Blacking Out - Is this how it works with TS?

[Xelebes]

I usually experience this when doing something aerobic like... oh I don't know, aerobics, yoga, breathing exercises. I do ok with walking or running as they are either slow repetitive movements that I can continue doing while blacking out or are only short term exertions where breaks are had between each burst. Whenever I do heavy breathing, I get the urge to tic - usually in the neck - and when I am doing something with effort or gusto while I am breathing heavy, I can blackout as my movements are interfering with the tic. I'm just wondering if this is how "blackouts", as I see them sometimes termed as, happen as a symptom of TS?

[tourettetiger]

There is a (rare?) neurological condition described in the book "Toscanini's Fumble" by Harold L. Klawans where you can cut off blood flow to the brain by raising your hands over your head and pressing on the arteries or veins. It would not surprise me - I have "charlie horses" in my neck, throat, and tongue on rare occasions - if you could tic so hard or so often that you squeeze off the blood flow and cause yourself blackouts.

[Xelebes]

I get those too in the neck, but those are different. What I'm specifically referring to are the sudden things go black and maybe white but I don't necessarily lose consciousness in the sense of fainting.

For example, in a yoga stretch I have my head resting on a mat with my torso raised. My neck can't move and I have a bit of extra blood flowing into my head. This causes me to tic specifically around my neck but my neck can't move. I suddenly lose co-ordination, become clumsy and become instantly slovenly. I break out of that move and it takes me a minute to recuperate.

I tried bringing this up to my doctor before but I think my communication wasn't clear enough, which happens a lot, and he attributed this to hyperventilation. It hasn't been happening anymore since my other doctor had me stop doing the aerobics, yoga and exercise bit.

[tourettetiger]

Stop yoga? That sounds serious.

I wonder if this would help - next time you talk to that doctor, actually get down on the floor and show them the move. I hate to be cruel, but if you had the episode while they were watching, it might help. I don't recommend that, but, reality is they often are guessing when you report a problem with weird symptoms. There is a reason we have medical doctors - this stuff can be complicated to diagnose.

[Xelebes]

Originally Posted by tourettetiger

Stop yoga? That sounds serious.

That's what the doctors had me do.