tell you, and I have a feeling many would agree, is that if I knew then what I know now, I would NEVER EVER have taken him to a neurologist. I'm totally not convinced that the Tenex that my son is on is actually helping him just like I'm not convinced that the Nexium that I'm on is actually helping me. Coming off it at this point would be more complicated than staying on (for both of is) until we get the dietary changes worked out so I'm going to keep on it for a little longer. I AM, however, looking forward to our appointment with his neuro in March and telling him to suck it. Of course, if there isn't any marked improvement by then, I won't be quite that harsh but we're learning so much even in the just the past few weeks.

 

It just kills me that the route to healing that we're taking is virtually never considered by doctors. I know this is working. It's just incredible challenging and daunting a task and everyone has to be bought off on it for it to be successful. It takes a very strong willed kid to do this. I got lucky. Very lucky.

 

Brandons diet is extreme. I don't think it's necessary to go full-out like this. It would just take a lot longer any other way.

 

Good luck to your and your daughter. I hope you get it worked out.

 

This post made me crack up How many times haven't many of us wanted to tell a neurologist, or other dr. to shove it??!! Thanks for the laugh...good to hear things are still going well and the grades to top it off....

 

Megan

[KevinInMA]

HA! Thanks, Megan.

 

The reality behind that, though, is that if we do get to that point where it's totally clear that medical science is of absolutely no use to us in this case, I've got to be REALLY committed to telling this guy off if I'm going to drive 40 minutes each way with my kid in tow...

[mommyfor4]

HA! Thanks, Megan.

 

The reality behind that, though, is that if we do get to that point where it's totally clear that medical science is of absolutely no use to us in this case, I've got to be REALLY committed to telling this guy off if I'm going to drive 40 minutes each way with my kid in tow...

 

LOL

[KevinInMA]

Oh, one other interesting note- When it gets to this minimal level and the cough comes very infrequently, I find that having him blow his nose helps. There's definitely something in there. He sniffles and you can hear stuff. It's not much but it stops the coughing. WHen he's tic'ing normally (like over the weekend) the nose blowing doesn't help. Only when it's at a minimum.

 

 

Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

 

 

ETA: The breathing thing is still hanging around and the eye rolling, although at a minimum, is still around too. I think those two things (being the most recent tics) were the longest holdouts last time and probably will be this time.

Edited December 2, 2010 by KevinInMA

[Rick43]

Kevin,

 

I'm really starting to suspect salicylates for myself now too. I keep forgetting to check that huge list before eating and today I had a bunch of organic mustard (no MSG). I started having a vocal tic again that is finally dying down... thank goodness.

 

I have got to commit that list of "high" and "very high" foods to memory.

 

I also stopped the blue-berries and I THINK it's making a difference.

 

I'm writing because I'm actually finding it very surprising that this appears to playing out this way. I would have thought it was about dairy, wheat, soy, corn, artificials, etc. (Note: I have not yet had any dairy, wheat, or soy since I started Oct 2nd, so those could also be an issue - I have been very hesitant to add them back in.)

 

Time will tell, I suppose...

 

One other question for everyone that reads this thread: Do any of your kids seem to experience OCD symptoms on occasion? the OCD forum is generally much quieter (chemar is there, thank goodness ) and I definitely feel I have both and that they almost alternate. Ie, TS one or more days, OCD the next few days....

 

I ask this because all web sites I read suggest that it is very, very common for people with TS to also have some form of OCD.

 

Take care

Rick

[KevinInMA]

Hmm... Well, during downtime the cough is pretty much gone. During activity (gym and active playing) it's back in full force. Other tics are not around at all.

I'm wondering if he's starting to get the same cold the rest of us here have that is causing a little chest congestion and we're just mistaking one kind of cough for another. It's like the homonym of the human body.

 

I'm not too concerned. Just trying to keep him as hydrated as possible. He doesn't drink enough, I know it.

[KevinInMA]

Improvements continue. There don't appear to have been any affects from the barrage of vaccines. His immune system seems to be very strong now. This cold that has gone around our house twice in the past month seems to have passed him over. If it's hitting him, he's not showing MUCH for symptoms.

 

Cough in at an extreme minimum today. Other tics are non-existent.

 

Wen't out for Japanese last night- the kind where they cook at your table. He was pretty much allowed everything in there except whatever was in the sauces that they provided. They also cook in butter. No affects.

 

As far as treatments- I read through this step-by- step process and we're pretty much already doing everything on this list. It's an interesting read.

http://salicylatesensitivity.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=148&page=1#Item_0

 

 

This fascinating process continues to surprise me. I looked for an epsom lotion since my son doesn't like baths. The only one I found was Epsom-It and it contains Methyl Salicylate. I don't know what that it but it seems to hit too close to home for me. I understand you can make your own using a standard lotion and epsom salts. I may try that... Just to see...

[Chrisnick]

OMG this journey is so enlightening! My son (6) was diagnosed with TS in 2009 and we have been struggling ever since. We have been to numerous Ped Neurologists, allergist, psychologist, neuropsychologist to no avail. He has been on several different medications to which none of them have worked. They only had negative effects on him - weight gain, staring into space etc. We finally found a holistic Pediatrician who ordered several different tests (stool, blood and urine) - and I might add NONE of the neurologists ordered one single test to see if it has anything to do with allergies/food sensitivities etc...all said that one thing had nothing to do with the other. We are waiting for the test results from the Hol ped to come back - we have an appt on the 16th to discuss results. I am HOPING beyond hope that food/additives/sensitivities etc is the answer. My son is so very tired of his tics and comments that he hates his life - breaks a mother's heart to hear that. and to know there is nothing I can do IMMEDIATELY to make them go away. He is a trooper tho. I started my own (as amateurish as it is) detox diet..NOTHING like yours tho. I am hoping to get guidance from the holistic ped as to what he needs to stay away from. She did some sort of IgG testing (I think that is what it is called). I am crossing my fingers for any information.

 

I just want to say that I think you are doing such as awesome job at helping your son. I must say he is such a strong person with all the dietary changes and restrictions he has.

 

I am going to keep reading....keep updating us!

[KevinInMA]

Hi Chris,

You'll notice a LOT of people here have gone through a lot of what you've gone through only to find that conventional medicine isn't the answer. My wife is a hospital exec. so you can imagine the pushback I got when I told her we were doing this. She's convinced now! MWAA-HAHAHAHA!

 

Changing his diet was complicated, of course, but the way I looked at it was- we're doing this with or without his consent. As a parent you have to make some tough decisions. Your kid might hate you for doing this in the short term but at some point he'll realize that you made the right decision. Brandon comes up to us every now and then now and in a VERY excited tone says stuff like "I haven't coughed or anything at all today!"

He totally knows the difference it's made. Then, of course, he says something like "Can I have some cookies now that it's over???" Of course, I have to go back to explaining the concept of sensitivities and how we're SLOWLY going to work in some different things. Kids are smart and they'll understand what you're doing at some point, but being the parent means having to make the decisions that totally suck. I'm sure you know that.

 

I'm sure there are other ways of going about what we did here. Probably methods that aren't quite as restrictive (though I've read about some that are WAY more restrictive). I figured we would put his fate in the hands of someone who has experienced in fixing this and if he wanted to take his aggressions out on someone he could take them out on his nutritionist, which he did. He cried to her a lot but in the end he knows its for the best.

 

Kids are smart. I hope you get some answers from the pedi!

[mommyfor4]

Hey Kevin, so after your son's waxing on apples, we also eliminated all of them as I had suspected them for awhile. Yesterday he had his first apple in about a month and doesn't his cough and throat clearing tic re-emerge almost instantly! Definately convinced, but yet he does fine with blueberries and some other salicylate high foods?! Will continue to watch for others but thought you might appreciate the similarity.

 

Megan

[KevinInMA]

Interesting, Megan.

I know it's going to take a lot more testing to know for sure. It took me 4 months to truly believe that the Natural Calm was helping. It's hard to be skeptical with the results so far but I feel like I have to be just for the sake of being thorough.

I think I've mentioned this before but I'm not sure if whatever is causing his cough is causing his brain to cough as a tic or causing mucus to develop in his throat and THAT'S prompting a cough.

 

This is a fascinating journey and he's gotten SO used to dealing with it on a day-to-day basis.