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Facial Tic Armageddon

Robbie Sallos

Argh.

Hello people. I'm at my wit's end, so have come here for advice. My tics started when I was roughly 19, a small narrowing of an eyebrow or twitch of the nose. I just turned 34 and for nearly the past year they're worse than ever: big flaring of the nostrils. clenched teeth, but mainly a huge, hard grimace that is so tight it hurts my eyes and gives me headaches. Basically this:

...except my teeth aren't as good. ;)

This happens several times a minute at its worst, and is etching lines into my skin. I gave up a job in front of a camera some years ago because of it and it wasn't even this bad. Doctors suggest counselling but then nothing comes of it, I'm on sertraline and didn't start medication until the age of around 25. Does anybody have any tips? I'm going steadily more insane.

THanks in advance!

  • in reply to NAS67584

    I actually do take 350g of magnesium oxide every night otherwise my feet curl up with cramp. It works pretty well, any higher dose and it would start to have a laxative effect. I don't know if I get cramp because I give into my tics or because I try to resist them. 

  • I'm told that sometimes this kind of nonsense can be due (or partly due) to lack of magnesium, it might be worth a try.  (If possible get some that isn't magnesium carbonate or magnesium oxide.  They're cheap, so most supplements use those, but they're not very well absorbed so you don't get anything like as much out of them.  Magnesium citrate works or whatever else you can get that isn't those.)

  • in reply to mouse2

    I'm afraid I've no experience of medication, that is another whole discussion topic (i am terrified of loss of control) .  Anyway, i use a kind of stretch and ping where i flex a muscle and let go quickly.  It doesn't even feel nice, it just feels like a compulsion or a build up of tension.  I am hyper sensory so maybe there is a build up of tension or a feeling in my nerves or muscles.

  • I do wonder if sertraline would be useless in this situation as I'm always stretching other parts of my body now. Hands under the table, legs, arms. Not sure why I do it or if it is related to anxiety at all

  • I tics and stretches that I used to "have to do". The only thing I could do was replace them with stretches and tics using less visible body parts:  my feet, my breathing and my stomach muscles , particularly my diaphragm,  so that no one can see them but I still have to do them for the relief they give.

  • Hi I dont know but I had similar when I was younger. I'd stretch my entire face which got me nasty comments and looks so I understand its effects. I had it when I was 13 until 17 ish i cant remember how i got rid of it but wanted to say hi and your not alone