In an ongoing quest to make myself as healthy as possible, I will start a period of transcranical magnetic stimulation tomorrow. It is a month-long, intensive treatment that will require me to participate five days a week for a month. Transportation costs will be high, my commute time will be lengthy, but I'm tired of waiting for antidepressants to work. TMS in combination with medication has proven effective to many in clinical trains and on an outpatient basis.
The procedure itself is relatively low-risk, much more so than the electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) that I was given in my teens. Medical science has revealed that the brain communicates by way of electrical impulses. It is postulated that people with depression and bipolar have faulty wiring, if you will. TMS seeks to establish a healthy brain balance that people like me were simply born without.
The procedure was developed thirty years ago, but it hasn't been used extensively until recently. I'm fortunate in that my insurance will fully cover the procedure. Many private psychiatrists and physicians take no insurance and insist upon fees upwards of $200-$300 a session. This is an unfortunately commonplace occurance for mental health services in general, but I'll save that rant for another post.
I can say that I engage in this course of action unafraid and hopeful. The worst that can happen is that I'll receive no positive gain at all. As is always the case, it took me turning over a variety of stones to find a provider who didn't charge an arm and a leg. My second condition was to ensure that their office wasn't located outside of the reach of public transportation. As it stands, I have an hour and a half one way trip upon which to look forward, but I'll manage.
My goal is to share with you the results I obtain or do not obtain here on my blog. Truthfully, I have no idea what to expect and, if you find my commentary interesting, you'll participate in the same discovery I will. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to feel the gain as each day's procedure adds to the one before it, and the one before that. These might be the most productive days I've known in a long time.
My mind is perpetually overstimulated. I know I have limitations and I don't expect more than I will receive. I know I will not be cured, but perhaps my day-to-day existence will be improved. I'm tired of waking up depressed and having constant mood swings from the moment I rise until I go to bed in the evening. A proactive stand has always served me best over time. Here's another to add to the list.
1 comment:
Tell us how it works out. It's exciting to see new treatments for everything appearing. In many way, we live in a good time.
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