Help Me Understand Waxing & Waning

[starlygirl]

Can anyone describe what waxing & waning looks like in yourself/your child? I'm trying to understand what level of fluctuation is normal or if there is no "normal". For instance, does waxing/waning mean that symptoms are always there, but sometimes milder than others? Or does it mean symptoms can disappear completely for periods of time (weeks/months) and then become very severe for a while, only to disappear again. Just curious. My son fits the latter description - over the last year, he has fluctuated wildly between severe, almost continuous tics and little to no tics at all - each stage lasted for approximately 3 months.

[Chemar]

The manifestation of waxing and waning is as variable as the manifestation of tics! For example, when my son was younger, waxing and waning simply meant a change in the frequency and severity in the tics...but he still ticced to a greater or lesser degree every day.

 

Now, as a young adult, his tics are minimal and he will go through long periods in waning mode, then something may trigger waxing tics for a bit. But there may still be occasional tics even when in waning...so again very relative.

 

When a child goes through long periods of no tics at all and then they suddenly start up again....I would strongly consider investigating something other than TS as the possible cause for the tics eg PANDAS/PANS, food or environmental allergies, toxin exposure, etc

[starlygirl]

The manifestation of waxing and waning is as variable as the manifestation of tics! For example, when my son was younger, waxing and waning simply meant a change in the frequency and severity in the tics...but he still ticced to a greater or lesser degree every day.

 

Now, as a young adult, his tics are minimal and he will go through long periods in waning mode, then something may trigger waxing tics for a bit. But there may still be occasional tics even when in waning...so again very relative.

 

When a child goes through long periods of no tics at all and then they suddenly start up again....I would strongly consider investigating something other than TS as the possible cause for the tics eg PANDAS/PANS, food or environmental allergies, toxin exposure, etc

 

Thanks, Chemar. Our pediatrician does suspect PANDAS, so we are currently giving a longer course of Augmentin. We are also doing a gluten-free/dairy-free/soy-free diet as well as no artificial colors/flavors/etc. And we are addressing yeast overgrowth, methylation issues and giving several supplements/vitamins/minerals based on testing that was done by this pediatrician who uses an integrative approach. We've been doing all of the above for 2 months and he has been *almost* completely tic free for the last month, so I'm really hoping to maintain the good results. Just nervous that the improvement might have nothing to do with any of the stuff we're doing & may simply be attributed to waxing/waning.

[Emik]

Can anyone describe what waxing & waning looks like in yourself/your child? I'm trying to understand what level of fluctuation is normal or if there is no "normal". For instance, does waxing/waning mean that symptoms are always there, but sometimes milder than others? Or does it mean symptoms can disappear completely for periods of time (weeks/months) and then become very severe for a while, only to disappear again. Just curious. My son fits the latter description - over the last year, he has fluctuated wildly between severe, almost continuous tics and little to no tics at all - each stage lasted for approximately 3 months.

 

My daughter's tics wax and wane similarly. Since the onset in 2010, at age 9, they usually show up in Nov, will transform from one type to another in the next couple of months and then for a couple of months it gets really quiet. Now she is in her waxing period and I am not sure if this waxing cycle will end in a similar manner. We try to eat healthy and avoid all the bad stuff, although we are not super disciplined. I would really like to do the blood tests for both, PANDAS and possible food intolerance/allergies, however I can’t get our Ped. onboard with us. Her main strategy is to IGNORE and WAIT and is absolutely against any further analyses. She only agreed for a throat strep test which came back negative. We leave in Canada and I am really having a hard time to find a doctor with more integrative approach.

Edited January 11, 2013 by Emik