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As an older woman past Menopause, I found the TMS did nothing for my depression and caused my anti-anxiety medicines to be undone by the TMS. It was also pointed out to me to complete all the treatments. I was a few shy of doing that as I was losing vision in my right eye. My ophthalmologist who had seen me a few months prior to this happening had no explanation for the vision loss. I stopped the TMS and my vision returned to normal within a few weeks. I do not encourage anyone to have TMS at a facility where the techs were just learning how to work the machines. The pain from TMS was unbearable each time, again I was told to keep getting it done. It was a waste of money for me.
I purchased one of those “brain stimulators” online for about $800. Waste of money.The sponges with the unit have to be so wet that water runs down your neck the whole time the stimulator is in use. I believe the company that made the one I had was Fisher-Wallace. The unit was not any different than those units that can be purchased for back pain.
I felt after a few times it was garbage and ended up selling it on eBay. I got some of my money back on it that way.I purchased the Fisher Wallace unit. I did not use it often enough to see if it worked. To make the connection to “zap” your head you have to keep the round sponges very wet for the machine to work properly. This meant water dripping down my face and neck and I found it to be a pain. I paid about $700 for it and ended up selling it on ebay for almost that amount. IMO don’t waste your money. It’s not the same as TMS. I would say it is like electronic stimulation that many drs, and chiropractors use on their patients for pain relief.
Oh and learn to spell.
Go pedal your religious beliefs elsewhere, like Facebook. Must be a place for you there. This a site for those who have had or are considering TMS. Have you even had TMS?
Glosurf-
First I am so sorry you are having these problems because of TMS treatment.
I made it through most of TMS except the last month. It was hell. Depression increased on some days. No control over my emotions other days. I was constantly urged by the person adjusting the machine to my head everyday that it would get better. Even went as far to tell me I was feeling better when I felt I was not.
If you have an internist, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, even the Emergency Room when you are having these feelings please seek someone out that is not involved with TMS.
I think those of us who try TMS have been through the realm of anti-depressants and they have provided little to no relief or had other side effects. I felt TMS was my last chance to feel better, and not be depressed any longer. It does not work for everyone from what I have seen here. I made the choice to give it a try as I had exhausted all other options, and wanted to feel better. It was emotional, many ups and downs, and it was painful for me every damn day.
Is ten treatments enough for you to see a difference? From what you have written you are seeing a difference and it does not sound like a good difference.
I would seek help of a doctor as I mentioned above. To me this sounds serious, and very scary for you.
I personally feel that TMS does not work for everyone, and in many cases can make people feel worse.
Out of all my sessions, I had almost 4 weeks post TMS where my depression was less, not gone. Then after that my depression came back full force.
To this day I live with it, with no medication, nothing.
I don’t think TMS is all it is talked up to be. In my case the people operating the machine on my head were doing it wrong. They were learning, and I was their guinea pig.
I feel TMS should be banned from use. I have no idea how untrained people ever were allowed to use this treatment on people.
It’s a money maker, at the patient’s expense.
Back to you as I said please see a doctor not related with TMS and talk to them about how you are feeling. If it was a medication a doctor put you on and you were having these problems they would keep you on it and have you come in more often, also I am guessing see a psychologist for talk therapy, or the doctor would take you off any medication causing you to have these issues.
IMO STOP the TMS. Ignore what the TMS techs are telling you, most are very uneducated.
Besides the emotional problems it caused me I quit TMS because I was losing the vision in my right eye. That is the side where they always put the machine. I could not tolerate the left side. Three weeks after stopping TMS my vision returned. My vision was fine before starting TMS as I had seen my ophthalmologist one month prior to starting TMS. TMS causes a lot of problems for people.
Please see your doctor.If you have that many questions about TMS,,,,,,You should run and not walk out of the TMS facility and never return.
A lot of us should instead of wasting money on something that costs a fortune, is fun by incompetent people, machines that oftentimes don’t work correctly. In the long run what the hell is this TMS doing to all of us who have tried it.
I quit, got out, never went back, and I had been through all treatments but the last four.
Why did I finally quit???
I was losing my vision in my right eye where they always put the damn TMS machine on my head!
I had been to my ophthalmologist 2 months prior and everything was fine. Two months later my vision totally changed in only one eye, the side they insisted the machine had to be put on. I quit TMS waited a few weeks and back to the ophthalmologist. Everything with my eye, and vision has returned to normal.
WE JUST NEED TO QUIT THIS CRAZINESS! TMS IS NOT A CURE ALL!
I am now posting then leaving this site as it has too much spam and is not monitored. Obviously the crazy spammers could use a little TMS!Sorry Chrissy that you experienced that, especially during your first session. My panic attacks did not come back until I was about a month intoTMS, undoing the klonopin I take,and have had much success with for my panic attacks.
There were so many reasons I quit TMS, and that was one of them. If I was going to suffer through side effects I may have just been better off on the meds.
TMS is not all it was supposed to be, and seems to be just a money maker in my opinion.Sorry to hear you are suffering so Katie.
Honestly I feel that TMS is a waste of money.
It was physically painful for me in my head receiving treatments. I was encouraged to continue treatments.
Depression and anxiety worsened during the treatments. Panic attacks returned.
The TMS was undoing what my meds were helping me with.
By the end of my sessions I was relieved it was all over.
No depression for 3 weeks then returned.
Like I said a waste of money.In my opinion TMS providers should each have the same protocol. I understand that no 2 people are the same , but there sure is a difference between 38 minute sessions and 10 minute sessions.
Ten minute sessions? Would like to know how many others had sessions for that short amount of time even if the sessions were everyday.
My 38 minute sessions were every day too, and out of pocket they cost $200.00 each session.
That is a mighty expensive way to receive nothing in return.
It’s just a money maker.Hi Chuck
Sorry to hear you are struggling so with depression, panic attacks, and anxiety.
I guess your doctor has tried you on different anti-depressants that didn’t work? That is when they usually suggest TMS.
Personally I feel the TMS did not work for me. I ended up owing $2500.00 when I was finished with all my sessions as my insurance ran out.
Some people have had good things to say about TMS, others not.
TMS is different for everyone.
I became more anxious for a short time while getting TMS and it was undoing the good my klonopin and valium were doing for my panic attacks. That went away after a few weeks, then my meds were working again.
I think more doctors need to try TMS before suggesting it to their patients.That is what is so frustrating about TMS. It seems that each doctor offering TMS is doing something different. That I don’t understand. There has to be protocol for TMS treatments. I can understand “adjustments” possibly in treatments but from what I have read there are huge differences in how people are receiving TMS.
I don’t understand why, and I get the feeling from where I had TMS that the techs really had a basic idea of what to do, but then after the techs had a meeting with TMS reps during the time I was getting treatments that things would change.
My depression is back big time and they still want money from me.Hi Steve
I am so sorry to hear you are going through all this.
As a TMS recipient myself honestly I don’t know what you should do.
I had about a month with no depression after finishing my TMS sessions, actually I cut the last few sessions out as the TMS was effecting my vision. I am back to being depressed, and sometimes suicidal again.
I too have considered going back for TMS somewhere else. I felt the place I was going to had some incompetent people placing the thing on my had. I feel I was calibrated correctly in the beginning, but the psychiatrist dismissed all that. My first few sessions the magnet was placed on the left side of my head. I told them if they could not do something I was quitting. I honestly felt like I wanted to kill someone. After that they changed it to the right side of my head that was a bit easier to tolerate. TMS caused me pain, every session.
If you feel you want to have your last 3 sessions done somewhere, have the place you decide to go call your insurance company to see if the sessions are free since you aren’t feeling like it worked anyway.
What I was told that when placed on the left side, that worked more for depression. When placed on the right side that was more for anxiety. For a week when i was started on the right side my anxiety increased! I take klonopin and valium and the TMS was undoing the effects of my meds……crazy.
If I went for TMS again I would try somewhere different.
Also a place that has been doing it longer than the place where I went.
Insurance would have to pay for it cause I sure am not going too.
If you are brave enough to try again, that’s what I would do. Go somewhere else. Explain how you are feeling before getting TMS again. If a doctor does not seem to want to listen then leave and end it.
We all have had different experiences with TMS. To me it was to be the cure all for those who can’t take medication.
It was not. My insurance did not pay my entire bill. I am being billed for 2500.00 from the place I got TMS. It didn’t work. Why pay?
Oh well that’s my 2 cents.
I hope for your sake you find a place and give it a try. Maybe it will work this time. Hopefully it won’t make it any worse for you.
Take care.Dear Alan
I am so sorry to hear you are going through worse depression than you ever had before the TMS. Just from this website I can see that everyone has a different reaction to TMS. I don’t know why doctors seem to lump everyone and their reactions all together. We are all different. If a dr. gave all of us the same medication for depression it wouldn’t be so odd that we would each have a different reaction to the medication.
Honestly I feel years down the road there will be a class action suit regarding TMS.
With my recent spiral downward and not wanting to be on meds I tried one last thing. I had seen it online . The website is here https://www.fisherwallace.com/
This is something that can be used at home, so it can’t be as strong as the TMS, and I am in control of where it is on my head, not some tech who has been on the job for a week.
I used this a few times and the depression was less and suicidal thoughts went away..
It is working for me. Not cheap though.Hi Ccat7
I am sorry TMS did not work for you.
From what I know about TMS, having had it, and read about it a session is supposed to be 38 minutes, 5 days a week either right side or left side.
I have no idea if this is your first time getting TMS your sessions were 10 minutes.
I have heard of some people going back for “maintenance” if needed a couple times a week, after the six weeks, but still do not believe the sessions are that short. I would request talking to the Doctor who is in charge of providing the TMS.
If you insurance paid for it, I would be curious to see how it was billed, as they should not be paying for sessions that were so short.
If you paid out of pocket for it and the sessions were that short, I would be asking for my money back.
Good luck getting some answers. You deserve them.A few days later and still down. I feel like it was money I did not have spent for nothing. I still believe there is not enough known about TMS. Especially the place I went where people were trained for a week in how to apply the magnet to my head. Some said I shouldn’t have pain. Others moved the magnet to another place on my head when I had pain. Then I was told their was an office meeting and the magnet could no longer be moved more to the top of my head so the pain was not as bad. Why? What did the magnet do to my brain all the times it was moved to the top of my head and wasn’t supposed to be there?
I dunno’ TMS could work, just could be the untrained office staff that was the problem.
How do any of us know?The effects for me with TMS did not take place until after I finished all the treatments. Then I felt much better. Depression and suicidal thoughts were gone for almost 2 months. Woke up yesterday with the worst depression and suicidal thoughts I have ever experienced. I am going through some stressful times right now which could be why. Will see what tomorrow brings. I truly believe TMS is different for everyone I am hoping this gets better, but often feel there is not enough known about TMS and I spent a fortune for nothing.
Good luck to those who are waiting to feel better. It happens but in my case not for long.Hi Daniel
In my experience with TMS whatever new physical or emotional things I was noticing I always mentioned them to the TMS tech, and she would mention it to the psychiatrist running the TMS. At times I felt like I might be complaining too much, but TMS has different effects on everyone. I too was worried about a physical problem becoming permanent. TMS has been around for awhile but just from this forum we can now see how others are reacting to TMS.
So first I would mention your brother’s symptoms to the tech and doctor. I agree with much of what was said in the comment above. Motrin, or tylenol in my case helped with the minor facial aches and pains. I have a few lousy teeth that started bothering me when I started with TMS. Went to just double check with my dentist, and it wasn’t my teeth as much as the TMS had set off my TMJ. I also have poor vision, especially in my right eye. Towards the end of my TMS sessions I went to my ophthalmologist as the new glasses I had gotten right before beginning TMS, I really couldn’t see as well with. My ophthalmologist could not get my vision as clear as he had gotten it before I began the TMS. I was towards the very end of my TMS sessions when this happened, so I decided to just cut out the last few TMS sessions. I believe I had 3 or 4 left. I went back to the ophthalmologist for a re-check, and my vision had come back to what it was when I had gotten my new glasses. Yes sounds kind of strange to me too, but something made my vision change and the only thing different during that time was the TMS.
I had the flashing I believe you are talking about towards the end of my sessions of TMS, and a few once in awhile a week or two after finishing TMS. I called them brain zaps. Sharp pain in my head that came and went quickly. They are all gone now.
My long answer to your concern for your brother is not to just disregard any changes in his physical or emotional well being. Check it out with his medical doctor if the side effects increase. It is worth it for his and your peace of mind.
I am now about 8 weeks out of TMS treatment. Treatment was difficult for me. The constant “woodpecker” on my head hurt at times, and I often wondered if it was worth it. At the time I received TMS I often felt it wasn’t worth it, but my alternative was taking anti-depressants, and that never worked for me.
Now that I am TMS free I can look back and see that then and especially now it did have a positive effect on me for depression and also pain. I have Crohns disease, and chronic lower back pain. Although I initially went for the treatment of depression only, the TMS helped other things for me.So looking back I don’t find it as concerning that I did have some temporary physical issues.
My down days are less down. I have an increased desire to do things, and the ability to do them. I push myself a little harder on down days. Just getting out to anywhere, or taking a walk always makes me feel better. Before the TMS I did not have the initiative to even try to help myself feel better. Now I do.
In my opinion the TMS well outweighs the physical problems I was having. It was difficult to hang in there some days but talking with the tech helped, as well as when they moved the coil from the left side of my head to the right side of my head. Had they not done that I don’t know if I would have been able to get through my sessions.
I wish your brother the very best. It’s great he has you as his advocate during this time, as TMS is new to so many of us we just want to make sure it is safe and not causing any long term effects on us physically.
In my case so far, no negative after effects, and the TMS does continue to work for me even though I have finished my sessions.
It was a long road for me getting TMS, but well worth it, and I am very glad I tried it. It was not a cure all for me, but it sure made life a lot better emotionally than what it was.
Take care.Leveon
I would ask to see the doctor to discuss how you are feeling.
The TMS techs are not doctors and I often felt “crazy” some days during treatment.
Quite a few days actually leaving TMS treatment more depressed and suicidal than I felt before I ever started TMS.
Not sure exactly what you mean by a weird twinkling sensation. Towards the end of my TMS treatment I had quick sharp pain shoot through my head, enough to make me stop whatever I was doing. Fortunately they came and went quickly. I called them brain zaps. Surprised you felt elated the first week as I said I wanted to kill someone, the constant pecking on my head was driving me nuts. They switched the magnetic coil to the right side of my head and the “pecking” was at a slower speed so a little easier to tolerate.
I actually had a vision change that my eye dr. could not explain. Finished TMS, went back to my eye dr. and everything was back to normal. He had no explanation for why my vision got worse and even did a test on my retinas just in case. Test was normal.
Here is what I think having now finished my TMS about 2 weeks ago. I think everyone has there own feelings, pain possibly, because we are all different, anything could be possible. It would be like putting a few people on the same anti-depressant. None of them are going to feel the same.
I am sorry for what you are going through, and urge you to speak to the doctor running the TMS if possible. The doctor running my TMS was rarely seen except in the beginning, and I could have seen her after my last TMS session but I chose not too. Would have just cost me more money.
I will say I am feeling somewhat better as far as depression since finishing TMS. I still have up and down days, but my down days are not as down, and the actual suicidal thoughts are gone for now.
Not sure how long this will last, but it was worth trying as I can’t tolerate anti-depressants.
Also I did get panic attacks during treatment for a few days, and I take meds for panic attacks and anxiety. The TMS seemed to be taking away any effect my meds use to have on me. But that went away.
I do have headaches now and then since finishing TMS, and I am not one to suffer from headaches. Again I think leftover TMS side effects.
Hope you can talk to your doctor, and you feel better soon.Hi Dena
So sorry to see you are feeling so bad. I agree with luvmipuppy on the post above. Get back to the TMS office and insist on talking with the doctor. We had chatted before on another TMS post. I don’t recall how many TMS sessions you had or if they tapered you of the TMS before stopping it.
I sure hope you can get some answers for why you are feeling the way you are. Please keep us updated, and again I am sorry you are feeling so bad, and I am sure that word doesn’t even cover how you feel.
I am 4 sessions from being done with TMS, and my emotions some days are all over the place. I have no idea why.
If you need to talk leave a message here. I’m a night owl most nights, but the TMS zonks me out sometimes. People here care.Hi Dena,
I am almost done with TMS. I am at the end process where they “wean” you off of it by only going 2 times a week instead of everyday. My last session 5 days ago left me with a horrible headache that lasted for a day and a half. Not sure I want anymore TMS after that one. I am supposed to go tomorrow but if it is too painful I will shorten my session. I get TMS on the right side not the left. I could not endure the pain when the magnet was on the left side. My deductible that was met has ended and I am starting all over again trying to meet my $5000 deductible. So I am self pay at $200 a day right now. A ridiculous amount to pay. I think it would be easier if I just spent about 30 minutes or so beating my head up against the refrigerator. I do have magnets on it, so maybe that’s an option. lol.
Have I seen any progress? After that awful headache went away, and not having TMS for 5 days I have felt much better, with no crashing like I was getting originally. When I missed 2 sessions I was major depressed, more than usual. But not this time. OMG is there hope? I now have hope, which is scary. I was mean in the beginning, and mean for a day or so when I had the bad headache. Then that went away. In my experience these many weeks I have hated TMS almost every day. I was angry at the machine for annoying me and hurting my head, angry that this is my last hope for feeling better, angry that the tech and others at the TMS center said go to talk therapy. Angry the damn machine would go off if I moved to scratch my nose, or moved my feet. Angry it took the tech what seemed like forever to get back into the room to start the machine again. I did and do not like the way this TMS center is run. I saw a psychiatrist 2 times. Once for mapping and the 1st time to see if I would be a good candidate for TMS. Well of course I was I had insurance. One tech runs 3 patients hooked to machines at one time. In my opinion that is wrong. The new tech was trained on patients for just one week before she was on her own with no one checking on what she was doing. That does not seem right to me.
I am hopeful that I will feel better when the weaning off process is done. I see small differences in me, not earth shattering BUT I had one day where I woke up and the sadness and brain fog was not there. That was weird for me. At 200 bucks a pop this better work.
I’m not usually mean, but I don’t take crap off people. I think there is a difference, especially at 60 years old.
Perhaps the being mean part is TMS working it’s way to help get the negative crap out. I dunno’.
Hope for all of us who have tried TMS. Just think, if something comes up later we can all get money from a class action suit re: TMS , lol.
Take care Dena and let me know how you are doing. I CARE 😉Thank you for your response to my post. Apparently what I have found out is the office is short staffed. One tech was running up to 3 TMS patients at once sometimes. I mentioned maybe having a light go on outside of the room somehow so the tech could know if someone is in need. That didn’t go over too well. New techs are now being hired but it is slow going on their training. I thought being a guinea pig on anti-depressants was bad. I have no idea if the machine is being hooked up correctly by the new trainee. I was asked if it hurt. I sad yes in my eye. She moved the magnet, it was better then today the trainee, tech, and the elusive psychiatrist who I have seen twice all went to another room as another money maker, I mean patient needed to be mapped.
I realize having a positive outlook on TMS may make it a little better for me but this location is new and very busy and just doesn’t seem to well equipped to handle the amount of patients they have.
I have six more sessions of TMS so we shall see. What was suggested yesterday was that I now see a therapist since the TMS doesn’t seem to be working as well as I had hoped. I am 60 years old with about 30 therapists seen in 30 some years. I think it is a bit late to dig up childhood again.-
This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by
Dee Pressed. Reason: No tags
TMS has been an up and down process for me. I have one week left and my sessions will be done.
I do not see a dramatic difference in my depression, but I do crash without a few days of TMS. I have missed some sessions due to health issues. So it must be doing something.
I wonder if I was mapped correctly as well. I take anxiety medications, and a muscle relaxer. I know when I see my medical doctor it is difficult to get a reaction from me when testing my reflexes. So why would it be unusual when mapping that it might take a bit longer to get my fingers to move. I have been told it does not work that way, perhaps that is correct.
Everyone being different TMS must work differently on each person.
It is quite disappointing and depressing after spending so much money on TMS that it just may not work.
In the beginning of TMS it did make things worse for me, and I was angry too. Not my norm.
A few weeks ago I noticed my anxiety medications were not working very well. That lasted for a few days and now the meds are working again.
I don’t think TMS can actually permanently make things worse.
You say its been 3 weeks you have been going downhill. What does your doctor say? I have no therapist, and have been going through TMS without one. Not a good idea, wish I would have known that in the beginning. Psychiatrist trained in TMS mapped me, then I never saw her again.Hopefully TMS will work for you. Don’t give up. Keep the faith.
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