When exactly do your (or your kids') tics start?

[guy123]

I noticed over the last few weeks that my tic (hard blinking caused by an uncomfortable sensation in my eyes) doesn't really start until I get out of bed in the morning. If I wake up and just lay there (with my eyes closed) where I'm not totally awake but in a very relaxed state, I don't really get the urge to blink. Honestly it's kind of nice, and I've been sleeping in a bit recently just to experience being conscious and not having the urge to blink. It reminds me of being a teenager before this whole ticcing thing started (it started randomly one day when I was 17. I'm 27 now).

 

But as soon as I get out of bed and begin my day, it hits me within a few seconds and then it's on for the rest of the day.

 

Any thoughts on this? Does dopamine production not begin until you're fully awake or something?

[ilovedogs]

I noticed over the last few weeks that my tic (hard blinking caused by an uncomfortable sensation in my eyes) doesn't really start until I get out of bed in the morning. If I wake up and just lay there (with my eyes closed) where I'm not totally awake but in a very relaxed state, I don't really get the urge to blink. Honestly it's kind of nice, and I've been sleeping in a bit recently just to experience being conscious and not having the urge to blink. It reminds me of being a teenager before this whole ticcing thing started (it started randomly one day when I was 17. I'm 27 now).

 

But as soon as I get out of bed and begin my day, it hits me within a few seconds and then it's on for the rest of the day.

 

Any thoughts on this? Does dopamine production not begin until you're fully awake or something?

I'm not sure about the dopamine but my son's tics wax and wane through the day. Many days I don't even see him tic until after lunchtime. Other days he starts ticcing while he eats breakfast and then it's on and off all day increasing as the day moves on. Can you recreate the feeling as you go through the day with some relaxation breathing? You may be able to get some relief if you train your body to relax.

 

B

[Chemar]

Guy, if the blinking is the only tic you have and especially as it started so much later in life for you, I would really wonder if this is TS. the diagnostic criteria for TS are motor AND vocal tics for 1+ years

 

eye blinking tics can be caused by many other things including food, environmental and pet dander allergens, candida infection, photosensitivity etc

 

have you tried L-carnitine?

 

my son's tics also start at variable times but are always lowest when he is most relaxed and he never tics while asleep

[guy123]

Guy, if the blinking is the only tic you have and especially as it started so much later in life for you, I would really wonder if this is TS. the diagnostic criteria for TS are motor AND vocal tics for 1+ years

 

I have extremely minor vocal tics if you could even call them that. By "extremely minor" I mean like maybe it happens 3 or 4 times a day and it's just a tiny little glottal-stop clicking noise I make in the back of my throat before acquiring new information (like if I sit down to read something informational). I am fairly certain that this is OCD-based.

 

I've also heard that "breathing" tics can be considered vocal tics. I would estimate that at least 50% of the time my hard blinking is accompanied by a synchronized exhalation pattern. Sometimes the blinking doesn't "feel right" (meaning it doesn't relieve the uncomfortable sensation in my eyes) if I don't exhale a certain way when I do it.

 

Wow that sounds crazy...

 

eye blinking tics can be caused by many other things including food, environmental and pet dander allergens, candida infection, photosensitivity etc

I've heard that before. I've been exposed to many different environments (on vacation, at school, relatives, outside, etc.) and I've never noticed any correlation with my blinking.

 

I usually eat a lot (I have a fast metabolism and am a weightlifter) but my blinking started before I got into all that. Before then my diet was normal. I didn't use any supplements, vitamins, and I never ate anything with nutrasweet or anything in it. During periods where I don't eat (like if I'm sick) I don't notice any decrease in blinking.

 

I have supplemented with high dose multivitamins. I've read that high doses of certain B-vitamins can reduce tics. One of my vitamins has very high doses of the B (and other water-soluble vitamins) and there was no decrease or increase in tics.

 

I also haven't noticed any change in the frequency or intensity of my blinking tics while using the following substances:

 

- caffeine

- alcohol

- benzodiazepines

- muscle relaxers

- sulbutiamine (nootropic)

- phenibut (anxiolytic, and a fantastic one at that, but be careful because tolerance builds quickly and it's extremely addictive. It's OTC altho you won't find it in stores. Prescribed for depression in Russia)

- antibiotics (forgot which ones I was on)

 

I believe my tic is brain chemistry based and not a result of my environment/diet/etc.

 

have you tried L-carnitine?

 

I don't think so. Can I please get some more information on this and the method by which it can reduce tics?

 

my son's tics also start at variable times but are always lowest when he is most relaxed and he never tics while asleep

 

I did notice the other day when I took half a lorazepam (ativan) that in the 10 minutes before I fell asleep and after I woke up that I didn't tic. I know I just said that benzos didn't have any affect on my tics, but I mean when I take them and stay awake. I attribute the decline in my tic that I just mentioned to the fact that I was entering "sleep mode" and not to the fact that I took a small dose of lorazepam.

 

 

Ok this next part might sound just a tad crazy.

 

I've always been interested in martial arts and qigong/tai chi. I've studied them in one form or another since I was a young teenager. I've always heard tales of people "going crazy" or messing themselves up from incorrect qigong practice but I always assumed it was meant to scare students into proper practice. I mean let's be honest... all you're really doing is holding certain postures and breathing a certain way... but in the back of my mind sometimes I wonder if I did something wrong and inadvertently messed up part of my brain. I mean it's probably like less than 1% chance that that's the case... but you never know.

[guy123]

have you tried L-carnitine?

 

I don't think so. Can I please get some more information on this and the method by which it can reduce tics?

 

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