My teenage years were not nice at all. I know most people did not enjoy puberty but when I went to high school I started getting terrible panic attacks. My parents thought it was just a normal thing to happen but it started getting worse. I went into a deep depression and withdrew from everything. I panicked and shook like a leaf all day and night. I eventually started bunking school. I was thrown into a type of military school where there were other children who did far worse things than bunking school. However after a week I found out that I was put in the wrong place and someone high up in the medical profession got me out. After about a year, not knowing was to do, I got in touch with a doctor who diagnosed me with tourette syndrome. I was happy because I didn’t know why I shouted and swore and blinked my eyes for no reason. I was happy and went back to school. I was put on Ritalin and fluoanxol (not too sure of spelling). Anyway to cut a long story short, I am 30 now, in my second year at university, and I am still on Ritalin but with Prozac this time. However I got into the habit of taking Ritalin (10mg) in the morning and after about 2 or 3 hours, I take a sleeping tablet (zopiclone 7.5mg) to relax and then after 4 hours I take another Ritalin and after 2 hours again I take an imovane. And then I take another 2 later at night to sleep. I was put into a rehab for 3 weeks but the rehab wanted to take me off all my medicine and one day they didn’t give me any and I started get panic attacks and severe depression the next day. I would rather die than go back to a rehab. Besides I can’t afford it anymore. I have run out of options and it feels like a hopeless case. Why is this happening to me? Why cant I just take my 1 Ritalin in the morning and then the other one at about 12 pm and then 1 imovane to sleep at night? This is how I always used to to do it. Please note I don’t take the imovane to get a high – It makes me feel normal and that’s all I want.
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Ritalin is not good for Tourettes, in fact, it makes it worse. I would say that you should completely clean out your system of drugs. Not that I am against drug treatments! I’m not. I think drugs are an effective tool. But you need to “take stock” of your current condition, and then decide with your Neurologist what meds to take. I know that Tourettes is life long, but it changes so much that you need to kind of “see where you are” without meds. Then I would recommend using only medicines that do not make Tourettes worse. You will need to ask your Neurologist.
If you are not seeing a Neurologist, you need to. I am guessing that your prescription came from a shrink. Am I right?
May I gently point out that you have placed this question in the mental health category. I personally believe that Tourettes is not a mental illness. Medical books have placed it in that category for classification purposes, but I disagree. The problems you ran into (depression, panic attacks, etc) were borne out of frustration and having to deal with Tourettes, although you did not know that at the time.
Think of Tourettes this way: your software is fine (your ability to function and aptitude for learning), but your hardware is wired incorrectly and this causes vocal and motor tics.
You are NOT a hopeless case. Just be sure to have your Neurologist check into the Ritalin for you. It makes Tourettes worse and that is a major part of the problem.
Best wishes and don’t give up!
Ritalin is for ADHD, normal college kids take it for better grades. Do you really need it? It sounds like you have been on it too long, since you’re 30, try to get off it as soon as you’re done with school.
It sounds like you have a mild case of Tourettes, because blinking is a common habit that comes and goes, my nephew does that. The shouting is Palilalia and the swearing is Copralalia, not Tourettes.
I have heard that getting Strep is the cause of these problems, it wears away the Myelin Sheath of the nerve ending in the brain and then whatever hereditary problems are in your family will come out. Just try to pass on this information to your family so any nieces and nephews can delay the problems, until there are better medicines.
I don’t know of any other drugs for Tourettes other than Clonazepam (Klonopin), but it’s also for panic attacks (and seizures). It’s not good to be on it for long, because it is a benzo class of medication(don’t know the full name). The benzo’s are addicting and you have to be weaned off them slowly, not put in rehab.
You can go to a neurologist to figure out if you’re taking the right drugs, they know of the latest and best ones. Also, a psychiatrist for cognitive behavioral therapy is a good idea while on the drugs, and they prescibe them.
And there are self-help books for cognitive behavioral therapy, they show how you actually can rewire your brain and teach yourself to do your habits less and less. Then your brain starts to do appropriate behavior automatically.
Eat a healthy diet, get alot of sleep. You probably figure out coffee and sugar can make you have a bad day. Also, I ‘ve read that DHEA is produced while you sleep and people with Tourettes have less of that hormone. You can buy the DHEA supplements (10mg or you could lose your hair). Also, St. John’s Wort is good for depression, if you want to get off medications (I don’t know if it has bad interactions with meds..).
Prozac does seem to be helping alot of people, you should stick with that one if it is working for you. Some people get suicidal thoughts from SSRI’s, but you didn’t mention that. (You might have been on one before, you couldn’t remember the spelling, it might of been Fluvoxamine for depression and OCD). So, I hope SSRI’s work for you. Try to think positive thoughts.
Most people are understanding of your problems, stay away from the ignorant mean people. I know your problems are hard to figure out, you are at a stressful time in your life with college. Things will get better, you’ll learn how to relax more (try yoga). Good for you asking for advice here.
My neurologist growing up put me on .5mg of haloperidol. It seemed to subside the tourettes but not completely get rid of it. It also make you somewhat of a zombie( which made my symptoms tolerable.) PLEASE do not take this stuff! I also think its somewhat related to my depression… and i’ve been off it for ten years.
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