maize Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 (edited) Update March 2020: Just wanted to report that, five months after finishing TMS treatment, my husband's mental health has continued to improve. His mood swings have mostly vanished, he is much happier and more productive at work and is more engaged with the family at home. A couple of years ago I would have said he was pretty severely disabled by depression and anxiety. This has been an amazing turnaround. Update Nov 12: It's been a couple of weeks since finishing TMS treatments and so far the improvement has been sustained. Yesterday dh had the day off work; instead of spending most of the day in bed as he would have done in the past he helped fold laundry and then took the kids to the aquarium. And stopped for groceries on the way home. He's been reading The Hobbit to the kids in the evening, listening to him makes me so happy. *Original post* I know there are others here who either struggle themselves or have family members who struggle with depression, posting this in the hopes it may be helpful to someone. My dh has dealt with anxiety and depression his entire adult life, he's been to a lot of doctors and therapists unfortunately he falls into that group of people who never have really achieved remission. In August he started treatments using deep TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation); insurance authorized 36 treatments and he isn't finished yet but I am extremely encouraged by the progress he has made. For years he has basically come home from work (when he could drag himself out of bed to get there in the first place) and gone straight to bed. I have seen some significant improvement since he started TMS treatment. He has started spending more time with the family in the evenings, especially reading to the younger kids. He isn't on edge and irritable. The other day he come home and sat down to tell me animatedly about his day and about a book on management he had been reading; usually the only response I get to "how was your day" is "it was long". He has also been listening to an audiobook in the car about raising emotionally intelligent children on the way to and from his treatments and he tells me about that (and is clearly making an effort to put it into practice). He is smiling a lot more often. Basically, he is acting like a human with a fully functional brain. TMS is intensive and I don't know how long the effects will last, but we have been searching for effective treatment for years and this is by far the best results we have seen. Edited March 15, 2020 by maize 45 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 That is so great. How funny--just today I heard an ad for this treatment on the radio (we can get one of our old VA news stations on Alexa) and thought about it in relation to both a family member and an old friend's husband (who, sadly, never achieved health). I am so glad this works for you guys. ❤ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jentrovert Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 Such good news! I have a friend who had this treatment. It worked well and lasted . . . I don't remember exactly. Over a year, I think. Then a long period of not doing well at all, and she recently had more treatments. Hopefully it will help again. (I should note that she isn't good in general about taking care of herself and there is lots of other stuff going on. I think a person in a stable situation with support might have an even better result.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 Wow! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 That's fantastic!!! My dh had 30 daily treatments of cranial TMS as part of a research study at a medical university. It was to stimulate parts of his brain so that he could learn to speak again following a stroke. He had already been involved in about 6 other major studies and several years' worth of therapy by then, but TMS worked like nothing else he had ever done. It was truly amazing. I wish he could have kept it up. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 That is wonderful news, I hope that the progress continues. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 I am so happy for your family. Does your dh realize that the treatment is working? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachGal Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 (edited) @maize, is it the NeuroStar or something else? It’s so good that insurance is paying for treatments. . Edited October 9, 2019 by BeachGal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted October 9, 2019 Author Share Posted October 9, 2019 5 minutes ago, BeachGal said: @maize, is it the NeuroStar or something else? It’s so good that insurance is paying for treatments. . His psychiatrist uses the Brainsway machine, it reaches somewhat deaper inter the brain than the NeuroStar machine does. It has been approved as a treatment for depression and for OCD. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted October 9, 2019 Author Share Posted October 9, 2019 12 minutes ago, Junie said: I am so happy for your family. Does your dh realize that the treatment is working? He doesn't seem to notice as much as I do, but he tends to be not very self aware of a lot when he is depressed which I think makes it hard for him to see the difference. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 Would be nice if TMS became insurance accepted as a treatment. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachGal Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 10 hours ago, maize said: His psychiatrist uses the Brainsway machine, it reaches somewhat deaper inter the brain than the NeuroStar machine does. It has been approved as a treatment for depression and for OCD. Interesting. A session is only 20” or so, too. Not too long. I’ve been using electromagnetic stimulation for years. Maybe 8? Initially it was for nighttime back pain that woke me around 3 am for about 9-10 months. It took about 6-8 weeks to go away completely but it worked. At times, I will notice a slight twinge of pain and then use my Sota device, usually while reading or watching tv, and it goes away. So, it’s possible that a health problem could rear its ugly head again but maybe a few more sessions at that point would help. We own five devices and my kids all have a Sota as well. That’s great that you’re seeing promising results. 👍🏼 10 hours ago, Terabith said: Would be nice if TMS became insurance accepted as a treatment. Some insurance companies are starting to pay for it. Maybe others will follow. 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 I am so happy to hear this, maize!!!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted October 9, 2019 Author Share Posted October 9, 2019 (edited) It is good to have some new treatments emerging. I know a couple of people who have also struggled with long term depression and have recently found relief through ketamine infusions. My hope is that, once he is feeling better, Dh will be able to do some of the self care kinds of things that might help prevent future episodes--things like exercise, and eating well, and developing healthy sleep/wake patterns. Things that are almost impossible to do when you have no energy or motivation at all. I think we are reaching towards better understanding of genetic and environmental factors in mental health, but our scientific understanding is just not where it needs to be yet and this is such a tough and complex disease to fight. Edited October 9, 2019 by maize 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted October 12, 2019 Share Posted October 12, 2019 That is fantastic news! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted October 12, 2019 Share Posted October 12, 2019 (edited) Such wonderful news! What a breakthrough. Yes, the psychiatric practice we used for medication management also does TMS. The therapist sent us there because they are well-thought of in both areas, and she had some amazing turn-arounds with TMS. Medication management was all we needed in the end, but I'm glad it's there if we ever need it. Edited October 12, 2019 by G5052 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted November 12, 2019 Author Share Posted November 12, 2019 Update in first post. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 That is wonderful, I hope the changes are sustained long term. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 Thank you for the update, maize! He has made such amazing progress and it must be wonderful for you and the kids. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 I'm so happy for you and your family. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scholastica Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 So happy to hear such a great update! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 Love the update, Maize! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 What wonderful news🌺🌺🌺 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 So glad to hear the good news. A dear friend of mine did TMS and it did wonders for 6 months or so. I think she is coming undone again, but due to a new set of stressors (her son who just started college is drinking and smoking weed and it is ripping her apart). 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 I missed this post originally. I am very happy to hear of his success. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 New update, also copying to the first post: Update March 2020: Just wanted to report that, five months after finishing TMS treatment, my husband's mental health has continued to improve. His mood swings have mostly vanished, he is much happier and more productive at work and is more engaged with the family at home. A couple of years ago I would have said he was pretty severely disabled by depression and anxiety. This has been an amazing turnaround. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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