Posted by LostBoyinNC1 on July 28, 2002, at 0:23:48
In reply to Re: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation anyone?, posted by deli on July 27, 2002, at 23:20:44
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> Well, I really thought so. I am more in it for the physical.I can understand that. Id be in it just for the PET scan hehehe. Basically it sounds like they want to do functional neuroimaging of your brain to determine what parts are active and not active and learn more about the specifics of your mental illness. This type of imaging technology is experimental like rTMS and hasnt yet filtered down to regular clinical psychiatry yet. However, unlike the rTMS, this functional neuroimaging technology can be very helpful to some people with mental illness as it can help give doctors a better, less subjective idea of whats exactly wrong with you.
However keep in mind that for a PET or SPECT scan they generally require you to have been off all meds for at least two weeks. If you are doing well now, it doesnt make much sense to go off your meds. Also, those rTMS trials are really more for refractorily depressed folks. Not for people whose meds are working good. So there is an ethical aspect of it here. If you were like "nothing works doc" and the drugs didnt work at all Id say it would be worth it, providing you didnt have to travel far. But its kind of unethical to try to get into an rTMS trial just to get a wham bam expensive physical and PET scan when youre doing OK. Just my personal opinion. Someone else who is not in good condition might need your rTMS slot a lot more than you need it.
>My meds are beginning to work and I am beginning to feel better so I am really not as bad as I was a month ago. I have never had to resort to ECT yet. (keep my fingers crossed)But I think, if I go through yet another episode, I may just need it, because they just get more brutal with time.
yeah, again ECT is ten times more effective than rTMS. No, make that a hundred times more effective. The PET scan part does sound attractive though LOL.
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> I haven't made up my mind completely. I think once I have my appointment with the research doctor, I will decide. Thank you for your reply!!
> Deli;)Well, if your meds are working good Id say hold off. If your meds are not working then go for it. Even though I think you will find ECT in the end will probably fix your problem more effectively.
Actually, they have any trials where they do ECT with a PET scan? That would be a good deal.
poster:LostBoyinNC1
thread:113936
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020725/msgs/113986.html