Holy crap! That coke-jaw is getting worse!

[Marr]

I'm watching Bush's speech on CNN, and he can't stop talking for more than 2 or 3 seconds without having one of those weird jaw twitches. Just a few months ago they were coming only once every few minutes, but I just saw him do it four times- no kidding- four times- during a brief stretch of applause.

Something is up with this guy.

[emulatorloo]

1. Isn't it time for him to go on vaca? I am tired of seeing him everyday

EOM

[SammyWinstonJack]

18. Was Clinton on TV this much? I am sick of seeing him too.

[phantom power]

2. I'm really hoping he has a breakdown.

Somehow, I feel that would perfectly symbolize how hollow and bankrupt the GOP has become, if their holy figurehead just literally imploded for all the world to see.

[BanzaiBonnie]

3. Are there medications

that cause this type of side effect? Or is it just coke?

[Marr]

4. Apparently there are- I've seen other DUers post info on it.

But I'm afraid I don't recall the name of the medication or the maladies it's meant to treat at the moment. Some sort of psych drug, I believe.

[Scout1071]

12. Anti-depressants can cause this reaction.

From what I've read....I see if I can dig up a link.

Any knowledgeable DU'ers care to chime in?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

13. I do it. I have tmj and grind my teeth at night

it's annoying. Kind of like a tic.

[Quakerfriend]

5. And, who are these stooges who are willing to sit behind

him when he gives speeches?

[maddezmom]

6. and his reading skill aren't getting any better either

mumble, bumble...blame congress, etc

[MrTriumph]

7. Bush slip of tounge: 'jobs exported', er make that 'jobs supported'....

Hope this "slip of tounge" gets air time.

[lonestarnot]

8. OMG! Evidence of a BJ .... Blow... IMPEACH HIM!

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. He seemed pretty steady last week during that "major" speech.

I kept waiting for it but didn't see any twitching. I assumed maybe they found the right dosage.

[glarius]

10. He just told what he had learned "through all my travels"...what a joke!

For God's sake, he had never been out of the country until after he became president!.....And he was in his fifties then!.....:rofl:

[tsuki]

11. On the train to DC, I was talking with a man from Europe. Apparently,

according to him, Bush's speeches are edited here, but shown unedited in Europe. Can you imagine what they see if we see the edited version?

[Blue_In_AK]

14. Every time he pauses in his speech

the jaw shifts. If you watch old footage of him before he was president, this never happens. I'm sure he's either on something or about to have a breakdown.

[Solomon]

15. You're late. Get this. I noticed him twitching his jaw a week ago -

BEFORE HE STARTED TALKING. He was on his way to the podium, jaw twitching all the way as he walked. He's way beyond every two or three minutes.

[PDJane]

16. There are lots of drugs

That can cause this effect, both regulated and unregulated. All the seratonin boosters like Prozac and Zoloft, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, methamphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy, pretty much all schizophrenia drugs, neuroleptics, haloperidol and similar anti-psychotic drugs, some sedatives, antispamodics, antiemetic medications, migraine medications, some chemotherapy drugs......the list goes on!

Depending upon the type of onset, a differential diagnosis might include Sydenham's chorea, Huntington's chorea, congenital torsion dystonia, hysteria, and the stereotyped behavior or mannerism of schizophrenia.

In other words, the reaction could mean all kinds of things; the only sure thing is that it points to some kind of neurological deterioration.

[verse18]

17. *'s repetitive twitch is called

Tardive Dyskinesia

Tardive dyskinesia is a neurological syndrome caused by the long-term use of neuroleptic drugs. Neuroleptic drugs are generally prescribed for psychiatric disorders, as well as for some gastrointestinal and neurological disorders. Tardive dyskinesia is characterized by repetitive, involuntary, purposeless movements. Features of the disorder may include grimacing, tongue protrusion, lip smacking, puckering and pursing, and rapid eye blinking. Rapid movements of the arms, legs, and trunk may also occur. Involuntary movements of the fingers may appear as though the patient is playing an invisible guitar or piano.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tardive/tardive.htm