Posted by Cecilia on June 20, 2004, at 4:03:40
In reply to Re: rTMS'rs out there ??? » jrbecker, posted by Pfinstegg on June 19, 2004, at 23:56:01
Linkadge, I can`t imagine doing TMS on oneself-sounds a bit like performing surgery on oneself. Be careful! For those lookng into this, TMS is approved in Canada, and it`s perfectly legal for a non-Canadian to have it there. There are clinics in Vancouver and Toronto. I had 20 treatments (2 a day for 2 weeks in January). It`s definitely expensive $200 (U.S. dollars) per treatment. Unfortunately, it didn`t work for me. They claimed a 60 percent success rate. My doctor periodically suggests I try ECT, and the last time I saw him I asked what the success rate for ECT was for some one who had failed as many meds as I have. He said 60 percent. All I could think was "Yeah, sure, on paper maybe" He meant well, but knowing I failed TMS, how could he possibly think I had a 60 percent chance of success at ECT. Undoubtedly there are a few people who respond to one and not the other, but I think for the most part the 60 percent who respond to TMS are the same 60 perecent who would respond to ECT. I feel like the chance for me would be more like one percent and I`m just too terrified of the memory loss to consider it. Also, for those considering TMS, I want to say that my experience was excruciatingly painful. The brochure says it`s painless and even talks about reading a magazine while you`re having the treatments. I don`t think so, unless you`re in the habit of reading while someone hammers nails into your head. I read about studies talking about placebo "sham" treatments-believe me, if I had been in a study there was no way I wouldn`t have known if I were getting a real treatment. But apparently for many people it is painless-just don`t count on it. (And of course, if it had worked it would have been more than worth the pain and money.) Cecilia
poster:Cecilia
thread:357593
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040614/msgs/358241.html