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Ready to medicate....any input out there....2009


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I have read the few posts here and have not found a lot of recent input. My son is 7 1/2 and unable to focus on/complet any task. All natural has controlled his tics (thank God for the forum here!!!!)....but I have a meeting this week due to low grades, and his inabilitiy to focus, even with his accomodations.....now, I need to determine WHAT/WHEN/AND HOW MUCH I will medicate him with.....can anyone help....anyone who writes in to the Tourette's Syndrome Forum??????? He already has GABA and Magnesium....the two items I have found to help with ADHD.....I hate medicine and am scared to pieces!!!

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Hi Tracey

 

this forum is not nearly as active as the TS one

 

my son has ADD (no H) with his TS and we never medicated! He remained an A student. We used high omega3, gingko biloba herb and soy lecithin, along with his regular TS supps. multi etc. We also added BORAGE oil and Royal Jelly(from bees...we used the Bee Alive product)) and noticed a real benefit from those.

 

sadly most of the meds that are rx for ADD seem to make the TS stuff worse

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Thanks for the input. I bought the Ginko, but got nervous after all of my reading. It says "do not use for children" all over the internet....something about increasing blood flow to the brain....so, I used it for a little while and I felt great! Where would I find a list of safe dosing amounts?

 

Have you ever used/heard of grapeseed extract for ADHD? The H part is starting to come out in spurts.....he has had the impulses and attention issues since a very young age.

 

I have a meeting with his teachers tomorrow, so we will see what they say about his ability to sit in a classroom.

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Hi Tracey,

oh, I have to respond to you on this. I'm not going to give you advice on wether or not to use meds, but I am interested what exactly are your son's symptoms regarding focus. Would you mind giving me a little of what his day is like as far school and his behaviors/attention. Don't know if you saw my post a week or so ago to "lynnie", I think. Then I continued on my original thread "comorbid issues". It kind of explains how I was mistaking some of my son's behaviors for inattention, when what I kind of figured out, was that it had more to do with his ocd. It might help see some of your son's issues in a different light... maybe. Anyway, he is doing good as far as tics go, right? See, I'd be afraid that any stimulant med used for ADD would aggravate the tics, so be careful with that. But I do understand that if his schoolwork is being hindered, then you need something. Is the school pushing for this, do you feel under pressure?

 

If you havn't read this thread, here it is:

 

http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=4314

 

 

 

Faith

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Thanks for the input. I bought the Ginko, but got nervous after all of my reading. It says "do not use for children" all over the internet....something about increasing blood flow to the brain....so, I used it for a little while and I felt great! Where would I find a list of safe dosing amounts?

 

Have you ever used/heard of grapeseed extract for ADHD? The H part is starting to come out in spurts.....he has had the impulses and attention issues since a very young age.

 

I have a meeting with his teachers tomorrow, so we will see what they say about his ability to sit in a classroom.

 

my son was 11 and already 120 lb when he started the gingko...we never saw any negative reactions

 

here is iherb's natural encyclopedia info on gingko

 

and yes, grapeseed extract (NOT grapeFRUIT seed extract) is supposed to be helpful too for many things. My son used to take it but since his Crohn's dx we have to avoid things that boost immunity, which GSE does

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Thanks for the info......but I don't know if I have the energy or time to wait on supplements this time......the school is looking at retaining my son. It is his inattention and lack of focus that are big issues. We have seen them at home for a while now and it is driving us crazy, but we didn't realize how badly it has affected his school work. His testing scores have decreased greatly since the beginning of school and he has one more testing cycle to determine if he moves on next year. I WISH I could test the supplements and find the right recipe for this, but I think the clock is against me this time.

 

When I did the tic research, I was desperate and used up every extra moment I had to myself. I found the right recipe, but it took time and testing the supplements on him. I have 4 months until the end of the school year, and I don't want him retained. HE IS smart enough, but can't focus.

 

FAITH - I know that you have seen me one these boards for the last year (I am looking at only tics/ADHD/LD...no OCD as he has no routine he follows with ANYTHING). I sit here in absolute tears because I am so angry and frustrated over the situation! He is such a sweet boy and works so hard...and gags on his "ice cream supplements", but takes them without complaint because he knows that it takes the tics away.....now he looks at me and says, "I don't do well at reading"........We are starting to argue because he can not focus on ANY task we give him to do......I have spent 8 years in a classroom taking on kids who other teachers don't prefer to teach because they struggle so much.....I do everything I can to make sure that I reach their learning styles and renew their sense of "I can learn"......WHY ME, WHY MY CHILD??? ..ughhhhhh...

I have a doctors appointment next Friday....this DR wanted me to medicate for tics "instead of him taking 9 other pills a day", which I know is not the best doctor to stick with, but it is my quickest start....I will arm myself with information for the next week and a half to go in fully informed on my options....maybe this summer I can test the supplements for ADHD. I just pray that whatever we do does not upset the balance we have right now with the tics!!

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I have an appointment for vision.....he has some symptoms of having vision issues/needing vision therapy.....interesting stuff....I HATE!!!!!! what I am reading on medicine for ADHD! Especially since he is a child with tics........off to research more info...I think I will start with the Ginko tomorrow and add the oil and grapeseed this week, just to see how it affects him....Dr's to be seen next week.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Can anyone sugest Meds fir tourettes hes already taking Bonnies Vitamines day 10 no luck yey behaviors are bad and hes cursing sooo much He needs meds!!! Willing to try something already tried so many things Abilify no good made him foggy luvox nothing Catapress patch never got anywhere lo dose I think we are going to try tenex is rispadol worth a shot I hear so many negitives any o ne have a positive? He also has ASD was higher fuctioning but with the TS hes regressing I have asked so many times for help I am begging now !!! Thanks in advance

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My pediatritian told me (after I took the day off to go there) that she could not help me because of the tics AND ADHD....needed me to see a specialist. I am going to go to a psychriatrist, but am having trouble finding one that is covered and SPECIALIZES in this. I didn't like the nuerologist, so I will try this route.

 

I have not tried any meds yet.....sorry, I can't help more.

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Yes we had to see a psychiatrist for children. They manage the meds and are very knowledgeable about how to medicate for attention with kids who have tics. She explained one thing though, they oftem have to medicate with more then one type to control other symptoms. We are currently using Abilify 10 mg. a day split in the AM and PM to control the moods and the tics, and just started Concerta for the ADD. I think the ADD meds can add to the anxiety though which is not good. I think they make the tics and moods worse. I had considered the Risperdol when the 5 mg of Abilify wasn't cutting the meltdowns and rage. However the weight gain and side effects seem worse then the Abilify. Psychiatrist Dr. T Murphy said she likes Tennex and Ritalin FIY. I can't say my son is completely right (slight melt down last night )but I think it is getting better.

 

Michele

 

Can anyone sugest Meds fir tourettes hes already taking Bonnies Vitamines day 10 no luck yey behaviors are bad and hes cursing sooo much He needs meds!!! Willing to try something already tried so many things Abilify no good made him foggy luvox nothing Catapress patch never got anywhere lo dose I think we are going to try tenex is rispadol worth a shot I hear so many negitives any o ne have a positive? He also has ASD was higher fuctioning but with the TS hes regressing I have asked so many times for help I am begging now !!! Thanks in advance
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Yes we had to see a psychiatrist for children. They manage the meds and are very knowledgeable about how to medicate for attention with kids who have tics. She explained one thing though, they oftem have to medicate with more then one type to control other symptoms. We are currently using Abilify 10 mg. a day split in the AM and PM to control the moods and the tics, and just started Concerta for the ADD. I think the ADD meds can add to the anxiety though which is not good. I think they make the tics and moods worse. I had considered the Risperdol when the 5 mg of Abilify wasn't cutting the meltdowns and rage. However the weight gain and side effects seem worse then the Abilify. Psychiatrist Dr. T Murphy said she likes Tennex and Ritalin FIY. I can't say my son is completely right (slight melt down last night )but I think it is getting better.

 

Michele

 

Can anyone sugest Meds fir tourettes hes already taking Bonnies Vitamines day 10 no luck yey behaviors are bad and hes cursing sooo much He needs meds!!! Willing to try something already tried so many things Abilify no good made him foggy luvox nothing Catapress patch never got anywhere lo dose I think we are going to try tenex is rispadol worth a shot I hear so many negitives any o ne have a positive? He also has ASD was higher fuctioning but with the TS hes regressing I have asked so many times for help I am begging now !!! Thanks in advance

 

 

I have an appointment at UMDNJ wish me luck I filled the rispadol prescription but havent started him on it not sure I want to I have an appoint tom another opinion maybe they have the answer Sure any way hes on tenex 1 mg 1x per day and bonnies vitamines no help yet not sure about anything his anxiety is high and frustration is low and mines not to far behind pray for us

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Hi Tracey,

 

My input....I would make absolutely sure that PANDAS isn't a possibility in your son. PANDAS can cause both tics and ADD (as Michele knows). You don't have to have the OCD to have PANDAS. To further confuse matters, lots of PANDAS kids don't have "typical" strep symptoms, only behavior issues (plus or minus tics) with strep. Has your son ever had throat cultures or titers drawn? I would also culture family members to check for strep carriers that could be affecting your child. Your child might also be a strep carrier...resulting in chronic ADD. Definitely post on the PANDAS forum if you'd like more input on this matter.

 

Also, what part of the country do you live? maybe someone can recommend a doc?

 

re grapeseed extract...I just started taking (myself) something called OPC-3 (by isotonix). It has grapeseed extract, red wine extract, pine bark extract, bilberry extract, and citrus extract bioflavonoids. It's supposed to be an anti-oxident, good for heart, blood vessels, anti-inflammatory...I have heard of it being used for ADHD. I was wondering if it would help my migraines and energy level...I figured I'd give it a 3 mo. trial. Here's a link to an actual study with the product (didn't look at kids with ADD). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18628275

 

I would also encourage you to look into some of the books by Dr. Daniel Amen. He has one that's just on ADD (but also has many other books that mention ADD). He discusses how there are 6 types of ADD (maybe more, I since don't think he discusses PANDAS) which have different root causes and treatments. Here's his ADD book http://www.amazon.com/Healing-ADD-Breakthr...4609&sr=8-3 (I haven't read that one but have read a couple of others.)

 

Good luck! I hope some of this helps!

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I have read the few posts here and have not found a lot of recent input. My son is 7 1/2 and unable to focus on/complet any task. All natural has controlled his tics (thank God for the forum here!!!!)....but I have a meeting this week due to low grades, and his inabilitiy to focus, even with his accomodations.....now, I need to determine WHAT/WHEN/AND HOW MUCH I will medicate him with.....can anyone help....anyone who writes in to the Tourette's Syndrome Forum??????? He already has GABA and Magnesium....the two items I have found to help with ADHD.....I hate medicine and am scared to pieces!!!

 

Tracy, have you tried giving your child Coremega for kids or Natural Factors Learning Factors (I found both at www.vitacost.com)? I actually have a different neurological situation with my child (he just developed a couple of tics about a week and a half ago - thought to be viral, but no answers yet). My son's tics seemed to improve a little with these supplements. I have read that essential fatty acids and oils (especially fish oils) can help the brain and nervous system. Also, have you taken artificial colorings, preservatives and high fructose corn syrup out of his diet? I work with many people and some who have had similar problems and found that once they removed these items, their child's condition has greatly improved. I've read that artificial yellow and red dyes can be a problem. Some actually contain tar derivatives. I just recently read that mercury has been found in off-the-shelf products containing high fructose corn syrup. Here are some sites to check out if you want to start researching it:

 

www.naturalnews.com (strong views, but has some good sources)

http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/2 (high fructose corn syrup)

http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/food/artif...food-colors.htm (dyes, adhd)

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2...with.html?cat=5 (dyes, adhd)

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/add-adhd-diet.php (preservatives, adhd)

 

Personally, I wouldn't put more chemicals into his system until I tried changing his diet (bagged lunches too). It's a little tough at first, but there are whole foods (including candy) that are out there and do not contain all the junk. No certified organic product can have high fructose corn syrup in it. I've also heard that some pharma drugs can cause really bad side effects (of course your doctor probably wouldn't tell you that - but the pharmacist might).

 

That's my input...hope it helps.

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Go onto the ADHD forums. They are very active and have lots of different boards for different meds and symptoms. How is the meds going? The Risperdal is like the Abilify we use however it can cause a lot of weight gain. We take 10 mg of Abilify 5 AM, 5 PM. My son is not foggy at all on it. Also we just started Concerta 18 mg but he has been a bit more anxious, harder to sleep, and had a few meltdowns on it. I am beginning to wonder about the ASD also. How dis you get that diagnosed? Which med are they saying will help the ADHD? Originally Dr. said the abilify would help with ADHD but I think he needed more focus. How old is he? We go to a neuro who specializes in movement disorders or tics. When you call the local hospital or look up online see what each of the ped neuros specialize in.

Michele

 

 

Yes we had to see a psychiatrist for children. They manage the meds and are very knowledgeable about how to medicate for attention with kids who have tics. She explained one thing though, they oftem have to medicate with more then one type to control other symptoms. We are currently using Abilify 10 mg. a day split in the AM and PM to control the moods and the tics, and just started Concerta for the ADD. I think the ADD meds can add to the anxiety though which is not good. I think they make the tics and moods worse. I had considered the Risperdol when the 5 mg of Abilify wasn't cutting the meltdowns and rage. However the weight gain and side effects seem worse then the Abilify. Psychiatrist Dr. T Murphy said she likes Tennex and Ritalin FIY. I can't say my son is completely right (slight melt down last night )but I think it is getting better.

 

Michele

 

Can anyone sugest Meds fir tourettes hes already taking Bonnies Vitamines day 10 no luck yey behaviors are bad and hes cursing sooo much He needs meds!!! Willing to try something already tried so many things Abilify no good made him foggy luvox nothing Catapress patch never got anywhere lo dose I think we are going to try tenex is rispadol worth a shot I hear so many negitives any o ne have a positive? He also has ASD was higher fuctioning but with the TS hes regressing I have asked so many times for help I am begging now !!! Thanks in advance

 

 

I have an appointment at UMDNJ wish me luck I filled the rispadol prescription but havent started him on it not sure I want to I have an appoint tom another opinion maybe they have the answer Sure any way hes on tenex 1 mg 1x per day and bonnies vitamines no help yet not sure about anything his anxiety is high and frustration is low and mines not to far behind pray for us

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