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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by kered on September 6, 2007, at 15:05:51
Didn't find any new posts on TMS. Anyone using, tried and didn't work, tried and worked? I'm considering Dr Best in Deerfield, IL, or Dr. Hutto in Atlanta, GA.
Would greatly appreciate any info.
Thanks,
keredSorry if this is a duplicate. I haven't figured this board out yet and I think I may have posted in the wrong place last time, but not sure.
Posted by deniseuk190466 on September 6, 2007, at 16:19:00
In reply to TMS, posted by kered on September 6, 2007, at 15:05:51
Hi,
Are you talking about Repetative Transcranial Magnetic stimulation. I did try it and it didn't work for me, it didn't do any harm though.
Maybe it would work for you, it's worth a try but expensive if you have to pay for it yourself, which I did.
Denise
Posted by twinch42085 on September 6, 2007, at 17:48:09
In reply to Re: TMS, posted by deniseuk190466 on September 6, 2007, at 16:19:00
What exactly does TMS do? I am bipolar. Very Curious?
thanks
twinch : )
Posted by kered on September 6, 2007, at 23:53:49
In reply to Re: TMS » deniseuk190466, posted by twinch42085 on September 6, 2007, at 17:48:09
Denise, thanks for responding and yes, I am referring to Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. It's sometimes referred to as rTMS, but I usually just see TMS. I would have to pay for it myself but if it worked, I wouldn't mind. But I'm also worried that even if it did work, how often I would need maintenance treatments. Could get expensive and tough on logistics if traveling out-of-state. I wish the FDA would approve it already.
Twinch, TMS is supposed to do what ECT does, but without the invasive procedure and side effects, most importantly memory issues which is highly debated about how serious they are. Most will agree that there can be memory issues, but for some they are short lasting, some long lasting, and it seems for some, parts of memory are lost for ever.
I'm not sure if they use it for bi-polar. I've seen it mostly referred to being used for people who do not respond well to medications, can't tolerate medications, or need a quicker response because they might be suicidal. I happen to fit 2 out of 3 of those. Basically, the same cases as ECT is used for.
Been approved in other countries for awhile and even though the success rate is lower than ECT, it's a much less risky option for people to try. Many people travel out of the country to try it. There are centers in Canada that many people go to.
I think it's terrible that the FDA takes so long to examine these things. If I'm on the verge of killing myself, how much damage can something do that is being used by people in England, Canada, Costa Rica, and I don't know where else. If I want to risk it, let me.
Anyway, sorry for the soap box.
Posted by twinleaf on September 8, 2007, at 11:34:20
In reply to TMS, posted by kered on September 6, 2007, at 15:05:51
Hi. There's quite a lot by me (previous posting name Pfinstegg) about TMS in the archives. I have been to Atlanta for ten courses of TMS with Dr Hutto over the last five years. I am only partially drug-resistant, but have had very bad side effects from the SSRI's, SNRI's, AP's and tricyclics, so I was looking for a better way to treat my MDD. It has always worked very well for me, with the depression really lifting for several months. It does gradually return, though. Dr. Hutto has patients who need one or two treatments a year, only, as well as ones who need three treatments every 3-4 weeks.It is used for bipolar. But it is true that it only works for about half of the people who try it. Dr. Hutto always gives it to the left frontal area- it hurts! - but it's bearable.
The way it's thought to work is that, in animals, it's known to calm down the activity of your HPA axis, so that you have less cortisol entering your brain and damaging the neurons in certain parts of it- such as the hippocampus. The CA3 cells in the hippocampus look healthier and start growing. Also, in depression, we tend to have decreased blood flow in the left frontal regions, as measured by how much glucose they are using. TMS can restore the blood flow to normal for a period of time. The actual electromagnetic current from TMS only goes about 2 centimeters into your brain, but it is thought that the neurons activated close to the surface send messages deeper into your brain, so that neurons in the deeper structures are activated also.
Earlier this year, an FDA advisory committee recommended that TMS NOT be approved, as it was not too different from ECT, and slightly less effective. This caused a major uproar, as it is so safe, and does not impair memory (it actually makes it slightly better). So Drs. Hutto, Mark George, and others at Columbia, Yale, Harvard and elsewhere have formed a committee to push hard for its approval. I last saw Dr. Hutto in August, and he told me that he felt quite confident that it would be approved sometime this year. A number of doctors around the country have taken a training course in how to give it offered by Dr. Mark George at the Univ of South Carolina. So, if it's approved, it should become pretty rapidly available throughout the country, and insurance should pay for at least part of it- hopefully all.
In addition to the countries mentioned above where it is already approved and in use, it's also approved in Israel, Australia and New Zealand. There's a lot of published information on it from those countries. The good thing: it doesn't always work, but it IS safe!
This is the end of the thread.
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