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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rovers95 on July 28, 2014, at 3:11:05
Posted by Chris O on July 28, 2014, at 4:30:05
In reply to Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression, posted by rovers95 on July 28, 2014, at 3:11:05
That's great news! Now, if only we didn't have to wait ten years for the treatment to become readily available at an affordable price.
Posted by Hugh on July 28, 2014, at 16:40:15
In reply to Re: Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression » rovers95, posted by Chris O on July 28, 2014, at 4:30:05
> That's great news! Now, if only we didn't have to wait ten years for the treatment to become readily available at an affordable price.
I've already been waiting ten years for it. Here's an article I read about LFMS back when it was called EP-MRSI:
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2004/01.22/01-depression.html
I'm hoping that it will be available in a few more years. It's frustrating how long these things take.
Posted by Chris O on July 28, 2014, at 21:57:49
In reply to Re: Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression, posted by Hugh on July 28, 2014, at 16:40:15
Great article. Thanks for sharing. On the positive side of waiting forever to get these treatments: Hopefully, researchers are figuring out whether or not they can do more harm than good to us. But I fear that in the end, we are the guinea pigs.
I can't remember, Hugh, but are you one of the people who has tried TMS? My psychiatrist just got a machine in his office, and I think my insurance will cover it. Not sure if I should go for it or not.
Chris
Posted by Hugh on July 28, 2014, at 23:12:42
In reply to Re: Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression » Hugh, posted by Chris O on July 28, 2014, at 21:57:49
I haven't tried TMS. If I do try it, I'd be more interested in trying Deep TMS or a variation of regular TMS called priming stimulation.
A number of Babblers have tried TMS and written about their experiences. It's done nothing for some, it's made some feel better temporarily, and it's been dramatically effective for some. If your insurance covers it, then why not try it?
Posted by Chris O on July 29, 2014, at 13:56:43
In reply to Re: Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression » Chris O, posted by Hugh on July 28, 2014, at 23:12:42
Hugh:
Thanks for responding. Right, I am aware of the variety of responses to TMS in the babbler community. That is one reason I am hesitant to try it. I also don't see how TMS could provide any kind of long-term relief, as my panic, anxiety, and depression have been present since my earliest memory, suggesting there really is something out of sync in my brain. My psychiatrist says the idea of TMS is to "set things right" and give patients a chance to "learn new ways of coping" such that brain chemistry will be altered. I'm just not seeing how this can happen beyond temporarily with TMS. I'd be curious to know how the initial patients in that 2004 study you cited are doing, and if any of them received long-term relief.
Chris
Posted by Twinleaf on July 29, 2014, at 14:55:46
In reply to Re: Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression » Hugh, posted by Chris O on July 29, 2014, at 13:56:43
I'm not sure how relevant this is to your experience, but I have relied principally on interpersonal psychotherapy to overcome my depression. Because all the ADs I tried were ineffective, I had a one-month course of TMS seven years ago, with maintenance every few months. The TMS was extremely effective, but only for a couple of months each time. It did give me wonderful breaks during which the therapy was very helpful -in a longer-lasting way.
For the last several years, I have been able to terminate the psychotherapy, and have not needed the TMS. I do think the actions of TMS - lowering stress hormones, increasing frontal blood flow and increasing the neurological health of the limbic system - make it worth a try for anyone with TRD. Adding treatments like TMS to really skilled therapy is, I believe, the very best bet for overcoming severe depression. My life is now better than it's ever been; I feel so grateful - and relieved!
Best of luck in whatever you decide - please let us know what happens!
Posted by Chris O on July 29, 2014, at 22:34:01
In reply to Re: Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression » Chris O, posted by Twinleaf on July 29, 2014, at 14:55:46
Thanks for the feedback, Twinleaf. Very relevant to my experience, I think. I also think I may have interacted with you about this (TMS) at some point, but am unsure. At any rate, your contention that TMS lowers stress hormones and increases neurological health--temporarily, at least--is consistent with what my psychiatrist is saying. I'd love it if TMS was so hopeful as to make psychotherapy more beneficial for me because as it stands, I just don't get much of out standard talk therapy. And I have done a lot, a lot of talk therapy. For the better part of my 20s and early to mid 30s, all I did was talk therapy. After many, many years of talk therapy, I have concluded that my issue is primarily neurological/biological, more or less. Not that I don't benefit from having an empathic or challenging co-partner to help me along my journey.
At any rate, I'll definitely check back in if I start TMS. I'm in the middle of a four month Brintellix trial (30mg a day), with only mild-moderate success, so I think I may ditch this treatment over the next month. (Plus, it's too expensive for me to afford.)
Thanks again for taking an interest in my post.
Chris
Posted by SLS on July 30, 2014, at 8:32:45
In reply to Re: Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression » Chris O, posted by Twinleaf on July 29, 2014, at 14:55:46
> My life is now better than it's ever been; I feel so grateful - and relieved!
Only one word comes to mind.
Woohoo!
:-)
I am both happy and impressed. I hope that you are never again visited by the beast.
How long were you ill before beginning TMS treatments?
Take care.
- Scott
Posted by Twinleaf on July 30, 2014, at 12:26:09
In reply to Re: Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression » Twinleaf, posted by SLS on July 30, 2014, at 8:32:45
Thanks Scott! I really appreciate your kind words.
The severe depression began 20 years ago, when my mother, father and younger brother all died within a few months of one another. This apparently activated a vulnerability I had had, which was latent as long as things were gong well. For the next 13 years, I tried therapy and a range of ADs with essentially no improvement. Seven years ago, I joined a TMS trial at Emory. It eliminated the depression completely for a few weeks each time, but I did need to keep going back for maintenance treatment every few months, until it was FDA - approved and I could get it in my home town.
I also changed therapists at that time, and was lucky enough to find one who worked in an attachment mode, sort of the way Alan Schore describes. The combined experience of keeping my brain physiologically closer to normal with the TMS, and decreasing my attachment vulnerabilities with the right type of therapist seems to have made such a wonderful difference in how I feel and approach life.
I have the impression from a few posters here that they, too, find that working with the right therapist helps create the most lasting emotional changes.. Usually, they have also relied heavily on medications, especially in the earlier stages. I have had essentially the same experience, only relying on TMS rather than ADs.
Even when TMS is effective, it is almost always a temporary treatment which needs to be repeated. Before getting into remission, I must have had 150 -200 sessions of it! Insurance is starting to pay for it to an extent, but it can become extremely expensive. Hopefully, some of its newer forms may turn out to be longer-lasting.
Posted by babbler20 on July 30, 2014, at 19:19:32
In reply to Re: Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression, posted by Hugh on July 28, 2014, at 16:40:15
Maybe this works because people who get MRI are so happy that they are over. I hate MRI's, so of course when they are over, I"m happier.
Posted by Twinleaf on August 5, 2014, at 0:02:17
In reply to Re: Low Field Magnetic Stimulation to treat depression, posted by babbler20 on July 30, 2014, at 19:19:32
Well, you could be right! Wasn't that how they first got the idea of it - when patients at McLean felt better after getting MRIs? Or, it could be that there's just an OBLIGATION to feel better after a treatment that costs so much!
This is the end of the thread.
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