Treatment resistant depression help.

@suzleigh I am absolutely overjoyed for this turn of events in your mental health journey. I prayed and prayed that you would somehow avoid TMS. I would love to walk this journey with you if you'd like. It's like we got invested in each on here. Look me up on Facebook if you'd like. I don't know if it's against the rules to tell you but whether just here or privately, I'm here for you. Love, Amy Osier

Not that I didn't have real challenges such as with the provision of basic needs of food and shelter in my life -- I came close to these in times of extreme helplessness but what I am not sure if it comes close to depression.
But maybe not -- after all, WHO defines it as loss of interest and pleasure in what we used to ENJOY: simple things like meals, sweets, hikes, climbing trees....

in other words, in my eight decades I had lots of hardships but I also had been able to enjoy those bursts of pleasure that are available to us even in times of strife as those of taste and smell of food, music over radio, and the ever changing moods and colors of seasons. I say this because more recently I came across a book, Better in Every Sense, which shows how our capacity to Sense shows us how prone we may become to mental health issues including depression.

So eating balanced food helps for health but if we did not Feel the Taste and Smell, then we stunt our ability to sense the whole-of-the-life thereby becoming more prone to depression. Other senses: how fully we see nature and listen to healing sounds of music around us (I go for classical). All these being free, and often handy, I believe I was able to keep depression at bay by enriching my life with what has been freely available to most of us.

But it does need one to sit with oneself and ask hard questions. CBT helps with many mental disorders (my brief-but-serious bout with anxiety I fixed myself) but professionals can be helpful if one isn't able to do it alone. I hope you give non-med approach a try because of meds side-effects. Good luck!

@realmom3
Thank you!
Looking for help wherever I can find it.🌺

@5148branelly I have been suffering with very severe TRD for over a year. I had regular TMS and did nothing. Do you know where I can get SAINT TMS. I live in Kentucky.

You could call David Careon, MD at the Acacia Clinic in Sunnyvale, CA. He was part of the inventor group that developed SAINT.
He also might be able to give you the name of facilities nearer to you that might offer it. When I did it, I went out to Sunnyvale to the Acacia Clinic. At that time (2022) it was considered experimental but had been approved by the FDA. It really turned things around for me.
But in the 4 years since, SAINT, I’m told, is available in major cities across the US. So, they might be able to administer it at the UK medical school. Contact the Dept. of Psychiatry. It also might be available in Cincinnati, OH at the school of medicine at the University of Cincinnati. Again, call the Dept. of Psychiatry.

I know it is also available in Boston, but I don’t know where.
I hope this helps. TRD is awful!

Dr. Carreon’s phone number is : 650-993-9996.
Take care.

California which is not helpful but you might call them and ask that very same question. Have you tried Auvelity???

@pfoster689
I have been looking into all the different kinds of TMS.... there are SO many.
As far as the SAINT Protocol goes, it appears (from my deep diving) that it is VERY limited because it is all dependent on being called SAINT due to the proprietary rules of the software. There are other options out there that work on similar platforms, TMS being "guided" more but do not use that specific program, so cannot be called SAINT. So, it looks like you'd have to go to California or I think there was a place in Utah ?
After all of my reading, and then a consultation with the Dr., I am going for my 1st TMS treatment at the end of the month. I have chosen to try the 1 Day treatment Protocol. It new and there isn't a lot of information out there on it (in comparison to the Standard or even Accelerated protocol). So far it looks to have reasonable results (70%'ish) in the 1-6week range....a shorter period of time then trying yet another medication. To me it's worth a shot at trying to feel better again.

I am interested in this treatment. Sunnyvale is quite close so more than doable.
The problem is this would not be for me but my husband. He has tried various modalities with really no changes. I did tell him about SAINT some time ago, probably Jan/Feb when I read about it on here. He thanked me for the info but has never said anything since. Part of his depression he has become so uncommunicative. I am hesitant because I know I can't do it for him and sometimes he is resentful if I ask or give him the information. He has been in a severe depression since he retired 10 years ago. I think he being a workaholic kept much of the depression at bay. I feel he also wants the magic treatment where it will just all go away.

@crabby55
Has he tried an MAOi (mono-oxidase inhibitor?) it works differently than SSRIs. During my post-partum depression, this felt like a miracle. I started at 15mg but soon went to 30 mg. It was amazing. I did have difficulty sleeping and was given amitryptiline which solved that problem. Many Dr.s say you cannot give both at the same time, but the Psychiatrist I worked with had recently returned from a year in England where that was done. I had no problems. I took Nardil (the MAOi) It can give a dry mouth but I did not have that reaction. One thing that is important—if you go off it for any length of time, it doesn’t work when you go back. I hope he tries this. Before seeing a new Dr., he should ask if they are willing to prescribe this medication. There are diet restrictions (no soy sauce, yoghurt and ??? The amitryptiline made that not an issue) so he would want to say that “he would be very compliant.” It doesn’t seem to be used much anymore but I hope he can get it. It is definitely worth trying!!!!