Shown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Denise528 on March 23, 2004, at 6:55:54
Hi Linkadge,
I think I've asked you this before but can't find the original thread?
Is the rTMS device you built still working? and do you have the details for how you made it, could you send them to me if you do?
Thanks.......Denise
Posted by linkadge on March 24, 2004, at 6:50:30
In reply to To Linkadge, posted by Denise528 on March 23, 2004, at 6:55:54
I am in bad shape right now. THe rTMS is the best thing that has come around for me but....
It does not mix with the medications. I have been in the hospital twice for serotonin snydrome - dangerously high levles of the neurotransmitter.
If I go off all medications (which I did) my condition was almost 100%, but I am scared to death about A) telling the doctor that I am using a contraption to improve my mood.
B)Ditchiny psychiatry all together - they have bailed me out one too many times for me to say that I am just going to stop taking my meds.So I've put RTMS on hold for a while to see what I can come up with.
If you do want plans I cannot recomend that you use them while on medications. This is powerful stuff, it boosts all three monoamines, and downregulates all the right receptors within a very short amount of time.
But email me at linkadge@hotmail.com and I can give them to you. - YOu'll have to be patient I am in the middle of final exams :)
Linkadge
Posted by denise528 on March 28, 2004, at 8:11:51
In reply to Re: To Linkadge, posted by linkadge on March 24, 2004, at 6:50:30
Hi Linkadge,
I don't undersand, I can see why you don't want to come off meds altogether but I can't understand why you don't reduce the meds right down and continue with the rTMS especially if you feel almost 100% with it??
I would be interested in getting the details of how you built it (not that I could do it but I have a friend who maybe could)
My e-mail address is denise528@hotmail.com.
Hope your exams go ok?
Denise
Posted by Denise528 on April 1, 2004, at 3:17:58
In reply to Re: To Linkadge, posted by denise528 on March 28, 2004, at 8:11:51
Hi Linkadge,
Do you think you will be able to send those instructions for building the TMS. I've checked my e-mail and haven't received anything but then my inbox was full with the usual crap. Ive deleted some of it so you should be ok to send now if you had problems before.
My e-mail is denise528@hotmail.com
Kind Regards.......Denise
Posted by rod on April 1, 2004, at 4:50:03
In reply to Re: Linkadge - Can you send those details, posted by Denise528 on April 1, 2004, at 3:17:58
No offense to linkadges construction and sorry to be such a "downer", but I have to say a few words on this topic.
Its indeed possible that linkadges device works, because no one really knows what the right parameters are, but I think his (?) device doesnt meet the specifications of a professional one.
denise528, I will send you a paper from a manufacturer of rTMS devices, where most things are explained. But there is not a detailed instruction how to build one, but maybe you know enough of it, or have a friend who is familiar with electronics. It shouldnt be a major problem to build it with some electronic knowloedge. I dont have instructions, because I gave up building my own, because it easely costs more then 2.000$. About the same price of a full treatment with a professional one and under the guide of a doctor. Most of the components are just damn expensive.
Linkadge uses an amplifier. I doubt his amp can provide up to 5.000.000 (5 Mega Watt!!!) of power per discarge. Of course this is not really a big deal, because its just for a very short time. In the paper you can see that they charge an array of capacitors and discarge them via Thyristors (some kind of electronic switch). They just short fuse the capacitor with the coil to achieve a peak of around 8000 Ampere and a rate of change of the magnetif fiel intensity (or magetic flow dansity) of around 30 kT/s (kilo Tesla per second) and get a peak of around 2,5 Tesla. That seems to be necesary to induce the proper electrical current in the brain. This paper also provides specifications about the coil. For rTMS a doulbe coil (called butterfly) with inside diameter 56 mm, outside diameter 87 mm, number of turns per coil: 9. etc. etc... You need that few turns to achieve the high rise in the magnetic field...
Again, no offense linkadge, yours might work aswell.Roland
Posted by rod on April 1, 2004, at 4:58:56
In reply to Re: Linkadge - Can you send those details, posted by Denise528 on April 1, 2004, at 3:17:58
> Hi Linkadge,
>
> Do you think you will be able to send those instructions for building the TMS. I've checked my e-mail and haven't received anything but then my inbox was full with the usual crap. Ive deleted some of it so you should be ok to send now if you had problems before.
>
> My e-mail is denise528@hotmail.com
>
>
>
> Kind Regards.......Denise
I hope your hotmail can handle 2,5 MB attachments
Posted by glenn on April 3, 2004, at 9:44:56
In reply to Re: Linkadge - Can you send those details, posted by rod on April 1, 2004, at 4:58:56
Me too please.
g.macauley@ntlworld.comThanks
Glenn
Posted by SLS on April 3, 2004, at 10:23:55
In reply to Re: Linkadge - Can you send those details » Denise528, posted by rod on April 1, 2004, at 4:50:03
> ...I will send you a paper from a manufacturer of rTMS devices, where most things are explained.
Hi Roland.Would you be able to post the URL of the site where you found the material?
Thanks.
- Scott
Posted by rod on April 3, 2004, at 10:50:33
In reply to Re: Linkadge - Can you send those details- me too, posted by glenn on April 3, 2004, at 9:44:56
Ok.
http://www.magstim.com/Documents.html
"Guide to Magnetic Stimulation"
You have to fill in a form and (hoefully) get the password by email for the password protected zip file, which contains the pdf file.
My concern about not posting the link was I didnt want that they get flooded with requests because it seems like its only intended for potential customers.
But if you all like to have it, here it isRoland
Posted by Pfinstegg on April 4, 2004, at 10:55:47
In reply to Re: Linkadge - Can you send those details- me too, posted by glenn on April 3, 2004, at 9:44:56
I admire the people who have the technical ability to build a TMS machine themselves. However, I do have several concerns - the first being that the machine you build may deliver too little or too much current. Secondly, the placement of the coils is something the TMS technicians take a great deal of time over; they want to place it exactly 5 cm forward of the area of the motor cortex which causes your thumb to twitch when it is stimulated. This would be 5 cm. along a line parallel to the saggital sinus, which is straight front to back in the center of your skull. The treatments are always given to the left side by the few doctors who give them (it is given to the right as well in some of the studies going on at NIMH, etc.). The third worry that comes to my mind is how often it is used by people who have built their own devices. Standard maintenance treatment given in the two centers I know of in the US is twice daily treatments for two or three days - not more often than once a month, and often on an as-needed basis every two, four or six months. I don't think there is any scientific knowledge about what happens if it is given daily.
The known effects of it are an increase in blood flow to the left hemisphere, an increase in BDNF, so that cells can start growing again in the hippocampus, a down-regulation in the HPA axis, so that less cortisol is produced, and an up-regulation in all three neurotransmitters (serotonin, nor-epinephrine and dopamine). These effects don't last too long, but they are very powerful initially. Is it actually possible to get serotonin syndrome from daily TMS? If so, this would be a strong reason to take it only a few times a month.
I guess everyone on these threads knows that I took an initial 3-week course of it from Dr. Mark Hutto of Atlanta in January 2003, which was extremely helpful. Since then, I have gone back twice for six treatments (two a day, so the stay is not too long). It has been expensive - $170 per treatment, plus the expense of travel and accomodation; however, I have claimed it as a medical deduction on my tax form, and it has been accepted.
Just wanted to share these experiences in case they are helpful to one of you...
Posted by glenn on April 4, 2004, at 11:28:05
In reply to Constructing a TMS machine, posted by Pfinstegg on April 4, 2004, at 10:55:47
Hi there Pfinstegg,
Have not seen you on here for a while, but then I have not been on much myself.
You are I am sure correct about the need for exactness with rtms, how are you ?
I hope your hubby is ok.Glenn
Posted by Pfinstegg on April 4, 2004, at 13:17:52
In reply to Re: Constructing a TMS machine- To Pfinstegg, posted by glenn on April 4, 2004, at 11:28:05
Hi Glenn! Nice to hear from you! I am doing really well with *maintenance* TMS every two to four months. I've never gone back down into the really severe depression I had in 2002, although I still do have a mild-to-moderate amount which recurrs every few months, and seems to be easily eliminated by the TMS. I do go to psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy twice a week, which has been very helpful in addressing the Complex PTSD which is the basic cause of the depression. I don't take AD's any longer, which, for me, does make for a much better quality of life, sexually, weight-wise and motivation-wise!
Thank for remembering and asking about my hubby! He too undertook a novel treatment- for locally recurrent prostate cancer- IMRT radiation at Sloan-Kettering in New York, and is considered cured! The IMRT (Intensity Modulated) radiation can deliver far more radiation to a much smaller area, so it is much more effective, and didn't leave him with horrible side-effects. So, between the important initials in our lives-TMS and IMRT, we both feel blessed and very fortunate.
Will you let me know how you are? You're in the UK, aren't you?
Posted by ravenstorm on April 4, 2004, at 19:47:42
In reply to Re: Constructing a TMS machine- To Pfinstegg, posted by Pfinstegg on April 4, 2004, at 13:17:52
What is TMS? Is it like ECT? Is it good for anxiety and depression or just depression? What are side effects? Where do you get it done? Is this a "new age" or alternative treatment or "western medicine" based?
Thanks! Kathleen
Posted by linkadge on April 5, 2004, at 8:11:51
In reply to What is TMS?, posted by ravenstorm on April 4, 2004, at 19:47:42
I have to admit that my device does not meet the precision of the commercial devices.
It is not too much more complicated than this.
Create an electromagnetic coil by wrapping wire around a cylindrical object. Plug this coil into a fairly high powered acoustic amplifier. Connect the amplifier to a computer's audio card. Download software such as goldwave from WWW.goldwave.com Then create the waveform of your choice using the function generator. I use sinusoidal waveform 10hz. Play the sound file and put the coil to your head. I can give you no guarenees. Like Pfinstegg said, this is potentially danergerous. It has worked for me, I will admit, but I don't have the full scientific background as those on the forefront.
Linkadge
Posted by glenn on April 6, 2004, at 12:18:13
In reply to Re: Constructing a TMS machine- To Pfinstegg, posted by Pfinstegg on April 4, 2004, at 13:17:52
Hi,
Yes I am in the uk, I am 80% ish better, just looking for a push to thye extra 20%.
I take your point about the tms machine and having seen the specifications of the "real thing"
will stick with meditation , exercise and supplements for the moment.
I looked up the form of radiation treatment your husband had, sounds like a big improvement on the traditional method.
Very happy to hear that it has done the trick.
Are you still a tianepteenie? or do you not take it anymore?
I do not go on here as often as I used to , the better I feel the less I am inclined to do so as life beckons!
Good to see things are good from your end.Glenn
Posted by Pfinstegg on April 9, 2004, at 20:30:30
In reply to To Pfinstegg, posted by glenn on April 6, 2004, at 12:18:13
80% is a LOT! I know what you mean about not posting so much when things are going well, because you are right..life does beckon much more. I still really do like to check in e very once in a while in case there is something new to learn, and also to hear about other posters - like you! I'll never meet any of them, but many of them have been extremely helpful and supportive, and just feel important to me.
Yes, I do still take tianeptine, not because it's any good as an AD, but because I'm under the impression that it is good for my hippocampus. All the best!
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