TMS and confusion

Yes, I’ve experienced this. It takes me several minutes to get re-oriented after the treatments. It was much more intense when I first started. I’ve finished my 6 weeks and am now tapering down. I still feel like I need to collect myself after all that stimulation has been shot into my brain.

I found that just sitting down and waiting for a while helped me before I have to leave to drive home. I hope things get better for you.

There are a lot of things I discovered about tms that weren’t explained to me or that I never read about. I found this blog after starting my sessions. I experience a lot of pain every time I go. I’ve finished the 6 weeks and the pain never decreased. I also thought that feeling better came gradually. Now they tell me I may not feel better until a month or more after I’m all done. That was a big let down.

So be ready to ride it out. It’s a real commitment on your part to go through this. You must be really determined and that’s great. I hope you see improvement soon. That’s what we all want.

Hi Mass: Welcome to the site.
Keep-Hoping is right. There is a lot to discover about TMS throughout the process. I told my psychiatrist Tuesday, as I reflect back on my TMS journey, starting 5 1/2 years ago, I never realized at the time of the initial treatments just how challenging the unknowns were. And fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you look at it) that is innate in the treatment. The brain is complicated but having this as an optional treatment gives us hope and another chance to improve our brain health (just admire my psychiatrist for changing the terminology to a positive!). I worked throughout treatment too but changed my initial schedule to work 8 hours and then go to treatment and then home to bed. Any possibility that may work? It was much better than going to treatment first and then going to work. I had to drive 2 hours each way to treatment so the middle of the day didn’t work with my schedule. I was so tired after treatment the two hour trip home was difficult. If TMS waits to work (so to speak) till after treatment and it does work, it is well worth the challenge of waiting. Life changes dramatically. Hang in there. You have support here and lots of knowledge from people who are now going through the treatments too.

This is encouraging for me to read as well! I too am a mom trying to get this done and raise kids at the same time–through the now several dips I’ve encountered, staggering lows–and it has been so crazy. I’m adding on my six that I was saving for boosters, as I am just now finally starting to feel like maybe this is working a tiny bit. So today was #32.
Colleen, not sure how to get this to you exactly, or to start a new thread, but my email is erburdette40@me.com. Please contact me when you can! Thanks, Erin

Hi everyone. I am so glad to have been referred to this forum and have all of you to share with and talk to. Having others who understand what I’m going through…I’m so grateful…having that support. I had my very first TMS treatment today. Oh boy…it was a lot worse than I was told. Very stressful, very painful! Thankfully I now have day 1 behind me. I can relate already to some of the experiences I’ve read. I do seem to have trouble thinking of things I want to say…and that is frustrating. It is sporadic though. So I hope the confusion or difficultly thinking is not permanent. I also experienced some discomfort after the treatment…like what they DO tell you, and was a mild headache and mild sore scalp. But thankfully tolerable. I had some mild dizziness, also very little on and off and also very tolerable. Something else I felt that was disturbing…and it was felt during my treatment as well…it was some pain to my left eye and left ear. I told the Dr and Coordinator. And the Coordinator told me, she had never had anyone mention they had felt any ear pain. So that was a new one for her. That part was not at all mild. My ear hurt all afternoon through the evening, and really scared me, because I also had sensitivity in my ear to any sound, both when I would speak and when I would hear any other sounds, like a phone ringing or my dogs barking…ouch!! I learned at the doctors office today for the FIRST time, they never told me PRIOR to today, that there is a potential risk of some hearing loss, even if you wear the ear plugs they give for every treatment. So learning that initially terrified me, then the ear pain made that thought even more concerning. I will be discussing everything I’ve gone through with the Coordinator tomorrow. I ended up dampening a cotton ball, putting that in my ear (as I’ve also been feeling so much itchiness). The cooling of the dampness, and filling my ear with some protection to sound…helped a great deal. And it is a lot better, still a bit sensitive but better. I will share anything new I may learn, in case it could help anyone else experiencing the same. Has anyone else felt anything like this…ear or eye pain?

Hi Colleen,
I am really happy to hear from you…thank you so much for the reply. Wow…what you experienced with memories is something I hadn’t heard about yet, and it IS so interesting how many variables of responses that can happen from these treatments. I hope it wasn’t scary and glad you got through it ok and they were able to make adjustments for you, so you no longer had to experience those memory surges. Thank you for sharing your experiences, and for being there to help. I am thrilled to report day 2 was sooooo much better and barely felt the discomfort. It went so fast and was done before I even got to think about it. Also day 2 had a lot less side effects. Did feel, ‘during the treatment’ some ear pain and struggled with ‘thinking of what to say’ when I was speaking with my Coordinator. But all this was better shortly after the treatment, later that evening… NO EAR PAIN or CONFUSION….yeah!!! The scalp soreness and headaches is barely there now. And even more exciting…I had an AMAZING rest of the day following…and felt really really good! But as I’ve experienced with the depression, you need to be cautiously optimistic when the good feeling comes, as it doesn’t usually last. I have learned to now THOROUGHLY enjoy the good feeling, even not knowing how long…it still feels amazing to feel good and I am so very grateful for those moments. I also go to Acupuncture…which is so helpful. I would highly recommend for anyone experiencing anxiety and it can help get through the treatments. Day 3 was much more difficult…and after day 2, unexpected. The Coordinator upped my dose which is why it was harder…stronger pulses, led to it being more painful. It was a bit of a let down, after getting through an easier day just one treatment prior. But I know this is all part of the journey. One thing I wonder and will be asking about on Monday…why they chose 20 min, actually 17-1/2 min. treatments for me. I know the RX or recommendations for how the treatment is administered to each individual will be different based on their needs. And I cannot complain for having shorter sessions, as that is less time to deal with the discomfort, but I just want to feel reassured that less time will still be just as effective. That is my only concern. I am sure they will put my mind at ease when I ask, but was wondering if you have heard about variances in amount of time during each treatment. I’ve read they can be up to 60 minutes long. So I just want to understand the difference in time. Sorry…once I start writing…I can go on and on… Thank you Colleen…I am so appreciative for you being there to talk.

Hi Collen. I agree…helping others through our experiences is very rewarding. Knowing all too well the deep pain that comes from depression, and being there to support another going through it…I feel honored to be helpful in anyway. And I feel blessed to have all your support while I am going through this. It’s a new opportunity that’s been opened for such a ‘cutting edge’ treatment, in some ways it’s pretty exciting to be a part of it. The doctors’ office I go to also uses the Neurostar. I’ve read each machine has its own clinical protocol. And you hope when you ask the question, it is actually what is being followed. It would be important to trust your provider, for sure. But there is a glimmer of wonder if what you’re being told is the 100% truth. Is there a way to really know for sure. Before posing the time of treatment question to them yesterday, I had asked about treatment protocol the other day and was assured they are following what is recommended. I also asked if they ever use the machine for ‘off label’ treatments. I was told yes, the protocol is followed for my treatment for MDD and anxiety. And yes, some off label treatments are used for other conditions that the machine is not yet FDA approved for, but they have found helpful in many patients. Doctors have used medications off label, and even in my own experience, have taken certain meds for things other than what they are FDA approved for. I’m cool with that, as long as it helps the issue. I guess though in this case, we are not talking about a minor copay for a medication, that is affordable. This is a HUGE expense, and it is crucial in this instance, it is being used correctly for what it is treating. Oh, I wanted to update you on the confusion side effect. I do feel it during each treatment, and for some time after. It seems to get better as the hours pass following each session. I was also told to me that it is completely normal, and with time it gets better as your brain gets used to what they equate to a workout. Still feeling hopeful…and would love to stay in the most positive place possible throughout this journey. Some days that takes more work than others. Will keep you posted on how things go, as I proceed through my treatments.

Thanks so much Colleen…that really means a lot! I feel blessed if anything I can do, contributes to helping others going through this. So great to hear the bilateral treatment helped you, and you’re now better without medications…yeah!! That is awesome!! I like what you mentioned about Google alerts and keeping up on new studies on other uses for TMS treatments. I actually tried signing up for the alerts…and not quite sure I did it correctly. So far haven’t received any notification via email that I signed up for them…hmmm? lol I would love to keep up on that information. Just completed #6 and remarkably, although still uncomfortable…I am much better able to tolerate the discomfort. Still get that bizarre feeling of confusion, or having trouble thinking of the words I am saying as I talk. I just find it more work to think during the sessions. And for a little bit after…but it does dissipate as the afternoon turns to evening. I do wonder as you mentioned…what is actually going on in there…(in our brains, during the session). As long as these side effects are temporary and get better…knowing that makes it much easier to deal with. I will continue to post and share my experiences with the treatments. 🙂