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Comparing TMS Machines

An Introduction Apollo :  The Apollo TMS therapy system is developed and manufactured in Germany by Mag& More, a TMS specialist with more than 15 years of experience. Apollo is designed to make TMS therapy easy and intuitive to use for the operator. In May 2018, Apollo received FDA clearance for the 37.5 and 19 minutes treatment of Major Depressive Disorder [MDD] in adult patients who have failed to receive satisfactory improvement from prior antidepressant medication in the current episode. Bransway Deep :  In January 2013, the FDA approved Deep TMS therapy developed by BrainsWay. Deep TMS therapy penetrates a deeper and boarder area of the brain than traditional TMS treatment. It treats adult patients suffering from Major Depressive Disorder who have failed to achieve satisfactory improvement through various antidepressant medication treatments. In August of 2018, BrainsWay became the only TMS provider FDA-cleared for treatment of OCD using Deep TMS therapy. It...

What is Treatment Resistant Depression?

First you need to be diagnosed with depression and have the symptoms of any kind of depression. If you tried treatment for your depression but symptoms never improved, you may have treatment-resistant depression. Taking an antidepressant or going to psychological counseling helps reduce symptoms for mamy people. But with treatment-resistant depression, standard treatments aren't enough. They may not help much at all, or may improve your symptoms, only for them to keep coming back. This shouldn't be confused with persistent   depression, which requires you have had depression for at least two years [in a single span of time]. While many people with treatment resistant depression do have chronic or persistent depression, it typically isn't their main diagnosis.  My personal experience is that medication does not help, from anxiety to depression to insomnia meds, and I've been in therapy for 6 years but it certainly hasnt relieved my symptoms to the point I...

Comparing the Two Main Treatment Options for Treatment Resistant Depression [TMS & Ketamine]

Time Commitment Ketamine infusions work very quickly — often within hours — to ease depressive symptoms. The relief from Ketamine, in 99% of cases, will be felt more quickly than TMS.  TMS fast and safe for adolescents For the average patient, ketamine infusion therapy consists of a series of six infusions spaced out over the course of two or three weeks, so the time frame is could be 2 weeks or almost the same This initial treatment is followed by a long-term maintenance phase that includes occasional booster infusions as needed. While TMS also has a maintenance phase it is not standard to do a maintenance dose for every TMS patient.  Once a patient reaches the maintenance phase, it is quite varied how often they will need these “booster” infusions. Some patients prefer to get 1 or 2 infusions per month in order to proactively prevent the resurgence of their depression. Others come back for their booster infusions 3 or 4 months after the completion of their initial 6-12 infu...

TMS vs SSRI Medications

Before I decided to pursue TMS, I did a lot of research. I am going to share that research here.  I also will quickly explain TMS therapy. TMS helps depression, anxiety, and other conditions by stimulating parts of the brain that are underactive and calming down parts of the brain that are over-active. It uses MRI strength magnetic pulses to do this. There have been studies of TMS for its positive impacts on depression, anxiety, OCD, smoking cessation, PTSD, stroke rehabilitation, schizophrenia, Parkinsons and Alzheimers, and it even can help chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis. Not all of these are FDA approved [such as the ones for Parkinsons and Alzheimers] but the future of TMS treatment is constantly changing and expanding! It is usually covered by insurance as long as your depression is treatment resistant and the TMS center has approved you as a patient. If antidepressants and psychotherapy don't work for you, Medicare will cover TMS ...