Tourette Syndrome & Tic Disorders Support Group

I have never used this med or my son, but after taking a Pharmocology course, I would say to slowly decrease the meds. That way his body starts to make its own melatonin again to fall asleep. It is easy for our body to get used to a chemical doing it.

I have a drug reference guide if you'd like any information or suggestions about the medications.

There are also otc melatonin you can give to help sleep. But I'd ask a pharmacist or your doctor. You can also get used to using a fake versoin of it.

Hope this helps, Kim

Hi. My son is now 15. At the age of 9 he was diagnosed with ADD/HD. After a month on Concerta for the ADD/HD, he developed Tourettes. He was put on Clonodine. I would say his tics are mild. At the most, he has had two or three motor tics and one or two vocal tics, but not all at the same time. He has long periods (days) where they are not obvious. A few years later he was diagnosed with depression. The hospital his neurologist was associated with did not have any outpatient psychiatry. We changed hospitals and doctors and added a psychiatrist. His medication was changed to Daytrana patch (great) for ADD/HD and Guanfacine for tics and Zoloft. There was no noticable effects at all when he stopped the clonodine and switched to guanfacine. He was diagnosed earlier this year with a form of autism, PDD/NOS which does not require medication. Our son has had sleep issues since he was first diagnosed. He tends to be awake late at night and tired during the day. We found out that he would go to sleep only to wake up when we were asleep. He manages OK. His school is aware that sometimes his medications cause sleep problems and he may be sleepy in class. The school was very accommodating. Fortunately, after starting on the ADD/HD medication at 9years of age, it was like opening up the world to our son. Academically he flourished and continues to do so. The medication allows him to concentrate. At 15 he now likes to stay up late and sleep whenever he can (on weekends and days off). We now keep his room very dark. He has a small fish tank. All of the fish have died, but he likes the sound of the filter. It is soothing for him. We also let him stop his medications during the summer. His tics are more pronounced when he does not take his meds, especially if there is stress. But, he deals with them. His motor tics are now cracking his knuckles, and other bones, etc. His vocal tics come out more like a stutter. When they are noticable I usually quietly tell him to "slow down". I think he feels better not taking the meds even though it's just for the summer. He just commented that it does make it easier to concentrate when he takes the meds. We work around the sleep issues - make the school aware and let him take cat naps whenever he can. Sorry this is so long. Hope it helps.

well i had allergic reactions to clonidine...my reaction was bloddy noses so i stopped taking them but i am a tourettes patient and i also have alot of trouble sleeping...as u see right now the time this message has been sent i been up all night. im not sure but i think i might have a sleeping disorder cuz i have had tourettes for 10 years and counting and i always had trouble sleeping...but sometimes when i dont take my meds i never fall asleep sometimes for 2 days straight it countereacts with ur body and u stay up. maybe if u changed the meds cuz i have been on tenyx almost since i was diagnosed and its always worked pretty good for me...hope thsi helps and god bless :)

Hi, my daughter is 10 and has been having sleep issues since she was 9. It started out with anxiety right before bed and eventually she would have pure panic attacks. She was so bad that she did not sleep most nights.. the stress from school made it ten times worse. The doctor put her on the same medication but we did not like the idea.. after about a month we finally caved in and tried it.. it helped one night only .. every night there after she had the same issues.. eventually I went to the local all natural store and bought a sleep aid and it helped big time. When school ended so did the anxiety at bed time.. not completely but mostly. As soon as school started up it all came back. That is when the TS came about. Her neck and hands are pretty bad.. and it causes her pain at times.. her throat clearning and jaw snapping are repetative as well. The meds they gave my daughter, I felt, were not worth it.. I was worried about it as I am with anything I put into our bodies.. (nervous I guess) She uses Calm's Forte and that makes a huge difference in her sleep patterns. No one could tell me why she has sleep issues.. some nights she wakes up in a panic.. is this similar to what your child goes through?

From the research I've read, sleep problems are very often associated with TS. My son never had issues falling asleep until the tics started. What doesn't help is that it appears that he has restless leg syndrome. He moves his legs a lot during sleep and when awake.

Hi my wee boy has had T.S since he was tiny, he was showing obvious symptoms since he was 2, and diagnose at 4 years old. He was born in distress and never slept the night. He's now 11 in two weeks time, and for the past 3 years has been sleeping as has been on clonidine and haloperidol.

Melatonin!!!!!

I've just purchased Melatonin online from america as we can't get it in Australia unless you go to a sleep dr. I'm hoping it helps my 17 year old ts son who has terrible trouble getting to sleep. I'll let you all know how it goes.