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I finished my first week. Not looking forward to this coming week. It is certainly not a simple tapping sensation on my brain! I cry the entire time thinking this may not even work. My moods are up and down. They say the first week is the worst. Praying that’s true before I give up.
chrisxxcross:
Thanks for reaching out. I am sending support and hope to you. TMS is a medical procedure with its challenges no doubt. It sometimes can seem like a mental roller coaster ride. The discomfort most often eases as you proceed through treatments. If not, there are things that your doctor might be able to tweak in treatment or suggest that may make the experience more tolerable. Staying connected and communicating often with your treatment team is an essential part of the process. It is important that these issues are discussed in order to help you maintain a hopeful perspective. I had TMS over 5 years ago and did not experience a positive outcome until after treatment ended. (I did get discouraged). The result of treatment is evident at different times for different patients. The end result however was more positive than I could have imagined. Hang in there!
There is an event called the dip that many but not all patients experience during the course of treatment, which is a temporary increase in depression and/or anxiety. It is temporary and well worth tolerating as the outcome of TMS can be life changing. I tell you this because it can be frightening if you are not aware that it is one of those uncomfortable, but temporary events that you may experience. Stay connected with your support system; they can be very helpful in supporting you through it if it does occur.
Fear is a very common feeling that most patients experience when undergoing TMS. The unknown results can cause anxiety and uncomfortable fear. Again this is part of the process.
If you can keep some laughter in your day, maybe watching a funny movie or visiting with a friend who has a great sense of humor, it can be helpful and support the work that TMS is doing in your brain.
Let us know how you are doing and visit this site as often as you need to for encouragement.
ColleenThis is my second week. They kept telling me the 1st week is the hardest. I’m just not tolerating the pain very well. They’ve made adjustments but that 4 seconds of “light tapping” hurts A LOT!
Taking Tylenol beforehand doesn’t help either. I’m so tired after each session. But I’ve had fleeting moments of feeling my mood increase. I hope that’s a good sign.
Hi chrisxxcross
I think Colleen raised a great point about TMS Therapy ultimately being a medical procedure that may have its own challenges. TMS does affect everyone differently, but my understanding is that the scalp pain should subside after the first few weeks. If not, don’t hesitate to bug your doctor or the TMS Technician about your concerns and any physical pain.Also agree with Colleen, please keep coming back here whenever you feel you need that support. I’m rooting for you!
– Dave
I’m not really having a problem with scalp pain. It’s the pulsing that’s totally painful. It feels like someone is pounding nails into my head. They were adjusting the piece that rests on my head hoping a different angle may relieve the pain. They said it could be hitting a nerve.
Then the headache afterwards stays with me. Tylenol before and after isn’t helping. This is just horrible. Not what I expected at all.
chrisxxcross:
It is a sign of strength that you return to this site for support during this challenging time. It is great to hear that you are working with your treatment team to find a more tolerable TMS experience so that you can continue treatment. The benefits of tolerating TMS can be immeasurable in the long run. Are there any distractions in the treatment room such as music, TV, videos, etc.? I had a better response to ibuprophen; could you talk with your doctor about a more effective medication? Even though experiencing mood cycles can be a part of treatment, hold on to the fleeting moments of positive and invest hope in them. It takes some time for the brain to respond with its full potential to TMS. Hold on to the inner strength you possess and your desire to improve, use your support systems, including your treatment team and use this site to assist and benefit you. Sending you support for continued tolerance and determination. You deserve this!
ColleenThank you for all the inspiring replies. I want this to be over already. I really want to quit but don’t want to look back 6 weeks from now and think that I could be done if I just would have kept going. I changed the scheduled appointments to later in the day hoping I could keep my regular schedule. This way I can do a few things I might enjoy before the treatments that leave me so tired and with that annoying headache.
chrisxxcross:
I did the same thing – changed my schedule so I could work early and then go for treatments later because I experienced the tiredness that you describe. “I really want to quit but don’t want to look back 6 weeks from now and think that I could be done if I just would have kept going.” Hold on to your quote because six weeks of a medical procedure that could be life altering is an opportunity for an improved life. As much as it may not feel it, you have the fundamental thinking that will get you through. You are stronger than you probably realize! This is a good mantra, “I am stronger than I realize.” Tomorrow you will have two weeks behind you.
ColleenI didn’t cry today!!! Tomorrow will be 2 weeks done. I made a chart to count down the days/weeks of progress. I have a half way point marked as well.
It’s a great feeling to check off another day and see the number of sessions decrease.
That is great chrisxxcross! And what a suggestion, making a chart – that visual can be so uplifting. Your posts will help other too. Celebrating with you in spirit! Enjoy your weekend.
ColleenOh my Keep_Hoping – I didn’t catch that I was responding to you and not chrisxxcross on some of these posts. I apologize. Good lesson in wearing my reading glasses when I am reading. Sorry for the mixup. 65 was a tough birthday to transition to – haha!!! Have a nice day.
Colleen,
I changed my screen name. You’re still replying to the same person, thank you so much for that.
This is my 3rd week. Friday I will be half way done. Last week I stopped crying and this week, so far, no headaches. I’m still waiting for an improved mood.
On my settings I have the box checked to receive an email when there are new comments posted on topics I’m following. Yet I don’t get any updates. Anyone else notice this?
Keep_Hoping:
I sent a message to one of the persons who developed this site to see if he could address the issue of you not getting notifications of responses to your posts. I am sure you will hear from him as he is very attentive to this site.
It is still early to tell about a response to the treatment; although I am sure it is not easy to hear this when we are anxious about the outcome. Six weeks is a long stretch, but keeping as much hope as possible in your front and back pockets can be helpful. Your brain needs time. You are 1//2 way. Medical treatments don’t necessarily affect our illnesses immediately. Our bodies are amazing – they have their own system and time clock for attacking illnesses when treatments are administered. Improvements can be slow, steady and minimally detectable at first. You’ve got this! 🙂
ColleenHi Keep_Hoping:
We checked our forum updates and you should be good now for receiving emails when there are replies to topics you choose.
If you are still having an issue receiving reply updates, please check the following:
– That you are looking in the inbox of the email attached to your username and not a different inbox
– That your email notifications are not being filtered to spam.If that does not remedy the issue:
– Re-check the option to receive notifications.
– Contact us directly through http://tmsyou.com/tms-patients/getanswers/ask-a-question/Thank you very much,
– The TMS+You TeamThank you so much. It was going in my spam folder.
I’m on my 4th week. I’ve had 17 treatments and don’t feel one bit better. It still hurts so much. I feel like this is a cruel joke someone is playing on me. Keep going, endure the pain, and still remain majorly depressed. Meds don’t work on me (tried over 20) so I’m out of any options after this. My sleep is messed up, that’s about it. I’m even more discouraged than when I started.
I dread the thought of another day filled with anxiety and hopelessness. I have been back in counseling for about 4 weeks but don’t even know what to talk about. It’s just me complaining about being depressed. I can’t stand it any more. I cry every day.
Keep_Hoping:
Depression and treatment are a struggle. I am sending support as you proceed through this journey.
I have posted a couple of research quotes below that may be helpful in offering hope. No doubt there is no guaranteed outcome for any treatment; try to remember with TMS, many don’t experience a positive change until the end or after treatment is completed.
That being said, with the current emphasis on brain research initiatives, a clearer understanding of brain function and treatment of brain disorders is emerging. This is very hopeful and allows for optimism in the treatment of depression.
Staying connected to your treatment team, loved ones, supportive circles, etc., is really important. Also good nutrition, humor, exercise, interaction in relationships are all positive elements that can support your efforts in dealing with depression. Stay connected with us Keep_Hoping. We understand the path you are on.“Many people notice temporary improvement in the first week or two due to the activation of existing neurocircuits. Longer lasting improvement occurs several weeks later when new circuits are formed. Maximum improvement, however, may not be achieved until about 4 to 6 weeks of treatment.”
http://mindfulhealthsolutions.com/faq/“Because every patient is different, reaction to treatment can vary. Some patients may notice small changes after week 2 and others not until week 4 or 5.
What are the first things they usually notice?
It is the small, everyday things that count. Small changes like having a better night’s sleep, waking up on time and getting out of bed, making more independent decisions. Some of our patients reported feeling “good” in the mornings, they were dressing more nicely, having increased patience with family members, feeling like they could resume working, motivated to be more social; these are all signs of improvement!”How quickly does TMS Therapy work?
I posted this comment in another area before I found this thread. I had my FIRST treatment yesterday. During mapping they kept hitting the main facial nerve. They could not find a spot where it wasn’t hit. So….along with the tapping I have an excruciating migraine type sensation that surges down my nose and across my right eye. Is this normal? They say I must have a very sensitive facial nerve. I can get used to the tapping but not sure about this nerve pain!!!!
Kate,
I had headaches for the first week. They told me I must have a low threshold for pain because most people are used to it by the end of the first week.I’m going to start my last week 6 on Monday and still have not gotten used to the “light tapping” as it was explained to me before starting treatment. Through this forum I’ve learned that it is considered a medical procedure. It sure is! But that helps me tolerate it a little bit more.
They keep adjusting the pad that presses against my head but nothing relieves the pain. I still cry most of the days I go. I can’t believe people have reportedly fallen asleep during the pounding. It feels like nails are being pounded into my skull.
The main thing that has kept me going is that if I would have quit that first week or even now, I’ll never know if it would or will work for me. There’s just no easy way for some of us I guess.
Please try to keep going so that we can both have success stories to share and encourage others. I never thought I’d be giving advice when I started this season of my life. Keep going!!!
Kate:
Great advice from Keep_Hoping. It is indeed a medical procedure and deserves that validation. I rarely talk about the difficult experience I had at the beginning of TMS Treatments and still occasionally surfaces during boosters. The first two weeks of treatment, and until my doctor remapped, the memory part of my brain was affected in this way. I started experiencing a surge in the memories I have of the violent physical and sexual abuse I endured as a child. For two weeks, 24 hours a day I just wanted my mind to stop and thought of every possible violent way to make that happen. It was unbearable. I felt worse than I did when I started TMS and was terrified this was going to be a life long change. I kept asking myself, “What the h____ have I done?” The memories stopped when the placement of the coils were reconfigured. This medical procedure is filled with challenges (individual to us all) that no one will understand unless they experience TMS or administer and observe TMS treatments.
HOWEVER, most things in life are dualistic – and we are challenged to take the bad with the good. Even if I had to go through that once a year, I would because the end result is life changing. I live life to the fullest now, where before TMS, I just tried to breath and stay alive each day. We are stronger than we think. We prove that each day we confront depression and other brain disorders. It is 37 mins each day. You have the strength!Yes, “what the heck have I gotten myself into” is a frequent thought of mine too. I noticed feeling more irritable for a period of about 2 weeks. Thanks for sharing Colleen.
I am done with my 6 weeks of daily TMS treatments!!!! I can’t believe it’s over. Now I will taper off for the next 3 weeks.
I do the treatments in the afternoon and end up crying every day by the evening. I don’t feel better. Was this all a waste of time or will it kick in eventually? Wait, wait, wait. I’ve been waiting over 10 years for this depression to lift. I’m really losing hope. I feel so down.
Keep_Hoping:
I can imagine that at this point you are feeling a disappointment that is indescribable. What is your doctor/TMS Coordinator/Treatment Team saying? Have they said that TMS definitely did not work for you; are they still hopeful that you may have a delayed response, etc.? This connection and communication is so very important. Maybe making a list of questions to ask at your next visit would help with focus and direction.
No-doubt the unknown is frightening. Questions about what the future will hold if TMS does not bring the results that were hoped for are probably looming within. Here is the point, Keep_Hoping it is important to remember that there is brain research happening around the world at a pace never seen before. It is just a matter of time when science will understand more accurately “Exactly why depression occurs in the brain and how to more effectively treat it.” I know you might question whether you can endure depression in the quandary of whether TMS has worked. Depression is horrible. Now might be the time to define a backup plan with your doctor. It is important for many reasons. It might be enlightening to sit down and make up a list of reasons you have to make that backup plan. Also there are support groups that can offer connection, understanding, commonality, etc., that can help in a positive way. I joined a NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness), local affiliate, and it has given me more help and hope than I could have realized before I joined. There are so many people who are confronting similar challenges and when bonded together can have a powerful positive influence.
Keep_Hoping – there is a place in you that wants more than ever to find the pathway to the life you want. Keep looking, as tired and discouraged as you may be, keep looking. You have much to offer this world. Keep looking.Stay strong Keep_hoping.
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