Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy: What's your experience?

@clutch Yes, would appreciate info on sessions, improvements, side effects, and is it covered by insurance (medicare)?

@colleenyoung Was considering cranial massage as an option for my depression but the COVID stopped that for now. Would appreciate thoughts or feedback on this.

@clutch, I just finished my 36th treatment of TMS a couple of days ago. Since I was/am also doing ketamine therapy in conjunction with TMS, it's hard to judge whether the TMS is helping me or it's the ketamine. My depression got so bad this year, I am trying everything possible. One thing is that I did receive ketamine at another clinic (more a ketamine mill, but that's a different story) for about 11 months. It helped initially, but after a couple of months, the ketamine did not help. Now that I've switched to a more comprehensive, caring clinic, as well as added TMS, I am doing better. I still have some difficult days but I do think the TMS has helped. (Fingers crossed). I went through some hopeful, better days around the second week of TMS, punctuated by some bad days. I still have not had my "exit session" with my doctor re: the TMS; that should happen this upcoming week and I can let you know what he says. At my clinic, if he deterines the 36 TMS treatments did not help, he will do more TMS treatments (not a full round, but a few more, in my understanding) and then re-assess. I am curious to know how your treatments are going. I've been told by my clinic that sometimes people do not show improvement until the very end--the majority improve during last 2/3 of therapy, although some feel it soon after they begin. I hope this helps. -Kelley

I finished my 36 treatments and Medicare will not cover any more at this time. I would have tried the Ketamine but the clinic would not recommend it because I am currently on a small dose of Ativan. FFDA guidelines do recommend against treating patients on any dose of benzos. But if it wasn't for benzos I wouldn't get any quality sleep.
So you can see the predicament I'm left in. All conventional meds haven't worked either.

BTW @kelster69. thanks for your concern and reply

@clutch of course. Depression is a horrible hell that many do not understand, so I want to share my experiences so we can all help one another. As far as the ketamine, I have been on .5-1.0 mg. of Klonopin for a long time, and both ketamine clinics I've gone to have not problem with that. I know there has been some research done on the interaction of benzos with ketamine, and how it can be a problem. But it's not widely proven. Perhaps you could seek out another ketamine clinic? One time I had a bad trip and the clinic even gave me ativan while I was there. I still don't know if my TMS worked; maybe it has? Hang in there. I know this is a very difficult journey and know someone is thinking about you.

@kelster69, hopefully the combination of the therapies are going to help. Perhaps you may need a "maintenance" TMS" if it is helping. Let us know how it's going. Are you a private pay it insurance covered. I'm Medicare so I think clinic is overly cautious because of reimbursement. Also is your ketamine treatment by IV or esketamine spray?

@clutch I am privileged in that my insurance covers TMS. But I pay out-of-pocket for intravenous ketamine. I know esketamine is covered under insurance. I got so desperate and suicidal I had to do what was most quickly available. I tell myself that it's better to be in debt than dead. I am still sorry your clinic is so overly cautious; I wish you had more freedom. Let's keep our fingers crossed that both of us can get what we need to function and not suffer so much. All the best, Kelley

Is this ANYTHING like electro-shock therapy? Once a barbaric practice, it has gained a new popularity in the last 20 years or so, due to the the fact that electro-shock therapy is virtually painless because you're heavily sedated into unconsciousness before said therapy. I've never had it done, but I've read it actually helps people with schizophrenia.

I don’t know, but ECT did effect your short term memory.