Posted by Anna P. on July 8, 2001, at 14:51:02
In reply to Re: rTMS, hospital and horrible anxietySHOULDI GO LONG » Anna P., posted by Cam W. on June 14, 2001, at 8:26:44
> Anna - rTMS is a new, but exciting advance, if it pans out. Even newer is seizure-inducing rTMS. It seems to work as well as ECT (the best antidepressant that we have) but without the amnesia. The magnetic pulses of rTMS are not impeded by the bones of the brain and can thus be more focused on particular brain structures, without the spread of signal seen with ECT.
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> Scott (SLS) and I have been following this for quite some time, and are both excited at it's prospects. Yes, the treatments have transient activity, but so does ECT and, for that matter oral antidepressants. All of these treatments need repeat dosing, but like ECT, these treatments need to be do several times, with maintenance treatments do at specific intervals.
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> rTMS is new, so it needs to be tested. If I had the chance to participate in a rTMS trial, I would jump at the chance. It is very safe; the worse thing that can happen is a slight headache and sometimes pain at the site of the magnet (this has been lessened with fine tuning of the magnetic pulses and better placement of the magnet).
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> The final decision is with you (and your doctor), but I think that this treatment, when further refined, could be a breakthough for several mental disorders.
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> Just my opinion. - CamThanks Cam. I failed my rTMS study. You have to be without the medication (they don't help anyway anymore). After trying my recent anticonvulsant Tiagabine , I got so severe anxiety, I was affraid to do blood tests and other neuroimaging studies such as PET scan or MRI.
Now, here I'm at home, with suicidal thoughts, and no help. I won't do anything to hurt myself, but I can't stand the fact there is no more help, and I tried everything.
I hate ECT, and VNS seems even more scary. I just have no life.Anna P.
poster:Anna P.
thread:66336
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010708/msgs/69411.html