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Hi everyone! Glad to find this forum. I am in the process of having Brainsway TMS. I’ve had 16 treatments so far. I haven’t noticed a whole lot of improvement, if any. But I am still hopeful that maybe it’s still too early. I’ve been online trying to get all the info I can find because it seems there are so many variables in the different ways TMS is done. I hope my providers are up to par with their particular way of treatment. I guess the biggest concern I have is “which side of the head?” I always thought to treat depression, the TMS was applied to the LEFT side. However, with my treatment, all the tapping and/or pulses are on my RIGHT side. I asked my technician about this and he said they are treating the LEFT side, but the tapping pulses are applied & felt on the RIGHT. Does this sound correct to any of you who have had Brainsway TMS? I’m so confused about this and other things, yet I’m so desperate for this to work! I hate having all this doubt and I’m not the best at questioning exactly what they’re doing. There seems to be a big lack of communication between me, the doctor, and the technicians. Just come in, get your treatment, and “see you tomorrow, same time!”
Hi denassist:
I know nothing about Brainsway. I had NeuroStar. I have always had bilateral treatments – left side for depression, right side for ADHD and anxiety. I would call customer service (I assume Brainsway has a number). I would be asking questions because all of the research I have read and spoke with others about, depression is treated on the left side. However, TMS is being studied with fluidity in administering treatments.
Here is a video that updates what some TMS research is focusing on. I hope it is helpful. I found it hopeful and fascinating.https://www.bbrfoundation.org/event/whats-new-tms-depression-and-other-brain-diseases
I did not notice changes until after treatment ended and it has been life-changing.
Sending hope,
ColleenColleen, thanks so much for your reply. I think I will give it a try to call BRAINSWAY with my concerns. Thanks for your time! 😊
You are welcome. Ask Brainsway what their protocol is for administering TMS for MDD – that is the diagnosis that the ADA approved TMS for. Not to say that your doctor is doing it incorrectly, just so you have info to discuss with your doctor if it is different from the way your treatment is being administered.
Good Luck. Keep us postedColleen
Hi there. My son has received two sessions so far, and the left side is depression, the right side is anxiety. Please talk to the doctor. there may have been a misunderstanding. Of course I am no expert, but I know his very first treatment was ONLY the depression side, and it was the left side. I even took photos of the treatment.
Ok thanks. Just my luck. I haven’t been able to talk directly with Brainsway. They emailed me that I should talk to my provider and that they (Brainsway) only sell the machine. The technician only tells me they ARE “treating” the left side even though the tapping is felt on my right side. Tomorrow I may insist that I talk a few minutes with my actual doctor about this. I have the book “3,000 Pulses Later” by Martha Rhodes, and I have scanned the book thoroughly in an attempt to find out if she felt the tapping on the right side, even though they treated her for depression on the left side, but I couldn’t find anything about that. I’m so confused. I don’t feel like it’s working. 😢 Tomorrow will be my 24th treatment. I feel like I’m wasting my time….3 hr. drive everyday (that’s both ways….1 1/2 each way) I know I need to be more proactive and more of my own advocate, but I think that’s part of my depression? I’m always hesitant to question those in authority. Thanks everyone!
Dear denassist. I may be able to help you understand the different types of TMS systems out there including Brainsway. Brainsway uses a “helmet” type coil that delivers the treatment to the patient. In essence all parts of the brain are being stimulated and not just one specific location. So, your brain is being stimulated on the right, left, front and back which may be why you’re feeling the sensation on your right side. The treatment of depression using TMS was found to be in a location called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex which is located in the left front area of the brain. All other TMS systems, MagVenture, Neuronetics and MagStim, use a “figure 8 coil” that directly stimulates this part of the brain and can only do one location at a time. There has been much debate on this topic of which coil is best, but most research is done using the figure 8 coil. Lastly, Brainsway has a different FDA approval than the other manufacturers because of the different style of coil they use and their treatment times are different as well. I wish you the best.
– caliOne more thing. In the link colleencasey provided, Dr. George uses the MagVenture MagVita TMS system in his practice.
– caliThank you Cali! I am wishing now that I would’ve spent my time and insurance coverage on the MAGPRO TMS treatments versus the BRAINSWAY DEEP TMS. I had MAGPRO TMS in 2012 and started to have good results toward the end of the 30 treatments. I had to quit because at that time my ins. would not pay anything, so it was about $7000 out of pocket! The good results did not last long either. A lot of money spent for very little improvement. I waited and hoped for improvements and better technology and also hoped that my ins. would eventually cover TMS. Fast forward to 2018, and I heard about the BRAINSWAY DEEP TMS and also my ins. agreed to coverage. As of today, I have had 31 BRAINSWAY DEEP treatments and I’m VERY disappointed. Definitely not the same feeling I had with MAGPRO.
Now I am reading online that BRAINSWAY more or less treats ALL parts of the brain and one article stated “stimulating the right frontal lobe may have a canceling effect of the benefits of stimulating the left.”
This is all starting to make sense to me! I think I need maximum stimulation on the left (depression) side only. The article also stated BRAINSWAY is the least flexible in ability to change up more or less stimulation in different areas, whereas MAGPRO is able to treat different areas of the brain according to each pts. specific needs. Thanks for your time and I appreciate your response to my questions!
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