Valtrex for tics?

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Does anyone have any experience with Valtrex making a difference for a tic

disorder? My 8-year-old has had periodic bouts with tics for the last three

years. The tics consist of a grunting/throat clearing noise, banging with his

hands, stomping his feet, etc. In the past week he has changed from grunting to

saying, " Too-tee. " The episodes tend to last 2-3 months at a time, and are

accompanied by decreased focus and emotional control. He is currently in one of

his tic cycles, which started at the end of July. In the past couple of weeks

the tics have been severe - to the point where he looks like he has full-blown

Tourette's. Also some OCD behaviors are present. The last 2 weeks of school have

been awful for him.

We ran a stool test in Mid August and did some bloodwork at the beginning of

September. No markers for strep or yeast in the stool, but low Secretory IgA and

general inflammation. Bloodwork revealed no EBV, no CMV, and strep antibodies

were negative (this was 5 weeks after the tics started). He did have high HHV-6

titers. (HHV-6 titers were also high the last time they were checked at age

4.5). Overall IgG was low as well.

We are on a GFCFSF, artificial/preservative free diet. Our daily supplements are

CLO, Magnesium, Zinc, Compounded Mito support, L5MTHF, B12 injections, Vitamin

D, Vitamin E, probiotic/prebiotic, CoQ10.

We started Valtrex/Diflucan a week ago to knock out the HHV-6. I had noticed a

decrease in the frequency of tics the night before we started the valtrex, so

it's hard to say if the new meds are the cause. The tics were much lower over

last weekend and have started to increase again. He had a slight rash around his

mouth the other day. This is similar to a rash I have seen come and go over the

last 2 months.

Would appreciate any experience with Valtrex specifically for tics, or other

ideas to pursue for testing/treatment.

Thank you,

Jenna