8 year old with TICs

Hi Sisters, a very heart broken and distressed mumma here waning any advice from others who's children have gone through or are going through similar issues;
My son is 8} and at the end of last year my son started a "tic" it was a noise/deep breath he would make it started off just when he was watching tv etc and sounded like he was huffing his breath out {like when u have asthma} then other tics followed eye movements/rolling, then head movements and progressed to all the time regardless of what he was doing this seemed to end at the start of this year we had no idea what was going on when we would ask him what he was doing he would say nothing and that he didnt know he was even doing it, anyway the head tick and the eye one came back then went again. we took him to a DR and then a PEAD who all said its normal for this age to go through this and that is a habit not a tic and that he has no disorders like tourettes etc., they suggested when he was doing it to distract him and get his mind to go elsewhere, we also took him to a NLP specialist who also said he was fine. anyway he seemed to stop the ticks for a LONG time then end of last term they started again {a new one} it was a noise { a high squeak} in his throat this went on for weeks we thought perhaps it was due to being end of term and having test at school and maybe feeling stressed - school holidays came and by the second week they had gone again completely. Fast forward to about two weeks ago and his ticks have returned this time its a head tick it went from suttle to full blown worse than i have ever seen it before within a week, he also told me about some issues he was having with kids at school calling him names etc {i think this triggered his tic to return and that has since been dealt with by myself and the principal} but his ticks are still present and extremely bad, he knows hes doing it but cannot prevent it he cries and crys with anger and frustration saying he hates himself becasue he cannot stop it he says his neck is hurting, he cant get a story out when hes talking becasue hes stopping and starting from the tics/head action my heart is breaking for him, he is a very very smart kid and is the top of his class is very social an liked by others, his teacher has even pulled me aside to mention how she has noticed how severe they are getting, my husband is beside himself and angry that because of the other kids hes been triggered {i know its not their fault kids are kids}
today i noticed he was slightly started the deep breathy huff in his throat again as well but haven't notice it accelerate or often but the head ticks are in full steam i took a video of him last night {he was still half asleep and had woken slightly } to show the DR i have contacted a child psychologist in the hopes they may be able to help she seems nice but not sure she can help am yet to see her - i have been doing some research on the net and may now go to dr to ask for a neuro apnt and MRI and may also try putting him on calcium/magnesium as i heard that may help. I guess my question is has anyone been through this with their child? how did they cope what helped them do they grow out of this? where do i go from here?? since his tics go away completely and then return i feel there is some hope but right now i am sad and heartbroken for my amazing little man, i just want to help him get through this and the dr just palm me off saying its normal, but THIS ISNT normal, people notice and seem to think nothing of saying "what are u doing why are u doing that" {which makes it worse for him, } and kids at school are asking him about it also. please any help, advice, story's of your own. would be appriciated
and sorry for the long post - i wanted to get as much info in as possible, {also i have triedy rescue remedy and bush flower essence}
TIA