Has anyone found TMS to be helpful?

[glowing.purple.aura]

I'm considering TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) to treat my Major Depressive Disorder and possibly my OCD if it's covered by my insurance. In the past, I have tried:

• Psychotherapy/Talk therapy (with numerous therapists across 12 years)
• Family therapy
• Exposure therapy
• Medication (~10 different ones, some of which I'm still on)
• 2 IOPs (Intensive Outpatient Programs)
• 2 PHPs (Partial Hospitalization Programs)
• and 1 hospitalization (lasting 10 days)

with little-to-moderate improvement that doesn't last more than a few months. I'm wondering what others' experiences with TMS have been (if it was helpful, where you saw the most improvement, etc.) and so I'm making this thread.

 

[madsxcxc]

Hi, I also have MDD and OCD along with BPD. I've been in talk therapy with multiple therapists for about 5 years now, have tried 10+ medications and have attended a IOP, PHP and resiedntial with little-to-no improvement. Unfortunately TMS didn't do anything for me. They say that you're supposed to be in a calm/pleasant state of mind during the treatment itself so maybe that's why it didn't work - I often ruminate and went through a major trauma recently so that wasn't really possible for me. Even with insurance the cost was pretty bad, it was $50 per session and it was nearly 40 sessions... sucks that it was for nothing but apparently it works for a large number of people. If you've been stuck for a while I feel like you should give it a try. It could definitely be the thing that helps.

 

[dragonofenvy]

I would also be very interested in knowing. I might end up doing it myself in a couple months, but I have to do a PHP first.

I know for me it's covered by insurance. For me, I think it's worth giving a shot since it isn't invasive. If that doesn't work that I probably do Electro Convulsive Therapy is the last resort, as that was an option my psychologist floated.

For me it'd be treating Persistent Depressive Disorder, Trauma/Stressor Related Disorder, & ASD. I'll give you some updates when I go through with it but it will be a while. Even without me, I think you should try it, especially since if it doesn't work, it wasn't invasive at all and they're pretty quick too. Best case: You get significant improvements. Or of course, you can skip it entirely, but I don't think doing nothing is a good option. Might as well try.

 

[Gomomon]

Hi there, currently I'm trying TMS, I'm on my 5th session. I've only noticed getting up is a bit easier, like waking up at, say, 9 am instead of 1-4 pm like normal for me, but other than that, I haven't seen any mental-related symptoms being alleviated, tho I haven't received the full treatment yet. I have Major depression and ADHD and have tried an ample amount of medication, therapy, and have been in-person week-long hospitalizations for suicide. I've heard there are hardly any Cons, other than maybe nothing happening for someone, so I'm willing to try it. I also got it only for 5 dollars out of pocket by being unemployed and a student with my health insurance, I would say it's definitely worth trying cept for the possible price and time period required if those are both problems. I will come back in a few weeks If I feel like depression is somehow magically gone.

 

[MAKE IT STOP!]

I'm hoping to get TMS one day, and I hope that day is soon. I'm convinced my depression is treatment-resistant, my BPD seems to get more extreme, and I think I'm just getting worse in general. I've tried ketamine, but they stopped that because it caused me to dissociate badly.

 

[bloodybushman]

Hi, I have severely treatment-resistant MDD and OCD. (I've even had my genetics looked at and my doctor confirmed that I have the gene most often linked to TRD, among others.)

I finished my course of TMS earlier this year. I felt a bit of a boost of hope and happiness around week 2-3, which then quickly faded. Nothing else happened on the depression side of things. As for OCD, I can identify that period of time as when I started feeling relief from the anxiety, but I'm not sure how much of that was from TMS rather than meds and my DIY exposure therapy. I have memory issues (that I believe is a side effect of the long-term depression), so that's the most I can remember at the moment. Sorry if it's not very insightful.

Something odd that I liked about TMS is simply the fact that it meant I had to leave the house every day (aside from weekends.) Even if it was just a drive to and from the clinic, it was a new routine and enjoyable.

As for any other lingering effects, I began to have occasional twitches in my limbs. Extremely minor, to the point it took me a long time to even notice them on a conscious level. They were worse right after a session. After finishing the course, I think they calmed down then went mostly away. Then one of my meds was upped and I developed them again, but that's a whole other thing I believe is unrelated to the TMS.

I started on ketamine therapy less than a week after finishing the TMS course. I've been doing that since... I wanna say the end of May? It's not really helping much. But I have to admit, the k-hole is fun, and I have the money, so...

The clinic I go to wants me to start TMS again once insurance's required waiting period between courses is over. They said the plan is that I'd be doing ketamine and TMS as the same time. I have a bit of hope for that, I guess. I think my only option after that is ECT, but I'm not sure if that's even available near me.

I'm being brutally honest, but don't let any of this scare you. Everyone is different. Negative side effects of TMS are rare if your clinic is competent (I was told by the doctor handling my mapping that Wellbutrin has more risk for seizures than TMS.) If you have the money and means, trying it is better than trying nothing at all. Worst case scenario, nothing happens. Best case scenario, your quality of life is vastly improved and you go on to live a beautiful life.

I wish you luck with whatever you choose, and I hope it works out for you.

 

[coolliontigerragged]

Just finished 36 rounds of TMS! Honestly its helped me with depression, not so much with anxiety, and in general life is a little better. I noticed things got more "colorful," I didnt stress much when it came to minute things like putting on clothes, and I could think through things more. Almost like I have become more apathetic? But I still care about things? More laid back...

Pain wise, it depends on your motor threshold, which they check often. Mine was on the lower side, but do expect to maybe have things twitch. At most it felt like tapping into my head.

While this is all fine and dandy, it has confused me. Life is going, and I think this kinda made me accept the fact that life just goes, but I am still a tiny bit suicidal? It is certainly not as bad as it has been in the past, and I'm not trying almost constantly, but I do still think about how beautiful it would be to drink alcohol and freeze to death outside.

Those thoughts are more quiet now. Some people have worsened aggression, usually cause they have to stop it cause insurance sucks. My insurance covered it daily thankfully.
Good luck!