-
Posts
-
My name is Kaylyn and I’ve battled with depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember. I am nearing the end of my TMS treatment. I have 5 sessions left and am still feeling significantly depressed. My doctor is aware of how I’m feeling and is remaining optimistic that I will begin to see better results in the coming weeks.
I definitely feel better than I did when I started, however we made a couple adjustments to medications along the way so it’s hard to tell how the TMS is actually affecting me. I am trying to stay positive but as you guys know, that can pose difficult when so many medications/treatments have failed me in the past.
I keep reading patient testimonials looking for more patients who didn’t see results until the end or after treatment but have only found Colleen’s story. Can anyone reassure me that this treatment WILL WORK and that I just need to be patient? My doctor has told me many times that he has had multiple patients not respond until the treatment is over but hearing it from the patient themself would make me feel much better!
I have had TMS twice. Both times, I did not feel better until some time after the last session. Also, after the first treatment, I did not need medication anymore. However, after the second treatment, I did need medication. My theory is that TMS worked well enough for medication to work, whereas it didn’t for a long time. And, if you’ve been on the same antidepressant for years, it may be worthwhile to try a different one.
Wishing you well…
If you all want my honest opinion you should all stop these treatments immediately! I am a long time survivor of this horrible and insane “treatment” of what these doctors will so happily take your money for and say “oh you won’t see any results til the very end” or “you may have to adjust your medication along with it” No kidding! Because it’s the right medication and the correct therapy that is the only that is going to help your depression and anxiety. Not shocking your brain. I have lost so much from doing this. Not just the $8,000 that they took and then I never heard from them again when I tried to contact them regarding problems I was having, but I have lost my memories but short-term memory. To the point that I thought I was having a rare form a dimentia at a very young age. I suffered from headaches for the longest time, brain zaps, and even worse anxiety. I found the correct doctors who helped me find the right kind of therapy and the right medication instead of taking advantage of me for money. Please do your research before doing this. This is an awful treatment that I will forever regret for the rest of my life.
Thank you for this Marilyn. This makes me feel so much better. Do you mind if I ask what medication worked for you? I have tried many but most of them have been atypical or antipsychotics. I was on a high dose of Paxil or Lamictal for a long time. I came off the Paxil before starting TMS which was awful. When I couldn’t find something else to help I went back on a very low dose of the Paxil. Shortly after starting TMS I weaned myself off the Lamictal because i didn’t think it was improving my depression and it was negatively effecting the energy level my TMS doctor was having to use. However, when I started feeling worse again my TMS doctor recommended going back on a low dose of the Lamictal as well. So that’s where I am at now.. but I am thinking I want to try and switch from the Paxil to a better antidepressant.
I was on a low dose of Prozac for many years. I think if just wasn’t effective anymore or I went through a state of depression that nothing would help. I don’t know how things work when you are both on an antidepressant and doing TMS. I was not on anything during both treatments so I could easily tell if TMS was working or not. During the second round, I did find that I could have a decent conversation with the technician and even joke around a little. But the overall wellness came after the treatment ended. This happens to a lot of patients, but not all.
After the second round, I still wasn’t where I wanted to be. We (the psychiatrist) and I agreed to try an antidepressant again – this time Zoloft 50 mg. It wasn’t enough so we upped it to 100 mg. We also later added 2, 4, and then 6 mg of Abilify. I feel like I’m in a decent place now. I lack motivation but the Abilify has helped with that.
Are you working with a psychiatrist on all of this?
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.