Re: complicated GABA confusion --- can anyone help???

[Guest guest]

few speculative thoughts, one reason could be to do with dosing - what

were the dosages of things that caused movement disorders? if quite low,

could be that he needs more - mind you, this is in theory as I'm not

suggesting increasing the doses of things that he reacted to (as myself

would be too scared to! ).

But I have heard of several instances where people were reacting to

things when given in very small doses, and then did very well on full

doses... GABA was one of those supplements in one child, interestingly

enough.

Just something to keep in mind I guess, sorry cannot be of more

practical help.

Natasa

>

> I took my son to a neurologist the other day because I thought he

> was having seizures from l-carnitine. He would get where he would

> seem like he was going to 'pop' and then tense and then do spastic

> movements with his limbs and look all weird in his eyes. Turns out,

> the neuro doesn't feel it is seizures because he is responsive

> during the episodes and because the movement occurs on both sides of

> his body. He felt that it was some sort of underlying movement

> disorder that presents itself only when the biochemistry in his

> brain is a certain way (and his supplements were causing the levels

> to be such to bring it out).

>

> So I did an internet search for movement disorder and found that it

> is caused by problems with not enough GABA. According to labs, my

> son does favor glutamate and needs more GABA. So this part made

> sense.

>

> However, when I looked up the things that have caused him problems,

> they actually help with GABA levels. Things that caused problems:

> magnesium citrate (made his arms shaky enough to freak out my

> husband who is usually pretty mellow), zinc sulphate and/or l-

> carnitine, pycogenol (made him wake up in the middle of the night

> screaming and crying with lots of anxiety). And so ...

>

> I don't get it. I would think he would be shaky all the time and

> then when I gave him these supplements he would be better due to

> helping GABA levels. But instead the opposite happens.

>

> Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I guess I can try GABA and

> if he gets the seizure looking thing again I know that increasing

> GABA is the cause. But then I am still confused as to why and what

> to do since GABA is supposed to be calming and help movement

> disorders and not cause them.

>

> Thank you.

> Michele

>

[Guest guest]

My son used to do just the things you are describing, and no longer

does since Valtrex, Diflucan , and GABA three times a day...I do not

know if it is the GABA or not...hmmm. ALl of his weird body

movements - and he had TONS - disappeared with a switch to only foods

legal on the SCD diet...we have not yet managed to do the diet per

se, but cutting sugar, carbs, and starches - BAM...wierd body stuff

gone within two weeks. I would do that, and then brong GABA on

board...but diet stuff first, ALWAYS....My son lives on El Pollo Loco

and other versions of chicken drumsticks, peeled raw apples - no more

than one or two, TOPS, a day, spinach juice with a bit of apple and

or pear in it, water, and supps including yucca to offset that he is

so meat heacy right now. He also gets some raw carrots each day,

also limited....you would think that he would do poorly on such a

restricted diet - he is doing SO SO much better. GO figure. ALl

weird body tics gone..toe walking remains though, stools are not

healthy yet...still going back and forth between nothing and mush bc

we have never been able to do the diet, in its proper stages to date

with our picky eater...but if you are not SCD yet - DO THAT ASAP as a

kid who doesn't do well with various supps is the PERFECT type to

excell on that diet I think...you may not need the GABA in the long

run. Best of luck. Di

> >

> > I took my son to a neurologist the other day because I thought he

> > was having seizures from l-carnitine. He would get where he would

> > seem like he was going to 'pop' and then tense and then do spastic

> > movements with his limbs and look all weird in his eyes. Turns

out,

> > the neuro doesn't feel it is seizures because he is responsive

> > during the episodes and because the movement occurs on both sides

of

> > his body. He felt that it was some sort of underlying movement

> > disorder that presents itself only when the biochemistry in his

> > brain is a certain way (and his supplements were causing the

levels

> > to be such to bring it out).

> >

> > So I did an internet search for movement disorder and found that

it

> > is caused by problems with not enough GABA. According to labs, my

> > son does favor glutamate and needs more GABA. So this part made

> > sense.

> >

> > However, when I looked up the things that have caused him

problems,

> > they actually help with GABA levels. Things that caused problems:

> > magnesium citrate (made his arms shaky enough to freak out my

> > husband who is usually pretty mellow), zinc sulphate and/or l-

> > carnitine, pycogenol (made him wake up in the middle of the night

> > screaming and crying with lots of anxiety). And so ...

> >

> > I don't get it. I would think he would be shaky all the time and

> > then when I gave him these supplements he would be better due to

> > helping GABA levels. But instead the opposite happens.

> >

> > Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I guess I can try GABA and

> > if he gets the seizure looking thing again I know that increasing

> > GABA is the cause. But then I am still confused as to why and

what

> > to do since GABA is supposed to be calming and help movement

> > disorders and not cause them.

> >

> > Thank you.

> > Michele

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Di, when you said

still going back and forth between nothing and mush bc

we have never been able to do the diet.. "

we have had exactly that for a long time, and we HAVE been doing the

diet... it has only recently started to normalise, although still mushy

sometimes and still not regular enough... but toe walking took a long

long long time to completely go - even now he does it sometimes just

before going.. He was toewalking even when we were the strictest SCD so

don't think it is only the diet that can solve it for some kids. Maybe

for some not for others.

We have introduce many more things since starting the diet two years

ago, we are now no longer SCD for 100% of the time (small bribes every

now and then, not much) but his gut is so much better so I think he can

handle it...It is probably the combination of things Even gluten does

not cause reaction if it is a one-off infraction...

Natasa

> > >

> > > I took my son to a neurologist the other day because I thought he

> > > was having seizures from l-carnitine. He would get where he would

> > > seem like he was going to 'pop' and then tense and then do spastic

> > > movements with his limbs and look all weird in his eyes. Turns

> out,

> > > the neuro doesn't feel it is seizures because he is responsive

> > > during the episodes and because the movement occurs on both sides

> of

> > > his body. He felt that it was some sort of underlying movement

> > > disorder that presents itself only when the biochemistry in his

> > > brain is a certain way (and his supplements were causing the

> levels

> > > to be such to bring it out).

> > >

> > > So I did an internet search for movement disorder and found that

> it

> > > is caused by problems with not enough GABA. According to labs, my

> > > son does favor glutamate and needs more GABA. So this part made

> > > sense.

> > >

> > > However, when I looked up the things that have caused him

> problems,

> > > they actually help with GABA levels. Things that caused problems:

> > > magnesium citrate (made his arms shaky enough to freak out my

> > > husband who is usually pretty mellow), zinc sulphate and/or l-

> > > carnitine, pycogenol (made him wake up in the middle of the night

> > > screaming and crying with lots of anxiety). And so ...

> > >

> > > I don't get it. I would think he would be shaky all the time and

> > > then when I gave him these supplements he would be better due to

> > > helping GABA levels. But instead the opposite happens.

> > >

> > > Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I guess I can try GABA and

> > > if he gets the seizure looking thing again I know that increasing

> > > GABA is the cause. But then I am still confused as to why and

> what

> > > to do since GABA is supposed to be calming and help movement

> > > disorders and not cause them.

> > >

> > > Thank you.

> > > Michele

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

For us the more we increased dose the more of an issue it was. He

never has any tics unless he was on the supplements. Actually,

gluten brings this out at a much lower level as does illness and

fever on two occasions. But I would think gluten increases

glutamate so that confuses me even more now that I think about it.

Michele

> >

> > I took my son to a neurologist the other day because I thought he

> > was having seizures from l-carnitine. He would get where he

would

> > seem like he was going to 'pop' and then tense and then do

spastic

> > movements with his limbs and look all weird in his eyes. Turns

out,

> > the neuro doesn't feel it is seizures because he is responsive

> > during the episodes and because the movement occurs on both

sides of

> > his body. He felt that it was some sort of underlying movement

> > disorder that presents itself only when the biochemistry in his

> > brain is a certain way (and his supplements were causing the

levels

> > to be such to bring it out).

> >

> > So I did an internet search for movement disorder and found that

it

> > is caused by problems with not enough GABA. According to labs,

my

> > son does favor glutamate and needs more GABA. So this part made

> > sense.

> >

> > However, when I looked up the things that have caused him

problems,

> > they actually help with GABA levels. Things that caused

problems:

> > magnesium citrate (made his arms shaky enough to freak out my

> > husband who is usually pretty mellow), zinc sulphate and/or l-

> > carnitine, pycogenol (made him wake up in the middle of the night

> > screaming and crying with lots of anxiety). And so ...

> >

> > I don't get it. I would think he would be shaky all the time and

> > then when I gave him these supplements he would be better due to

> > helping GABA levels. But instead the opposite happens.

> >

> > Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I guess I can try GABA

and

> > if he gets the seizure looking thing again I know that increasing

> > GABA is the cause. But then I am still confused as to why and

what

> > to do since GABA is supposed to be calming and help movement

> > disorders and not cause them.

> >

> > Thank you.

> > Michele

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Are the foods you are giving your son low glutamate. If so, I

wonder if the GABA is helping him with his tics and odd movements.

I have been wanting to try the SCD, and your e-mail surely gave me a

push to just do it. Thanks for taking the time to write.

Michele

> > >

> > > I took my son to a neurologist the other day because I thought

he

> > > was having seizures from l-carnitine. He would get where he

would

> > > seem like he was going to 'pop' and then tense and then do

spastic

> > > movements with his limbs and look all weird in his eyes.

Turns

> out,

> > > the neuro doesn't feel it is seizures because he is responsive

> > > during the episodes and because the movement occurs on both

sides

> of

> > > his body. He felt that it was some sort of underlying movement

> > > disorder that presents itself only when the biochemistry in his

> > > brain is a certain way (and his supplements were causing the

> levels

> > > to be such to bring it out).

> > >

> > > So I did an internet search for movement disorder and found

that

> it

> > > is caused by problems with not enough GABA. According to

labs, my

> > > son does favor glutamate and needs more GABA. So this part

made

> > > sense.

> > >

> > > However, when I looked up the things that have caused him

> problems,

> > > they actually help with GABA levels. Things that caused

problems:

> > > magnesium citrate (made his arms shaky enough to freak out my

> > > husband who is usually pretty mellow), zinc sulphate and/or l-

> > > carnitine, pycogenol (made him wake up in the middle of the

night

> > > screaming and crying with lots of anxiety). And so ...

> > >

> > > I don't get it. I would think he would be shaky all the time

and

> > > then when I gave him these supplements he would be better due

to

> > > helping GABA levels. But instead the opposite happens.

> > >

> > > Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I guess I can try GABA

and

> > > if he gets the seizure looking thing again I know that

increasing

> > > GABA is the cause. But then I am still confused as to why and

> what

> > > to do since GABA is supposed to be calming and help movement

> > > disorders and not cause them.

> > >

> > > Thank you.

> > > Michele

> > >

> >

>