My Facial Tics are really starting to bother me

[guy123]

no, no shedding animals. what is histamine? is that why we have tics? It was really werid today i woke up just fine then as the day went on it got worse and worse i think it might have been my lunch, but after i ate my lunch for about an hour or 2 it was ok then just randomly it hit me got kinda bad then went down when i went to my cousins house. Then we went out to a concert and i dont know why it became bad again my body felt really stressed i dont know why. Then i went to eat and it got better again. HOnestly the tics are so unexpected i have no idea what to think is causing it.

 

What did you have for lunch?

[AHB900]

no, no shedding animals. what is histamine? is that why we have tics? It was really werid today i woke up just fine then as the day went on it got worse and worse i think it might have been my lunch, but after i ate my lunch for about an hour or 2 it was ok then just randomly it hit me got kinda bad then went down when i went to my cousins house. Then we went out to a concert and i dont know why it became bad again my body felt really stressed i dont know why. Then i went to eat and it got better again. HOnestly the tics are so unexpected i have no idea what to think is causing it.

 

What did you have for lunch?

 

 

Macdonalds :-D lol... bic mac. fries, chicken nuggets, and a coke ( i know big meal).

[Caryn]

Macdonalds :-D lol... bic mac. fries, chicken nuggets, and a coke ( i know big meal).

 

Oops!

All the big tic triggers that Cheri mentioned are in McDonalds, and all fast foods!

High fructose Corn syrup is really nasty and in store bought breads and buns and all pop unless it is passover and you happen to live in an urban area.

 

I agree with Bonnie, you just have to read a lot and take it one step at a time. Try to eat whole foods as often as possible, especially before going out with your friends. This way you will be less tempted to eat fast food and get a bad reaction.

[Chemar]

likely MSG (BIG tic trigger!!) in the McD chicken nuggets too

 

btw histamine is what our bodies produce when allergic reaction takes place...so if you have food or environmental allergies, your histamine is up high

 

some people find some tic relief from anti-histamine like benedryl...but much better to try to remove the offending allergens than add another chemical med IMO

[AHB900]

likely MSG (BIG tic trigger!!) in the McD chicken nuggets too

 

btw histamine is what our bodies produce when allergic reaction takes place...so if you have food or environmental allergies, your hisatmine is up high

 

some people find some tic relief from anti-histamine like benedryl...but much better to try to remove the offending allergens than add another chemical med IMO

 

 

Hmm yeh i figured the macdonalds would be the reason. I just wanted to see if it was going to have an effect it was sort of a test. So how do i know if something i eat OUT has these bad things in it. for example, cheesecake factory, Bj's, hot wings cafe, hooters, etc are these places also going to have MSGs and stuff would would tics be triggered from foods like these or its mainly the cheaper faster drive through style foods i should stay away from.

[Caryn]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but all of the above, really.

Restaurant food will be chemically laden. I know you are 20, right? So going out is a big part of your lifestyle. I would highly suggest you cut back for a few weeks to see if the chemicals are affecting you and how severely. Once your system is given enough time to 'detox' from the chemicals you will better be able to sort out what you can tolerate. Everyone is different. Have you ever heard of the Feingold organization? They put together all kinds of information on foods for chemically sensitive people. The organization asks for $100 donation and then they will mail you all kinds of useful information about safe foods, restaurant listings, etc... You can even join the email list and get regular email updates.

When we go out to eat with my son I usually feed him good before we leave the house. I also make sure to bring my own ketchup, mayo, mustard (he has a corn allergy too), and then I carefully order from the menu. We have been most lucky with Olive Garden. We order off their gluten free menu.

We have used Benadryl when he has had exposure. It works, but as Cheri pointed out, the diet works best.

[CarolynN]

Hello,

 

Regarding the histamine and how it relates to the tics, histamine is what our body produces in response to allergies. Along with the histamine comes the responses of runny nose/watery eyes. The things you think of when you think of allergies. But not all elevated histamine in a body produces the runny nose/watery eyes. The problem with histamine is it is also a neurotransmitter and it effects the other neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are very complicated transmitters within the brain. So when your histamine gets elevated it is also effecting other neurotransmitters in the brain. For example it effects the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter directly related to increased tics.

 

Regarding what you ate for lunch. I can tell you, like Chemar said, those chicken nuggets are LOADED with MSG. Not only are the chicken nuggets loaded but the french fries also have MSG in them. They are the only french fries I have yet come across at a restaurant that have a form of MSG. I think it is referenced as Hydrolyzed Beef Protein. The coke would have Yellow Dyes in it and High Fructose Corn Syrup. The Hamburger if it had American Cheese would also have yellow dye in the cheese. The sauce, which I have not looked up the ingredients, I guarantee you has dyes and more then likely high fructose corn syrup.

 

Here is a posting I did regarding MSG and how it is hidden in so many of our foods http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...aded&start= .

 

I can tell you, and I am absolutely not joking, my son had only 5 McDonalds french fries and on the way home from the restaurant he started having an eye rolling tic. The ONLY thing he can eat at McDonalds and not get a reaction of tics is a regular Hamburger (even though the pickles believe it or not have yellow dye in them and the ketchup has high fructose corn syrup and so does the bun. But it is not enough to effect him). He can eat the Apple Dippers WITHOUT the caramel dip. The caramel dip has High Fructose Corn Syrup and Caramel Color and he can have milk or water. Anything else he gets tics.

 

The best thing you can do is go online to these restaurants and read what your eating before you go out. It gets VERY difficult to find foods that do not have something in it. We pretty much have to stick to unseasonsed hamburgers, pizza, or spagehetti. Even with the pizza you have to make sure the toppings, like sausage, do not have MSG. Typically the sauce is ok. But Dominos pizza for example I found Daniel could not eat. I cannot remember why now but when I read the ingredients I realized he could not eat it.

 

So the best thing you can do for yourself is READ, READ, READ labels.

 

Carolyn

[AHB900]

Hello,

 

Regarding the histamine and how it relates to the tics, histamine is what our body produces in response to allergies. Along with the histamine comes the responses of runny nose/watery eyes. The things you think of when you think of allergies. But not all elevated histamine in a body produces the runny nose/watery eyes. The problem with histamine is it is also a neurotransmitter and it effects the other neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are very complicated transmitters within the brain. So when your histamine gets elevated it is also effecting other neurotransmitters in the brain. For example it effects the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter directly related to increased tics.

 

Regarding what you ate for lunch. I can tell you, like Chemar said, those chicken nuggets are LOADED with MSG. Not only are the chicken nuggets loaded but the french fries also have MSG in them. They are the only french fries I have yet come across at a restaurant that have a form of MSG. I think it is referenced as Hydrolyzed Beef Protein. The coke would have Yellow Dyes in it and High Fructose Corn Syrup. The Hamburger if it had American Cheese would also have yellow dye in the cheese. The sauce, which I have not looked up the ingredients, I guarantee you has dyes and more then likely high fructose corn syrup.

 

Here is a posting I did regarding MSG and how it is hidden in so many of our foods http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...aded&start= .

 

I can tell you, and I am absolutely not joking, my son had only 5 McDonalds french fries and on the way home from the restaurant he started having an eye rolling tic. The ONLY thing he can eat at McDonalds and not get a reaction of tics is a regular Hamburger (even though the pickles believe it or not have yellow dye in them and the ketchup has high fructose corn syrup and so does the bun. But it is not enough to effect him). He can eat the Apple Dippers WITHOUT the caramel dip. The caramel dip has High Fructose Corn Syrup and Caramel Color and he can have milk or water. Anything else he gets tics.

 

The best thing you can do is go online to these restaurants and read what your eating before you go out. It gets VERY difficult to find foods that do not have something in it. We pretty much have to stick to unseasonsed hamburgers, pizza, or spagehetti. Even with the pizza you have to make sure the toppings, like sausage, do not have MSG. Typically the sauce is ok. But Dominos pizza for example I found Daniel could not eat. I cannot remember why now but when I read the ingredients I realized he could not eat it.

 

So the best thing you can do for yourself is READ, READ, READ labels.

 

Carolyn

 

 

Honestly the way i see it we cant really eat ANYTHING.. Im sure everything nowadays has SOME sort of additives that will cause our tics. With your childrens controlled diets do you guys see no tics at all? or do you guys see some minor tics like eye blinking and stuff. Im asking because, even when i eat really clean home foods (i hope they dont have additives) i still have my minor eye blinking and sometimes neck stretching. I also take my magnesium taurate, calcium citrate, and l carnetine. Im just curious if you all see 0 tics from your kids or your selves when you have the correct diet.

[Chemar]

Hi

pure organic food does not have any additives

 

my son eats a full and balanced diet, one that he really enjoys, yet without any chemical additives

 

it just takes a little care in reading labels

 

if you have tourette syndrome then cleaning diet will help but wont eliminate tics. as yet there is no complete "cure" for tourette tics.

 

if your tic is caused by strep/mono or related to something else, again cleaning your diet will help eliminate potential triggers but until you determine exactly what is causing your tic, it is all just little steps to help

[Caryn]

If you have allergy tics, then a completely clean diet will stop the tics. And exposure, even a small amount, will create tics. Exposures can elicit tics anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours after ingestion and can last up to four days.

In our case our son is gluten and corn intolerant. He used to have several chronic multifocal tics like grimacing, eyeblinking, neck turning, head nodding, throat clearing, sniffing to name a few. He used to do a bunch at one time (thus the term multifocal). I remember giving him a yogurt once a long time ago and he erupted in tics afterwards then began to behave very oddly, bouncing off the walls and getting naughty. It was just after joining the ACN forum. I quickly read the label. There was corn starch, red dye #40 in it. This is what started my thinking on allergies and chemicals.

We ended up taking an IgG food intolerance test through ALCAT (there are many companies that do them) and then we stuck to a diet that avoided all the foods he tested positive for. He improved fantastically.

 

Our son has been stable now for almost 2 years. He is 6. His symptoms started at 3 1/2.

If he has exposure now (corn starch dusted on cheese, corn in table salt, etc....) then he will grind his teeth a little bit, or sometimes he will clear his throat a little. The frequency and duration is nothing like it once was. I think that is because of the 'bucket theory' that Carolyn N. once talked about. Small exposures are manageable but when you fill the bucket with the allergens it will tip over and a host of symptoms will erupt. I also use Benadryl when I know he has had exposure. We do not eat at places like McDonalds because it is all poison to him. I keep all kinds of snacks in my purse or the car and so when we are out and he's hungry there is something for him to eat. When desperate we eat from the grocery store instead of a restaurant. If you are in college you could go to the store, read a few labels and pick up a few things then meet your friends at Starbucks to hang out and talk. Buy bottled water if you need to get something. If you go to a party, bring a snack you know you can eat and then offer it to the group. We bring Cap Cod Potato Chips (not fried in corn oil as all other chips are). This way you have something to eat and you look 'cool' to your friends without having to go into this whole, 'well I'm on a diet because' thing. Just tell them you are saving your money for something and don't want to waste it on eating out.

 

The top allergens related to tics according to Sheila Rogers book are:

Milk, Wheat (gluten), Corn, Eggs, and I believe soy.

 

Cheri is right, organic whole foods are best. I don't know what you are capable of doing financially, but a good place to start is with avoiding MSG as much as possible, High Fructose Corn Syrup, nitrates and food dyes. Just doing this should give you some relief.

[CarolynN]

When I keep my son's diet clean, meaning no MSG, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Food Dyes, Caramel Color, he is tic free. I also have him on supplements too of course which help manage but without the proper diet I could give him all the supplements in the world and he would have tics. His body just does not do well with food chemcials. Here is a list I created of the foods I found that I can feed Daniel where he does not have tics http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2976 .

 

The right diet is absolutely key along with the supplements. I know it is a pain but once you study it enough to know what you can eat it really is not that much of a problem. It is just those beginning stages in trying to figure out what works and does not work. But in the long run it is soooooooooooo worth while.

 

I also wanted to add, just like Caryn stated, when exposed to a food that causes tics I see a reaction from Daniel within 40 minutes. The tics can last up to one week from one MSG exposure. The second and third day after exposure is typically the worse. If he is exposed to something else during this time period it just keeps the length of the time of the tics around. This is why I have studied the various names of MSG like crazy and read every label.

 

I now know to give him B6 when he is exposed to MSG. The B6 helps to counteract the MSG. I give him up to 100 mg's, spread out over the course of the day (in otherwords divided up in 3 to 4 doses), when he has been exposed. I do this for 3 to 4 days if necessary. I also give him additional glycine up to 10,000 mg's spread throughout the day up to 8 days in a row. I have never had to do it for this length of time before. His body snaps back pretty quick at these high of levels. The only thing to keep in mind is you do not want to take too high of levels of B6 for too long because it can cause neuropathy (nerve damage in the hands and feet). Typically Daniel, who is 8, gets 50 mg's of B6 a day and 4200 mgs of glycine. You may want to run this all by a doctor to make sure there are no health reasons you could not do this. My son is very healthy otherwise so there is no problem. But for someone, for example who has kidney issues or diabetic, this may not work.

 

Hope this helps. I know this is all very overwhelming but over time it will sink in and in the long run you will be so glad you took the steps to get your body healthy.

 

 

Carolyn

[guy123]

I've noticed in the last few days that eggs do not seem to aggravate my tics.

 

Anyone else notice this?

 

I love eggs, too

[AHB900]

I see, so basically it can take up to a week of eating correctly and taking my supplements for me to be tic free, because no matter how clean i eat im just not 100% tic free i still have my eye tic and neck stretching tic... Also, if i keep up this clean diet and supplement would it be a possibility that i can be cured from my tics? or is it once you have chronic tics your stuck with it Also, lets say i just go to a restaurant. How can i see whats in the food i would like to order i mean its not like they bring a label with the food or put a label in the menu.

[Char]

Just wondering if there is a Benadryl for kids with no dyes, artificial anything in it? I looked around and all I can find is Benadryl with dyes in it? Char...

[guy123]

Also, if i keep up this clean diet and supplement would it be a possibility that i can be cured from my tics?

 

Only if your tics were directly caused by an allergy to something you were eating, which is probably not the case.

 

I have noticed with myself that certain foods (fish) make them much worse for a period after I eat, but even if I don't eat fish, or don't eat anything, they don't go away entirely.

 

or is it once you have chronic tics your stuck with it

Some people have tics that go away and then come back. Other people have tics that never go away. And other people have tics that eventually go away permanently (altho that usually seems to be children whose tics go away as their brain matures into adulthood).

 

Tics are typically thought to be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain (I believe the most common theory is a glitch in dopamine receptors that causes them to be "too receptive" or something like that, which is why in some cases, dopamine-blocking (neuroleptic) drugs are effective on tics. But neuroleptics drugs have terrible side effects). So theoretically, the only way to "cure" a tic disorder is to repair the brain (or mask the symptoms with drugs).

 

As I understand it, there are two theoretical "cures":

 

1. Electro brain stimulation. There's a news story about some guy whose Tourettes was so bad he couldn't even finish a sentence without ticcing all over the place. He had some experimental operation that either greatly reduced his symptoms or cured him, altho this hasn't been done often and there's no long term studies.

 

2. Stem cells... possibly... the affected areas of the brain could be "rebuilt" or "repaired." I haven't read too much about stem cell research with Tourettes but this may be feasible.

 

Also, lets say i just go to a restaurant. How can i see whats in the food i would like to order i mean its not like they bring a label with the food or put a label in the menu.

 

You can't, really.