heard of GABA? neurotransmitters

[pmoreno]

Have been reading a lot about GABA - inhibitory nuerotransmitters. They bind to receptor sites in the brain and prevent reactions to stress, anxiety, etc. If you have a deficiency of GABA, it can manifest itself in sleeplessness, anxiety, OCD symptoms, ticcs, etc. It could be that some PANDAS kids have a deficiency and when the immune system is impaired and antibodies start competing for receptor sites in the brain.... well maybe there's some connection? From everything I've read, if you take GABA supplements, it doesn't really help. Primarily because they don't believe it crosses the blood brain barrier, but if you take precursors, its possible to help manufacture more GABA in the brain.

 

I found a site called NeuroScience which has some products specifically for children and one is supposed to promote the formation of GABA. Can't remember now the name of the various ingredients (one is taurine I think) but they are all natural ingredients that are supposed to help with anti-stress, have a calming effect. Don't know if this would turn around the whole PANDAS thing - but it could help to calm things down while we're waiting. The site also describes a couple of tests that would test the level of GABA and a few other things - you can't order the test without a physician unfortunately, but I think I will contact the doc in Florida to order it for me. Pat

[pmoreno]

Have been reading a lot about GABA - inhibitory nuerotransmitters. They bind to receptor sites in the brain and prevent reactions to stress, anxiety, etc. If you have a deficiency of GABA, it can manifest itself in sleeplessness, anxiety, OCD symptoms, ticcs, etc. It could be that some PANDAS kids have a deficiency and when the immune system is impaired and antibodies start competing for receptor sites in the brain.... well maybe there's some connection? From everything I've read, if you take GABA supplements, it doesn't really help. Primarily because they don't believe it crosses the blood brain barrier, but if you take precursors, its possible to help manufacture more GABA in the brain.

 

I found a site called NeuroScience which has some products specifically for children and one is supposed to promote the formation of GABA. Can't remember now the name of the various ingredients (one is taurine I think) but they are all natural ingredients that are supposed to help with anti-stress, have a calming effect. Don't know if this would turn around the whole PANDAS thing - but it could help to calm things down while we're waiting. The site also describes a couple of tests that would test the level of GABA and a few other things - you can't order the test without a physician unfortunately, but I think I will contact the doc in Florida to order it for me. Pat

 

The name of the product is TravaCor, Jr.

[ilovedogs]

Have been reading a lot about GABA - inhibitory nuerotransmitters. They bind to receptor sites in the brain and prevent reactions to stress, anxiety, etc. If you have a deficiency of GABA, it can manifest itself in sleeplessness, anxiety, OCD symptoms, ticcs, etc. It could be that some PANDAS kids have a deficiency and when the immune system is impaired and antibodies start competing for receptor sites in the brain.... well maybe there's some connection? From everything I've read, if you take GABA supplements, it doesn't really help. Primarily because they don't believe it crosses the blood brain barrier, but if you take precursors, its possible to help manufacture more GABA in the brain.

 

I found a site called NeuroScience which has some products specifically for children and one is supposed to promote the formation of GABA. Can't remember now the name of the various ingredients (one is taurine I think) but they are all natural ingredients that are supposed to help with anti-stress, have a calming effect. Don't know if this would turn around the whole PANDAS thing - but it could help to calm things down while we're waiting. The site also describes a couple of tests that would test the level of GABA and a few other things - you can't order the test without a physician unfortunately, but I think I will contact the doc in Florida to order it for me. Pat

 

The name of the product is TravaCor, Jr.

My son is on a Neuroscience product called Kavinace. It has completely removed his OCD symptoms(mostly intrusive thoughts) but he still has a lot of situtional anxiety. I put him on the Travacor, JR at one point but it made his OCD come back(he was already on the Kavinace) so I took out the Travacor and he's been fine ever since. We've been on the product for 6 months now and I'm happy for him. We are working with another naturopath, though, to fix his neurotransmitters a different way so that I can get him off the Kavinace eventually mainly b/c I just want to see how he's doing. Anxiety is our number one problem and the tics are a secondary thing to me. HTH!

Bonnie

[pmoreno]

Have been reading a lot about GABA - inhibitory nuerotransmitters. They bind to receptor sites in the brain and prevent reactions to stress, anxiety, etc. If you have a deficiency of GABA, it can manifest itself in sleeplessness, anxiety, OCD symptoms, ticcs, etc. It could be that some PANDAS kids have a deficiency and when the immune system is impaired and antibodies start competing for receptor sites in the brain.... well maybe there's some connection? From everything I've read, if you take GABA supplements, it doesn't really help. Primarily because they don't believe it crosses the blood brain barrier, but if you take precursors, its possible to help manufacture more GABA in the brain.

 

I found a site called NeuroScience which has some products specifically for children and one is supposed to promote the formation of GABA. Can't remember now the name of the various ingredients (one is taurine I think) but they are all natural ingredients that are supposed to help with anti-stress, have a calming effect. Don't know if this would turn around the whole PANDAS thing - but it could help to calm things down while we're waiting. The site also describes a couple of tests that would test the level of GABA and a few other things - you can't order the test without a physician unfortunately, but I think I will contact the doc in Florida to order it for me. Pat

 

The name of the product is TravaCor, Jr.

My son is on a Neuroscience product called Kavinace. It has completely removed his OCD symptoms(mostly intrusive thoughts) but he still has a lot of situtional anxiety. I put him on the Travacor, JR at one point but it made his OCD come back(he was already on the Kavinace) so I took out the Travacor and he's been fine ever since. We've been on the product for 6 months now and I'm happy for him. We are working with another naturopath, though, to fix his neurotransmitters a different way so that I can get him off the Kavinace eventually mainly b/c I just want to see how he's doing. Anxiety is our number one problem and the tics are a secondary thing to me. HTH!

Bonnie

 

 

Thank you for this very important information - that's just what I wanted to hear - someone who has had experience with these products. I have considered both of those, even though I have yet to have the test done on my daughter (hope to do it next week). I had thought about the fact that since GABA influences anxiety & ultimately OCD, it may be that these kids have a low level of it and that's why I thought kavinace could help. I thought about the travacor too because it seems to be more specific to kids then the kavinace, but it sounds like you're having good luck with it. What doses are you using? Did the doc tell you how much to use? I think that these products are not going to reverse PANDAS, because that takes time, but it can help to minimize some of the symptoms while they are healing from other therapies like IVIG or antibiotics, etc... Pat

[Caryn]

Pat,

Our Dan doc prescribed Gaba 1 1/2 yrs ago after his dx. We used it for about a year and now have phased it out. I just wanted to add that he specifically told us to only give it 6 days a week. He wanted to be sure I was clear on that. Never found out why. You know how it goes when you get 15 minutes and then sit into the car with three more questions. I know some folks will read this thread and may try Gaba on their own w/o a doc's advice (which I wouldn't advise), so I wanted to relay this info.

Maybe you could ask your doc about this and see why I may have been told this?

[ilovedogs]

I give him one capsule a day. In the beginning I was giving him 2. Then some days I'd forget to give him the 2nd capsule and realized that 1 seemed to be doing the trick. I know there are others here who have given GABA itself and have found results with the GABA and other amino acids for neuro support. Our naturo has us trying out L-glutamine and glycine, as well. Make sure you give a good B6 supplement with any aminos for nuero support b/c it really helps the body process things better. I know the Kavinace already has B6 in the capsule, can't remember if the Travacor, JR does/doesn't?

 

Bonnie

[pmoreno]

Pat,

Our Dan doc prescribed Gaba 1 1/2 yrs ago after his dx. We used it for about a year and now have phased it out. I just wanted to add that he specifically told us to only give it 6 days a week. He wanted to be sure I was clear on that. Never found out why. You know how it goes when you get 15 minutes and then sit into the car with three more questions. I know some folks will read this thread and may try Gaba on their own w/o a doc's advice (which I wouldn't advise), so I wanted to relay this info.

Maybe you could ask your doc about this and see why I may have been told this?

 

Not quite sure about the time frame, but from what I've read, Gaba when taken orally does not get absorbed into the brain (it doesn't cross the blood brain barrier) therefore, its relatively useless. However, there are things out there that increase the production of GABA in the brain and that's what you have to do. Read the last post by I love dogs - I think she mentioned a product (begins with a K - you can get it from neuroscience laboratories and it has been known to do this - and according to her post she states that she cured her son's OCD with this).

[pmoreno]

I give him one capsule a day. In the beginning I was giving him 2. Then some days I'd forget to give him the 2nd capsule and realized that 1 seemed to be doing the trick. I know there are others here who have given GABA itself and have found results with the GABA and other amino acids for neuro support. Our naturo has us trying out L-glutamine and glycine, as well. Make sure you give a good B6 supplement with any aminos for nuero support b/c it really helps the body process things better. I know the Kavinace already has B6 in the capsule, can't remember if the Travacor, JR does/doesn't?

 

Bonnie

 

 

I think you said that the kavinace worked for you guys and the travacor made things worse? What's the difference between the two - I had thought that the kavinace was formulated for adults and the travacor for kids. Pat

[ilovedogs]

I give him one capsule a day. In the beginning I was giving him 2. Then some days I'd forget to give him the 2nd capsule and realized that 1 seemed to be doing the trick. I know there are others here who have given GABA itself and have found results with the GABA and other amino acids for neuro support. Our naturo has us trying out L-glutamine and glycine, as well. Make sure you give a good B6 supplement with any aminos for nuero support b/c it really helps the body process things better. I know the Kavinace already has B6 in the capsule, can't remember if the Travacor, JR does/doesn't?

 

Bonnie

 

 

I think you said that the kavinace worked for you guys and the travacor made things worse? What's the difference between the two - I had thought that the kavinace was formulated for adults and the travacor for kids. Pat

The Kavinace and the travacor are completely different formulations. It didn't matter whether the kavinace was for kids or not. I know of someone whose child was autistic and was using the Kavinace with great success for anxiety so I decided to try it out. The travacor has 5-HTP in it and I think my ds reacted to it, or it was the combination of the 2 supplements together...since he had already been on the Kavinace for about a month when we tried out the Travacor. We have also used their Endotrex spray which makes my son tic more(it a spray of theanine sublingually) but my dh loves the theanine and thinks it relaxs him. So, in other words, everybody is different. Even if they have the urine test results from Neuroscience, they can make mistakes in recommending a supplement so I think it's all trial and error. I think for Neuroscience the stuff for kids may come in powdered formulas or in smaller capsules but the formulations themselves are the same? Check out their website for more information: www.neurorelief.com

Bonnie

[pmoreno]

I give him one capsule a day. In the beginning I was giving him 2. Then some days I'd forget to give him the 2nd capsule and realized that 1 seemed to be doing the trick. I know there are others here who have given GABA itself and have found results with the GABA and other amino acids for neuro support. Our naturo has us trying out L-glutamine and glycine, as well. Make sure you give a good B6 supplement with any aminos for nuero support b/c it really helps the body process things better. I know the Kavinace already has B6 in the capsule, can't remember if the Travacor, JR does/doesn't?

 

Bonnie

 

 

I think you said that the kavinace worked for you guys and the travacor made things worse? What's the difference between the two - I had thought that the kavinace was formulated for adults and the travacor for kids. Pat

The Kavinace and the travacor are completely different formulations. It didn't matter whether the kavinace was for kids or not. I know of someone whose child was autistic and was using the Kavinace with great success for anxiety so I decided to try it out. The travacor has 5-HTP in it and I think my ds reacted to it, or it was the combination of the 2 supplements together...since he had already been on the Kavinace for about a month when we tried out the Travacor. We have also used their Endotrex spray which makes my son tic more(it a spray of theanine sublingually) but my dh loves the theanine and thinks it relaxs him. So, in other words, everybody is different. Even if they have the urine test results from Neuroscience, they can make mistakes in recommending a supplement so I think it's all trial and error. I think for Neuroscience the stuff for kids may come in powdered formulas or in smaller capsules but the formulations themselves are the same? Check out their website for more information: www.neurorelief.com

Bonnie

 

I know it contains vit B 6 and I've heard that getting too much of that can be a problem - have you heard anything like that? Also, how much kavinace were you giving and how much does your son weigh? I will probably consult with the DAN doc when the results come in from neuroscience labs before I actually give the kavinace, but I had read about it and it sounds like it should work. Did your son have any problems staying asleep before the kavinace and if so, did that change with its use? I wonder about long term use and dependence - know anything about that? I'm thinking that it might be good support while PANDAS symptoms are going strong and once they resolve, maybe it won't be necessary to take the kavinace anymore.

[ilovedogs]

My son is 10 and weighs 65 pounds. He gets one capsule a day of the Kavinace. I don't know about dependence issues and I have tried to do research on it but haven't turned anything up yet. I guess you could ask you DAN dr. to check with Neuroscience about that. About the B6, I don't know about that much. I asked Bonnie Grimaldi about it once(bonnie's vitamins for TS) and she said that 50 mg is the highest recommend RDA. I give my ds 25mg plus the small amount he gets in the Kavinace. B vitamins are water soluble, not fat soluble like Vitamin D, so I think there's less of a risk of toxicity with this vitamin. Hope this helps!

[lss]

I give him one capsule a day. In the beginning I was giving him 2. Then some days I'd forget to give him the 2nd capsule and realized that 1 seemed to be doing the trick. I know there are others here who have given GABA itself and have found results with the GABA and other amino acids for neuro support. Our naturo has us trying out L-glutamine and glycine, as well. Make sure you give a good B6 supplement with any aminos for nuero support b/c it really helps the body process things better. I know the Kavinace already has B6 in the capsule, can't remember if the Travacor, JR does/doesn't?

 

Bonnie

 

 

I think you said that the kavinace worked for you guys and the travacor made things worse? What's the difference between the two - I had thought that the kavinace was formulated for adults and the travacor for kids. Pat

The Kavinace and the travacor are completely different formulations. It didn't matter whether the kavinace was for kids or not. I know of someone whose child was autistic and was using the Kavinace with great success for anxiety so I decided to try it out. The travacor has 5-HTP in it and I think my ds reacted to it, or it was the combination of the 2 supplements together...since he had already been on the Kavinace for about a month when we tried out the Travacor. We have also used their Endotrex spray which makes my son tic more(it a spray of theanine sublingually) but my dh loves the theanine and thinks it relaxs him. So, in other words, everybody is different. Even if they have the urine test results from Neuroscience, they can make mistakes in recommending a supplement so I think it's all trial and error. I think for Neuroscience the stuff for kids may come in powdered formulas or in smaller capsules but the formulations themselves are the same? Check out their website for more information: www.neurorelief.com

Bonnie

 

I know it contains vit B 6 and I've heard that getting too much of that can be a problem - have you heard anything like that? Also, how much kavinace were you giving and how much does your son weigh? I will probably consult with the DAN doc when the results come in from neuroscience labs before I actually give the kavinace, but I had read about it and it sounds like it should work. Did your son have any problems staying asleep before the kavinace and if so, did that change with its use? I wonder about long term use and dependence - know anything about that? I'm thinking that it might be good support while PANDAS symptoms are going strong and once they resolve, maybe it won't be necessary to take the kavinace anymore.

 

 

Pat,

 

We found a Dr. who is a Allergy Dr as well as a DAN. He had us send in a urine sample to NeuroScience as well as a stool sample to another lab in Chicago. We still don't have results back from Chicago, but we did get back the NeuroScience results, and our son's GABA, Dopamine, Serotonin, Nonrepenephrine and Epinephrine were elevated. NeuroScience recommended Kavinace 1-2 capsuls 30 minutes prior to morning meal as well as Calm PRT Jr. The doctor here in Dallas has all the NeuroScience products and we started my son on the Kavinace, after only 1 day, his tics were gone! We still don't have the CalmPRT, the doctors office was out. He also had run other blood work and we found out that my son is also allergic to eggs, wheat, milk, so we have to start doing a gluten free diet and well as dairy free diet. I have noticed a huge difference in my son. The doctor was very expensive, but very worth it. He also tested high for candida, which he thought was due to the antibiotics, so he prescribed Niastin (not sure that's how you spell it). Hope this is helpful to others.

Lss