Deep brain stimulation

[RedHarlequin]

Has anyone here received deep brain stimulation for depression or any other illness? If everything goes according to plan I am going to have the surgery in about 3 months for my treatment resistant depression, there is not a lot of information out there.. thanks!

 

[Makko]

I don't have any information about it but the same sounds really cool. I wonder if it will expand your consciousness and make you see through the fabric of reality.

 

[RedHarlequin]

I don't have any information about it but the same sounds really cool. I wonder if it will expand your consciousness and make you see through the fabric of reality.

As far as I understand it they place electrodes in your brain and a pacemaker in your chest so your brain receives electrical impulses. What I find fascinating is that they do this not only for depression but for many illnesses including Parkinson's, tinnitus, epilepsy, OCD..

 

[Makko]

As far as I understand it they place electrodes in your brain and a pacemaker in your chest so your brain receives electrical impulses. What I find fascinating is that they do this not only for depression but for many illnesses including Parkinson's, tinnitus, epilepsy, OCD..

Sounds like voodoo logic similar to lobotomy or trepanning, but it's 2021 so they probably know what they're doing by now. That's what they thought last time too, though.

 

[RedHarlequin]

Sounds like voodoo logic similar to lobotomy or trepanning, but it's 2021 so they probably know what they're doing by now. That's what they thought last time too, though.

Oh well, I don't have any options left anyway, so it is either this or ctb.

 

[WornOutLife]

Oh, I practically know nothing about that. I hope it really works.

In my case, the med which changed my life is bupropion. My brain is finally getting the dopamine it needs!

 

[RedHarlequin]

Oh, I practically know nothing about that. I hope it really works.

In my case, the med which changed my life is bupropion. My brain is finally getting the dopamine it needs!

I'm glad for you. Did it also make you more active?

 

[Mentalmick]

I've heard of ect but not that. Very interesting for sure, hope it works.

 

[RedHarlequin]

I've heard of ect but not that. Very interesting for sure, hope it works.

Yeah, it's the last resort if ECT doesn't work. Thanks!

 

[WaterHemlock]

I'm really curious to hear about your experience with it. I have heard positive stories of it.
Please keep us posted.

One medicine that worked well for me was Brintellix. Or Trintellix. They've changed the name. It was hard at first and gave me nausea but in the end worked well.
Good luck to you!

 

[RedHarlequin]

I'm really curious to hear about your experience with it. I have heard positive stories of it.
Please keep us posted.

One medicine that worked well for me was Brintellix. Or Trintellix. They've changed the name. It was hard at first and gave me nausea but in the end worked well.
Good luck to you!

Ok, I will let you know how it goes. What helps for me a bit it MAO inhibitor Parnate.

 

[fly away]

I looked into DBS and was evaluated by a bunch of Drs at a hospital that's running a clinical trial. I was starting to feel hopeful about it since I have tried pretty much everything. Unfortunately, I wasn't accepted because you must be off all meds for at least 3 months prior. And while my meds haven't worked in yrs, my body is addicted to 20 yrs of Benzos. I hope you get good results… it looks so interesting. Also they are doing trials on the psychedelics (THC, Mushrooms, etc) and that also seems to be very interesting. I have the same medications issue, but it may help others.
Keep us posted

 

[endthispain]

Ok, I will let you know how it goes. What helps for me a bit it MAO inhibitor Parnate.

I also have treatment resistant depression
Have tried everything ect iv ketamine. Amd now parnate. Nothing helps. Not sure how hard it is to find hospotal around me that does deep brain stimulation. I've been in hospital for 9 months. They are afraid of me and suicide. But it's hell living in this pain.
let me know how it goes. When are you going?

I looked into DBS and was evaluated by a bunch of Drs at a hospital that's running a clinical trial. I was starting to feel hopeful about it since I have tried pretty much everything. Unfortunately, I wasn't accepted because you must be off all meds for at least 3 months prior. And while my meds haven't worked in yrs, my body is addicted to 20 yrs of Benzos. I hope you get good results… it looks so interesting. Also they are doing trials on the psychedelics (THC, Mushrooms, etc) and that also seems to be very interesting. I have the same medications issue, but it may help others.
Keep us posted

Oh off meds would be hard. They don't do anything for me either but I take benzodiazepines too so not sure I could go off of those either. I've tried ketamine and ect. Nothing works. Now on parnate.

 

[DamnedEitherWay]

I'm really curious to hear about your experience with it. I have heard positive stories of it.
Please keep us posted.

One medicine that worked well for me was Brintellix. Or Trintellix. They've changed the name. It was hard at first and gave me nausea but in the end worked well.
Good luck to you!

Vortioxetine was the only antidepressant that I liked. It never helped with the anhedonia or depressive thought though. I'm no longer suffering greatly but the anhedonia has never left me. Wish I could get motivation and enjoyment back somehow.

 

[endthispain]

I also have treatment resistant depression
Have tried everything ect iv ketamine. Amd now parnate. Nothing helps. Not sure how hard it is to find hospotal around me that does deep brain stimulation. I've been in hospital for 9 months. They are afraid of me and suicide. But it's hell living in this pain.
let me know how it goes. When are you going?

Oh off meds would be hard. They don't do anything for me either but I take benzodiazepines too so not sure I could go off of those either. I've tried ketamine and ect. Nothing works. Now on parnate.

I just don't know if I can handle the 2 week wash out period coming off parnate.

 

[Debbie Northampton U]

I'd be really interested to know how you get on??

 

[netrezven]

Still admire the psycho who created lobotomy. You get to be alive, no visible harm, but a brand new vegetable.
Running some more voltage to the brain has proven to harm memories. Whenever it comes to the brain is only based on statistics and some good experiments again based on statistics. No one actually know how and why electrodes will help, but they know that it helped % of people and harmed % people. By harm i mean loss of memories mostly or headache.
I'm sure such procedures are done by people who care, have the ability and wanna help, and consider and be honest with the risks levels.

 

[endthispain]

Vortioxetine was the only antidepressant that I liked. It never helped with the anhedonia or depressive thought though. I'm no longer suffering greatly but the anhedonia has never left me. Wish I could get motivation and enjoyment back somehow.

Starting wash out of parnate today. What drug to try next? Hopeless. I don't sleep well so have to be careful of energizing ones. What a shit show. So depressed can't sleep without handful of pills. Now withdrawal to look forward to.

 

[RedHarlequin]

So, the DBS surgery worked, big time!
I would like to make a separate post on this, when I have a bit more time.

Edit:
I still have low energy levels, so stuff like going to the store can drain me for a day. I also have difficulty being on time, as just going out is kind of a big deal. Besides that, I am still sensitive to noises and people talking loudly in public, I don't mind happy conversations, it's more the ones `how did Janet dare to say such thing, we have been working at this or that company for years`. I tend to without realising this give people who do this a stinkeye :D. First, you're disclosing private information, second it really drains me.

But, I no longer feel empty, helpless, hopeless, I no longer want to kill myself, and can enjoy the little things like reading a book or just seeing or smelling flowers. I do remember this period of my life (14-29 years of age), so I sympathise with most of the people here on an extremely personal level.

 

[RedHarlequin]

Starting wash out of parnate today. What drug to try next? Hopeless. I don't sleep well so have to be careful of energizing ones. What a shit show. So depressed can't sleep without handful of pills. Now withdrawal to look forward to.

I know this is an old post, but did you find something that works for you? As I mentioned, Im still kind of meh when it comes to energy level, and partite helps me a lot with this. But Im on 60-80mg

 

[RedHarlequin]

I got my stimulator tuned up today so I will leave a small message as a diary entry for myself and anyone who is interested.
It has been a year since I went through the surgery, and it has been the best decision I have made that I can remember. I can't even call this a decision, as it was either this or kms.
I went through ECT before (8 or 9 sessions) and it was hell compared to this.
Before the visit I wrote down what I was feeling.. I wrote it down in german, ill post the original (sorry for the german, germans, im not a native speaker) and translate:
Very, very tired
Sleeping 12-14hrs/day
Memory is still bad, difficult to concentrate
Fear, that this will never go away (i meant this state), hopelessness
Feels like a dead-end, I dont know how to get out
I should think of a suicide plan, when it gets unbearable, i can leave fast (i meant i can end it fast)
I dont like to speak about this, it feels like im only doing this for attention.

This is not written down, but last couple of weeks I was going throught the woods trying to find the perfect tree for hanging myself.

As I was sitting there at the doctor's office and they were changing the stimulation parameters, I didnt feel anyrhing, i was just crying the entire time. After about 2-4 mins i felt anxiety, then nausea (its a sign for me that always comes as the parameters are being changed), then a bit of double vision. After that I had a talk with a member of the team (a young psychologist, a nice guy, but the talk was nothing more than one would expect from a CBT session, that i have had for about 5 years before, CBT didnt help me at all). Suddenly, a wave of relief..all of this beinf shoved into background and slowly disappearing.

These doctors are nothing less than gods to me, you can read my post history before 7/2021, and see im not joking. They dragged me out of this hole of hell we are all familiar with.

As I was talking about my suicide plans and telling the doc I though it was just a way of soothing myself, he said to the younger doctor "yes, to tell oneself there's a way out of the misery".

By this I also want to illustrate that there are psychiatrists, alhought extremely scarce, who get this and go out of their way to help.

I got my stimulator tuned up today so I will leave a small message as a diary entry for myself and anyone who is interested.
It has been a year since I went through the surgery, and it has been the best decision I have made that I can remember. I can't even call this a decision, as it was either this or kms.
I went through ECT before (8 or 9 sessions) and it was hell compared to this.
Before the visit I wrote down what I was feeling.. I wrote it down in german, ill post the original (sorry for the german, germans, im not a native speaker) and translate:
Very, very tired
Sleeping 12-14hrs/day
Memory is still bad, difficult to concentrate
Fear, that this will never go away (i meant this state), hopelessness
Feels like a dead-end, I dont know how to get out
I should think of a suicide plan, when it gets unbearable, i can leave fast (i meant i can end it fast)
I dont like to speak about this, it feels like im only doing this for attention.

This is not written down, but last couple of weeks I was going throught the woods trying to find the perfect tree for hanging myself.

As I was sitting there at the doctor's office and they were changing the stimulation parameters, I didnt feel anyrhing, i was just crying the entire time. After about 2-4 mins i felt anxiety, then nausea (its a sign for me that always comes as the parameters are being changed), then a bit of double vision. After that I had a talk with a member of the team (a young psychologist, a nice guy, but the talk was nothing more than one would expect from a CBT session, that i have had for about 5 years before, CBT didnt help me at all). Suddenly, a wave of relief..all of this beinf shoved into background and slowly disappearing.

These doctors are nothing less than gods to me, you can read my post history before 7/2021, and see im not joking. They dragged me out of this hole of hell we are all familiar with.

As I was talking about my suicide plans and telling the doc I though it was just a way of soothing myself, he said to the younger doctor "yes, to tell oneself there's a way out of the misery".

By this I also want to illustrate that there are psychiatrists, alhought extremely scarce, who get this and go out of their way to help.

Damn, just writing this down is making me tear up, thank you, doctors.