Posted by Larry Hoover on May 13, 2006, at 8:44:21
In reply to Re: Worn out: rTMS, posted by honeybee on May 12, 2006, at 10:13:22
> Larry,
>
> So you have a pretty positive view of rTMS? I'm curious, b/c I highly respect your opinion. Since I'm in NYC, I've looked into getting into the study underway at Columbia. The rub is that a) I work 9-5, b) they're only open 9-5, and c) I am skeptical that I can get that far uptown for that long each day for three weeks.I've seen some encouraging results puplished. Similar efficacies to other antidepressant treatments. I can't imagine it does harm. It has no withdrawal effects. Like I said, if you could work it into your life (most people would have to travel to a treatment center, and thus my idea of working it into a vacation-like excursion), and you can afford it, I think it's one of the more benign treatments to consider.
If I could handle the logistics, I'd do it.
> To be honest, I've only been on a very few meds (effexor, cymbalta, lexapro, and SAM-e, if you consider that one). For a long time, I was doing fine, tolerating some annoying side effects with effexor (horrific night sweats). Now I'm in med limbo and terrified of taking drugs over the long haul.
I try to avoid meds. Maybe I'm no more than an older version of you.
> For anyone interested, the people who I've corresponded with haven't been able to share any of their preliminary data with me (and are in the process of developing a "compassionate rTMS" study, which differs from the current I don't know how).
What that suggests to me is that they are trying to provide more open access. People might not meet the selection criteria for clinical studies. Trying to get people in the side door, rather than the front.
> They did say that they're delivering their data to the FDA in the next couple of months, though. Don't know what the ETA on hearing about approval would be, but it's nice to hear that another prospect is in the pipeline.
>
> bIt's available at a couple of centers in Canada, too. Cash is all you need, as far as I know. But that's the main logistical element that precludes my visiting with them.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:641290
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060510/msgs/643397.html