Taking breaks from supplements

[GEAF2816]

With summer break approaching, I was thinking of easing off of some supplements, mostly to make sure my DS15 doesn't become immune to their effectiveness. In addition, if his tics should increase, then my hope is that he won't make a fuss about taking the supplements again, when school starts up.

 

My son has mild to moderate facial tics on a daily basis. They used to disappear from November-January, but not for the past 2 years. He also had mild exhaling through his nose onto a closed fist at times and an occasional quick neck movement. The eye blinking bothers him the most, not in a painful way, but in it being the most noticeable to other people. I'm so blessed that he doesn't have any behavioural or academic issues.

 

This is what he takes now .........and what my plan for the summer is.

 

2-3 tsp natural calm currently...........1-2 tsps for the summer

1 cvr magnesium taurate...............only as needed

1/2 tsp taurine powder................only as needed

1/4 tsp inositol as needed............... as needed

1 p5p .........................................stop for the summer

50 mg 5htp................................stop for the summer

 

Today we both noticed that he's getting some mild sinus allergies. I'll start with some aller-tec (costco brand zyrtec) which I have already. But I will also get some vitamin C and start him on 500mg twice a day.

I would also like to start him on optizinc, when/if we need to restart all supplements in the Fall.

 

Have any of you taken a break from supplements and seen results/issues?

[Laurensmom]

I only do the supplements as needed as well. Right now I'm upping them given a recent tic increase, but I do pull back in a while without any ill effects.

 

Best of luck over the summer.

Edited May 18, 2010 by Laurensmom

[GEAF2816]

Thanks Laurensmom,

 

Does anyone know, of the above supplements listed, which need time to build up in his system by taking it regularly, before we start to notice any improvements and which work well as an "as needed" supplement.

 

I forgot to add that my son also takes a gummy multi vitamin and a gummy omega. I am looking to find "better quality" multi and omega that he may not mind taking.

 

He also eats a handful of shelled pumpkin seeds from Trader Joes for added magnesium, which we'll continue during the summer.

I also just bought roasted, shelled sunflower seeds, in hope it provides natural zinc for his skin sun allergy.

[ilovedogs]

I'm not sure about things that need time to build up in a system but I have to say that I have taken my son off most of his supplements over the past 2 months, as well. He still has minor eye blinking and some habits that I see(like pulling his shirt while playing tennis and smelling his fingers after eating, etc) but those are manageable and he can control those to some degree. Right now I just give vitamin C, a cal/mag chewable supplement, echinacea if I feel it's needed, and a probiotic. I am contemplating giving him a fish free Omega 3 supplement but I haven't decided yet. Anxiety was our biggest issue, the tics weren't as bothersome except one that messed with his jaw a bit, but it didn't last long. Anyway, I agree with you that sometimes their systems need a break. I think it will give us a chance to re-evaluate and I know I can always start him back on things now that I know which amino acids work for which problem, etc. Keep us posted on how your summer's going!

 

Bonnie

[Chemar]

hi

 

i think this is one of those areas in treatment that are so variable depending on the individual and the severity of their symptoms, plus whatever co-morbid disorders/illnesses may be associated

 

my son has been on variable combinations of supplements since 2001. Prior to that he took a multi and got the rest of his RDAs from his food

 

since starting the specific supps "medicinally" we have sure learned a lot about his individual needs and even how those can vary too

 

we have discovered that, as far as his Tourette tics and the associated OCD go, he needs his extra supplemental magnesium and one of the supps that naturally elevate serotonin. If he doesnt have those, we see waxing of both lots of symptoms. We have also noticed a negative impact if he stops his higher intake of omega3 and also the Bs, especially B6 & B12,

 

He varies his serotonin supps, but I do know when he was on 5HTP and decided to come off it, our physician recommended titrating down as with a med, because especially 5HTP or tryptophan have a dramatic effect on serotonin levels. The rationale provided to us was that anything that is altering the neurotransmitters needs slower removal so that the system can modulate.

 

In fact we do this with all supps now when starting or stopping them.

 

a question...why are you giving 5HTP if there are no issues other than tics? Does your son have low serotonin? OCD? I see you are also giving Inositol, another serotonin booster?

 

re the P5P, as long as he is going to be taking a multi that has the RDA for B6 it should be ok, altho as I mentioned, my son cannot go without his.

 

my son no longer takes taurine and seems to have done fine without it, although some years back, when he started the supps, we found it was very important for him to have 500mg a day with his magnesium

 

he takes way less supps for his TS/OCD now than he did back then and is doing great

 

so I guess my answer is still..."depends" on your son's reaction to having the supps removed.

 

really would be a good idea to withdraw them one by one over a period of a few weeks so you have a better idea of which are needed and which are not

[abbe]

hi

 

i think this is one of those areas in treatment that are so variable depending on the individual and the severity of their symptoms, plus whatever co-morbid disorders/illnesses may be associated

 

my son has been on variable combinations of supplements since 2001. Prior to that he took a multi and got the rest of his RDAs from his food

 

since starting the specific supps "medicinally" we have sure learned a lot about his individual needs and even how those can vary too

 

we have discovered that, as far as his Tourette tics and the associated OCD go, he needs his extra supplemental magnesium and one of the supps that naturally elevate serotonin. If he doesnt have those, we see waxing of both lots of symptoms. We have also noticed a negative impact if he stops his higher intake of omega3 and also the Bs, especially B6 & B12,

 

He varies his serotonin supps, but I do know when he was on 5HTP and decided to come off it, our physician recommended titrating down as with a med, because especially 5HTP or tryptophan have a dramatic effect on serotonin levels. The rationale provided to us was that anything that is altering the neurotransmitters needs slower removal so that the system can modulate.

 

In fact we do this with all supps now when starting or stopping them.

 

a question...why are you giving 5HTP if there are no issues other than tics? Does your son have low serotonin? OCD? I see you are also giving Inositol, another serotonin booster?

 

re the P5P, as long as he is going to be taking a multi that has the RDA for B6 it should be ok, altho as I mentioned, my son cannot go without his.

 

my son no longer takes taurine and seems to have done fine without it, although some years back, when he started the supps, we found it was very important for him to have 500mg a day with his magnesium

 

he takes way less supps for his TS/OCD now than he did back then and is doing great

 

so I guess my answer is still..."depends" on your son's reaction to having the supps removed.

 

really would be a good idea to withdraw them one by one over a period of a few weeks so you have a better idea of which are needed and which are not

[abbe]

[quote name='abbe' date='May 19 2010, 08:18 AM' post='68234

 

 

hello,

 

could you consider getting him muscle tested to see what his body "needs". I do this about once per month with Nicholas.

[GEAF2816]

Thanks everyone.

 

My son does take 25 mg 5htp in the evenings and another 25mg (1/4 tablet each) in the morning. In my researching and talking with our vitamin specialist, 5htp was recommended for anxiety related tourettes.

 

At least for my son, his tics definitely are exacerbated by any stress/new situations/anxiety, however for the most part, it does not inhibit his daily functioning, it only comes out as tics. He is not completely tic-free at home, but much less so.

 

For example, as we're driving to a function, or sitting at the first parent meeting of drivers ed, my son will be doing non-stop facial ticcing as a form of anxiety. I know these events, and even regular social events that he is very comfortable going to, wear him out emotionally. I'm fortunate though, that he knows he has to participate/stay involved with regular teenage school, socials, activities, sports etc...but they still cause him stress manifested through tics.

 

When he was in elementary school, he would panic and say over and over again that he didn't want to go to the end of year party, even though he loved school and his friends, or start swim lessons, sport camps... However, I always managed to get him to attend and literally, within 10 seconds of walking in the door, he was happy, laughing and having fun. Fear of the slightest unknown is very stressful for him.

 

About 5 years ago, he mentioned that if he slapped one leg, then he would have to slap the other leg - OCD I thought. But then that disappeared completely and if he still has mild OCD, then it is appearing as somewhat positive traits, such as being very organized, diligent and clean. For instance, this weekend he was away for 3 days and he came home and said the park bathrooms didn't have soap in them. I'm assuming that this bugged him/mild OCD that's why he told me, but it did not hinder his ability to continue with his athletic competition.

 

Unfortunately, I have not noticed any improvements in tics with the supplements that he's been taking for the past 3 months, and I wonder if his tourettes is strictly neurological and that is why it is not responding to supplements.

 

I don't know if the 5htp is working for his mood/general emotional anxiety, it's not helping with tics. But it is the one supplement that he doesn't complain about taking, as "he thinks" it is a mood elevator. He doesn't have the classic symptoms of being depressed, but he certainly can learn to relax and enjoy life a bit more.

 

I have stopped the inositol in the morning once I split up his 5htp AM and PM. I use to only give the 5htp at night.

 

I can tell that it's important for him to feel like a regular kid, for example, he wouldn't take any supplements at his 3 day athletic competition, even though he could take them completely discreetly in his hotel bathroom. So I figure if I can stop most supplements during summer, which is very relaxed and laid back for him, it'll just

 

1. give him a much needed break

2. let us know if the supplements really helped or not

 

Sorry for the long windedness, I think we all could write novels about our children's symptoms. So Yes, tics are his main symptom to relieve, but I think anxiety/neurology/genetics is the underlying cause.