What do you add/up during flare ups?

[abbe]

Hello,

 

I was wonderring if everyone could share what they "add" to their program when tics come up after they have been quiet for awhile. I know magnesium is one of the things you can boost up but I was wondering what else you have found to be effective during flare ups?

 

 

thanks

 

abbe

[Chemar]

taurine and L-carnitine along with increased magnesium seems to help many

 

my son also uses Bach's Rescue Remedy and increases epsom baths (uses footbath and mag cream too)

 

acupuncture is one of the fastest ways for immediate relief in tic waxing for him

[abbe]

[quote name='Chemar' date='Feb 13 2009, 12:31 PM' post

 

 

Cheri,,

 

Thanks do you give taurine by itself and in what amount? Is that the same as the taurate as in mas taurate?

 

abbe

[samsmom]

It kind of depends for us on what's flaring up and why.. You really need to have an idea of what's making things worse. If Sam starts to develop vocal stuff, I make sure to never miss his L-Carnitine (250mg). I will up it to 500 mg a day if it doesn't help at 250. So far, it always reduces any vocal tics to minimal to zero. Taurine makes him worse - have tried it a couple of times now without success. The L-Carnitine normally takes effect within 1-2 days. I love that stuff!!

 

When Sam is flaring because of his pollen allergies (the biggest cause of his flares) I use a variety of things - Moducare tablets, HMC Plus, and this year we're also trying Quercetin with Bromelain. I need to keep him on those all thru the spring/early summer to see benefits there. I have yet to get the hang of that and spring is always his worst time of year because of them. Using the glasses with Transitions lenses has helped with his worsening tics whenever he is in bright light.

 

Hope this helps

 

Sue

[abbe]

 

 

Sue,

 

Thanks for your input. I am getting the transition lenses Monday. It seems the fllourescent light bothers him more then natural light.

 

 

Abbe

[Chemar]

hi Abbe

many of our kids react to fluorescent light especially those who have photosensitivity

 

my son takes 500mg taurine and yes it is the same amino acid found in compounded magnesium taurate

[Guest mathmom]

Do you use "L-Carnitine" and not "acetyl-l-carnitine"? I just read they are different, and I bought a liquid L-Carnitine today. Also, do you dose in the morning? I've read it can be too stimulating to take at night.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Barb

 

 

 

It kind of depends for us on what's flaring up and why.. You really need to have an idea of what's making things worse. If Sam starts to develop vocal stuff, I make sure to never miss his L-Carnitine (250mg). I will up it to 500 mg a day if it doesn't help at 250. So far, it always reduces any vocal tics to minimal to zero. Taurine makes him worse - have tried it a couple of times now without success. The L-Carnitine normally takes effect within 1-2 days. I love that stuff!!

 

When Sam is flaring because of his pollen allergies (the biggest cause of his flares) I use a variety of things - Moducare tablets, HMC Plus, and this year we're also trying Quercetin with Bromelain. I need to keep him on those all thru the spring/early summer to see benefits there. I have yet to get the hang of that and spring is always his worst time of year because of them. Using the glasses with Transitions lenses has helped with his worsening tics whenever he is in bright light.

 

Hope this helps

 

Sue

[samsmom]

We use the L-Carnitine - I buy the Twinlab 250 mg capsules and empty one into a little fruit juice. I give it to Sam as soon as he's woken up in the morning as I read that it's best on an empty stomach. He then waits to have breakfast for 20-30 mins after that, which is about how long it takes him to get up, washed, and dressed anyway! When I give him 2 doses, he normally has the second when he gets in from school, around 3.30pm. That's the only other time of day when his stomach is empty, as he tends to snack a lot after that! He generally falls asleep pretty quickly at night and stays that way till the morning

 

Sue

[faith]

When I see a flare up or a certain tic picking up speed (which in our case is usually the eye twitching, he will do it more often and more pronounced), I try to look back and see what we were probably doing wrong in the last week or two. I will usually see that I went overboard on those "exceptions" that we couldn't get away from, like coming off a holiday weekend or a few days away from the house eating restaraunt foods and allowing desserts. It can even be something that seems healthy like too much fruit, which for my son seems to be a problem, he can't handle an accumulation of fruit (hi salicylate) and that seems to kick up his eye tic. So a clean up of diet infractions are key for us. I'll also make sure I give a dose of natural calm magnesium morning and evening, and about 50 mg. of B6 and try not to forget to give the probiotics. Its usuallly a week to 10 days that things seem to calm down if I stick to a cleaner diet.

 

 

Faith