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[NicksMom]

My son is almost 18 and has suffered with tics since he was 12. He is currently in a phase of a horribly loud and frequent yelping sound. His doctor put him on Clonazepam and things seemed to get better but last week they got bad again. The doctor dismisses my questions about testing for strep and PANDAS. A IGG was completed last year showing high numbers for wheat and eggs. I have tried to eliminate this from his diet but he is a teenager and defiant to all of this. Is there anyone out there who is dealing with a teenager? Anyone know of any good doctors in the Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin area that is open to testing for other possible triggers? Also, he is currently taking an antibiotic for acne...could this cause any problem? Please help! I feel so alone and almost dumb when it comes to all of this. His tics, in the past, have always come and gone but this one seems to be lingering what seems like forever. My son is so angry.

[kim]

Nick's Mom,

 

First of all, don't feel dumb! Believe me, we all get overwhelmed and frustrated at times. There are bds. that I read where I feel really lost too. Some of the bio med moms and dads know things inside and out where I just

 

I wonder if you can tell why your son had to discontinue the supplements that you were giving when he was started on the anti biotic? Was it a matter of something interferring with the antibiotic? Are you giving a pro biotic?

 

Did your son's tics just start out of the blue, or was there an illness assoc. with the onset?

 

I think that my son, who is now 15, is so much more willing to at least try to follow some suggestions in regards to diet etc, is because he knows how much things improved when we started Bonnie's vitamins, enzymes, diet restrictions etc.

 

You tell Nick that there are others who understand his anger. It's hard to be a young adult and deal with something that there is so little understanding of. But as Chemar always reminds us, this too shall pass.

 

Have you tried the pinned thread at the top of the forum titled "FINDING MEDICAL HELP?" There are some links to places where you can get Dr.s names that are in the area's that you're interested in.

[Chemar]

great points that Kim has made there, Nick's mom

 

My son is now almost 18yo and has been dx with Tourette's since he was 10

We began the alternative treatments when he was 11yo and he has learned during this time that when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet and taking his supps, slacking inevitably means more tics and OCD and moodswings and more for him.

So, nomatter how he may crave those Doritos or the blue raspberry Slurpee ........he will not touch them because he has learned for himself the hard way just how bad they are for him.

 

and yes, I really do think antibiotics can make things worse, especially if they are not being balanced with probiotic intake. Antibiotics kill off good biotics in the GIT and so candida(yeast) overgrowth can result...and that is known to be a major tic trigger.If he does have candida, NOW products make Candida Clear, which has the added bonus of seeming to clear acne!

 

I too am puzzled as to why he stopped the supplements when going on the antibiotic...IMHO he would then need them more than ever, unless their was some contra-indication mentioned by the doctor

 

I dont know if you have ever read the tic triggers article but it may help your son ID those that are causing more tic waxing for him

http://www.latitudes.org/articles/finding_triggers.htm

[NicksMom]

I was told that he was not able to take calcium or magnesium within 2 hours of taking the antibiotic due to absorption problems. I started him on Natural Calm a few days ago but am unsure what else to have him take. Please advise. What pro biotic or other supplements should we try? I am taking him in to be tested for candida but are there other tests you would recommend. I have done so much reading online and in Sheila Rogers book that it all gets confusing. My son is so angry that he doesn't want to talk about this or be willing to try anything. His vocal tic started last May but was very minimal but in October his face broke out with bad acne and the tics started really bad. There almost seems to be some connection...we just haven't figured it out yet. Thank you for all your help.

[faith]

Hello Nick's mom,

May I ask how you have managed his tics in his younger years? Were his symptoms on the mild/moderate side or severe? And this is the first time he's every had a vocal? Also had you ever had him on any meds for this? May I ask what you mean by "angry"? Is that a separate issue, or is he angry about you trying to manange his diet and symptoms?

 

Thank you, sorry to sound nosey, but I have an eight year old with tics, and he is getting on the age where he is sort of getting tired of all my dietary restrictions on him. And now that he is getting older and feel he is aware of his habits, I have slowly tried to ask him about it to see if he wants to talk about it, but he gets touchy about it like he doesn't want to discuss it, so I back off. The only advice I can give you is to try the things that your son will be receptive too, being that he is almost an adult, he may want to make the choices himself. Perhaps you could leave some reading about this around for him to pick up and read in private and see if its something that may interest him in trying on his own. Of course, you will have to do most of the reasearch yourself to see what things may benefit him. Perhaps a naturopathic doctor could offer some suggestions.

 

Thanks and good luck,

Faith

[NicksMom]

Hello Nick's mom,

May I ask how you have managed his tics in his younger years? Were his symptoms on the mild/moderate side or severe? And this is the first time he's every had a vocal? Also had you ever had him on any meds for this? May I ask what you mean by "angry"? Is that a separate issue, or is he angry about you trying to manange his diet and symptoms?

 

Thank you, sorry to sound nosey, but I have an eight year old with tics, and he is getting on the age where he is sort of getting tired of all my dietary restrictions on him. And now that he is getting older and feel he is aware of his habits, I have slowly tried to ask him about it to see if he wants to talk about it, but he gets touchy about it like he doesn't want to discuss it, so I back off. The only advice I can give you is to try the things that your son will be receptive too, being that he is almost an adult, he may want to make the choices himself. Perhaps you could leave some reading about this around for him to pick up and read in private and see if its something that may interest him in trying on his own. Of course, you will have to do most of the reasearch yourself to see what things may benefit him. Perhaps a naturopathic doctor could offer some suggestions.

 

Thanks and good luck,

Faith

 

Nick's tics have been manageable up to this point. They have not been severe but mild. He mostly has suffered from physical movements not the vocalizations. Right now he has such a loud yelping sound. It's to the point of him being pulled from his high school classes. I am currently homeschooling for 2 classes but am looking at having to do so for his remaining 2 classes. Thank god he is eligible for graduation mid year.

 

As far as the anger goes, I think it's just so overwhelming for him. He wants to fit in with his peers and not stand out in the crowd. We are trying so many things right now...elimination diet, supplements, doctor visits. I also will not let him work because of the tic and this anger him cuz he loves to work. He is very outgoing but I'm holding him back for fear of embarrassment.

 

I'm still trying to figure out what all supplements he should take. I have him set up to be tested for candida but not until Dec 21. I hope that the antibiotic we put him on is not contributing to the tics being worse. Do you use any supplements or pro biotics? If so, what do you use.

 

I think trying these things at an earlier age like with you son is so much better than at the point I'm at now. I wish you all the best of luck and hope that like so many others I know that he grows out of them.

[Caryn]

Hi Nick's Mom,

I have been doing a little archive digging and googleing today. I found a website for a doctor in Wisconsin named Bruce Semon.

http://www.nutritioninstitute.com/bruce_se...d.html#location

I searched through the archives here at ACN but I haven't yet found a mention of him in past posts, however there is a thread about yeast that I re-familiarized myself with. I don't know anything about the practice, myself. I would be curious if anyone does?

Anyway, let me know what you think.

Caryn

[itsme]

I have read Bruce's book and spoke with him on the phone several times. We are currently doing his candida diet along with his recomended Nystatin. It's tough to say how well it is working because we are doing several other things (NAET, Supps, ect....) But i do believe it is helping to stengthen his immune system.

[ml_gwi]

hi all !

 

i have a 12 year old who have had severe tics incl. body jerking and barking about half a year ago until i gave him the following vitamins , minerals and INHIBITORY amino acid supplements. his tics are down very considerably and now its reduced to a very little bit of sniffing and not much more. please note that taking away artificial coloring, sweeteners, soy and eggs ( among others ) from the diet is very important.

 

 

vitamins and minerals :

 

vitamin B-50

omega 3 with vit E

vitamin C

cod liver oil ( vit A + D )

calcium-magnesium- zinc

lecithin

grape seed extract

 

 

INHIBITORY amino acids ;

 

5 HTP

GABA

TAURINE

GLYCINE

 

 

most if not all of these items can be found at your local health food shop and they are relatively inexpensive. please note that each case is different so it may or may not work with your child. I AM NOT A DOCTOR, just a concerned parent like most of you in this forum and came up with this formula by trial and error after doing some research on the internet.

 

this is NOT a recommendation , just wanted to let everyone know what worked for us.

[faith]

ml qui,

that's wonderful to hear, thank God.

 

May I ask, since you say your son is twelve now -- when was his last vaccination of any kind? Did he have any boosters this past year? Or anything significant that happened shortly before his tics started? Did he ever have any tics, however minor, as a youngster?

 

Thanks for any info, it helps to see the bigger picture.

 

Faith

[ml_gwi]

ml qui,

that's wonderful to hear, thank God.

 

May I ask, since you say your son is twelve now -- when was his last vaccination of any kind? Did he have any boosters this past year? Or anything significant that happened shortly before his tics started? Did he ever have any tics, however minor, as a youngster?

 

Thanks for any info, it helps to see the bigger picture.

 

Faith

 

hi faith !

 

lemme give you s rundown his medical history to the best of my recollection:

 

 

He was a perfectly healthy baby until he reached 2.5 yrs. old when he was diagnosed with primary complex. He was given rifampicin and isoniazid for 6 months. A few months after his primary complex treatment, he had his first asthma attack during a bout of colds. But because his asthma attacks were triggered only when he had a cold (only 4 or 5 times a year, usually during the “ber” months), he was not put on prophylactic treatment. He was usually given oral prednisone for 3 days when needed.

 

We were diligent with all his vaccines and booster shots until he was around 9 yrs. old when we read about the ill effects of vaccines. His last vaccination was at 8 yrs. old when his blood test shows nonreactivity to hepa. He already had hepa shots when he was a baby but the doctor told us that this can happen sometimes, so he was re-shot with the hepa vaccine again and this time around test result showed reactive.

 

When he was 10 yrs. old, because he still had not outgrown his asthma, we went to a pediatric pulmonologist who recommended he be put on prophylactic treatment for a year with Sereide, then Flixotide. Ten months into his asthma medications, he started to make small funny whimpering sounds. His doctor diagnosed it as GERD and prescribed Motilium for it but the sounds did not go away. After the one year prophylaxis, his asthma seemed to be cured since he hasn’t had an attack since, but his lungs seemed a lot weaker.

 

In Feb. 2006, he contracted atypical pneumonia which was treated with antibiotics. In Aug., 2006, he had a fever that ran up to 40 °C . His stool sample indicated Klebciella Pneumoniae and was treated with antibiotics again. In Dec. 2006, during a routine checkup, his doctor felt enlarged lymph node and ordered x-rays which showed his primary TB had reactivated (Is this possible?) This time, he was given RIMACTAZID ( INH 400mg + rifampicin 450). By Dec. 2006, the vocal sounds he was making had intensified in frequency although still not very loud and discernible. In Feb. 2007, he had atypical pneumonia again and was given clarithromycin.

 

Late April 2007, we suddenly noticed his body making funny twitches but his vocal tics went away. We noticed that he was very emotionally sensitive at this time, too. We went to a neurologist who ordered EEG & MRI but my son was afraid of MRI. He insisted he can make it go away and it did for a couple of weeks. But it came back with a vengeance. Early May, the involuntary body movements had minimized to head jerks but he started making loud yelping, barking sounds and shouting “ta ta”. The sounds were really loud and can be heard throughout the house. We went to neurologists and psychiatrists, but they offered no useful help. That’s when we started to do research on our own and realized he most probably has Tourette’s.

 

At this time, after conferring with his pediatrician , we decided to stop his TB medications (on his fourth month) since we read that INH caused involuntary movements in some people , although rare.( and i read that it also flushes taurine out of one's system ? ) We also transferred him to a new school with a more relaxed environment. The new school, teachers and schoolmates were all very supportive, kind and understanding. Despite his loud shoutings, he was never teased or bullied at school, so he was not emotionally stressed by his condition.

 

Early June, we brought him to see a doctor who practiced traditional chinese medicine who prescribed herbal medicines for him. With a strict diet and the herbs, his tics were diminished by almost 40%. Then we read about Bonnie Grimaldi’s supplement recommendations, among others. We started giving him the supplements in August. A week after he started the supplements, the tics was down to maybe 10%.

 

Lately , with sustained mineral, amino acid and vitamin supplements his tics are down to approximately 1 to 2 % of what it was at its worst.

 

 

ml_gwi