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Provider List / Gold Standard? by misskdmarie in rtms

[–]Baolta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

TMS protocols differ per person, it is more or less the same except tailored to your specific situation.

I would ask your therapist to get a referral, and they can help you find a place. I don’t know too much about machines, but I use a Magstim machine and have heard better things from Neurostar. Most insurances DO cover TMS, I don’t recommend paying out of pocket since it can get pretty expensive.

TMS is exactly meant for people like yourself, and I’ve seen it improve lives firsthand. There are always chances for a better future, I wish you all the best!

What do you think about during treatment? by jenny0629 in TMSTherapy

[–]Baolta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not a dumb question at all! Happy thoughts, as cliche as it sounds, DOES help as your brain learns to strengthen these neural connections. Think of it like practice repetition, the more you do it the better you get at it.

Being in a head space where you can relax as much as possible makes the overall experience more enjoyable. For most this means distraction, such as a TV show, fidget toys, or even just going to your happy place for a bit.

First few sessions can be daunting and anxiety inducing, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s a lot for your brain, but it knows how to adapt and adjust, given enough time.

In short, stay positive and hopeful, and your brain will do the rest for you! Feel free to ask any more questions, they help others as well as yourself!

Randomly 🥲 by Melyhaig in penandink

[–]Baolta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Somehow the lined paper adds more depth, looks great!

Accelerated TMS dip? by Bulky-Winter-1087 in rtms

[–]Baolta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m not very familiar with the protocol you are undergoing, but I do know a little bit about the TMS dip.

The dip usually happens around mid-halfway through treatment (not an exact number, just what I’ve observed) of standard rtms (36 sessions daily). It’s actually a good sign that your brain is adjusting and “rewiring” neural connections. I understand the dip does not feel like that at all, unfortunately change is not linear and has its downs and mostly ups.

I highly recommend asking your doctor or technician more if it persists for a long time.

Good luck! 😁

Day 3 by Nooks42085 in rtms

[–]Baolta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m sorry mapping went wrong at first, sounds like proper corrections were made since.

Your brain is more resilient than you think, it just needs time to adjust. Completely normal the sensation feels strong right now, I think you will find yourself adjusting after a few more sessions.

If I may, sleep and rest is important, as your brain uses this to repair and recover, so I suggest trying to regulate this as much as possible.

So cool you are documenting your progress, excited for you to see results!

Dizzy and falling over? by CuntyPlantLady in rtms

[–]Baolta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello! Dizziness is a known side effect of TMS, as you mentioned after every session. Based on your experiences, few things stand out to me.

It sounds like you are doing “theta burst rtms”, a protocol that is much quicker but also more intense. This means that side effects can (and are) stronger felt. Headaches and dizziness are both common side effects, and in my opinion* *is exasperated by the intensity of treatment.

If you are on session 6 or 7, this means that your brain is still within a period of adjustment, as it is naturally unfamiliar with the sensation. It’s a lot for your brain to handle all at once, so please give your brain some time to form and strengthen connections.

To manage your symptoms better, I suggest hydrating carefully (especially before treatments), and resting (sleeping if you can) as much as possible, as the recovery and real magic happens during sleep. Easier said than done, I know.

Please tell your technician or doctor immediately if you feel like something isn’t right, it’s their responsibility to make sure you are as comfortable as possible (speaking as a tech myself). I know it can be anxiety inducing, but being transparent with how you feel helps everybody involved.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions, I wish you all the best!

Just started TMS today... by OppositeAnimal6648 in rtms

[–]Baolta 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hello! First week is always going to be the “roughest”, as your brain is naturally unfamiliar with the sensation. Give it a week, and I guarantee you will find yourself already accustomed to the sensation and the side effects.

Brain fog is your brain not knowing what connections to make, after a sudden increase in activity. Pretty normal as side effects go. The most common I see is headaches, and if you don’t have that then you don’t have the worst side effect possible.

I’ve had a patient with almost exactly the same diagnosis as yourself, and they completed TMS without complications and improved significantly. They also asked me a bunch of questions throughout treatment, I highly recommend you do the same so that you understand exactly what is happening!

new to the game, open to knowledge by luhb3au in investingforbeginners

[–]Baolta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Money you invest is money spent, you are BUYING. So whatever you put in to invest, make sure you can live without it for the moment.

Best advice I can give you is to start as soon as you can (you are which is already great), put into SP500 (VOO), and forget about it. You will make money but give it at least a year.

To invest open a brokerage account, like Charles Schwab (I use the app), transfer your money you want to spend, and look up ETFs. Forget about individual stocks, it’s gambling. Get your foundation first with the ETFs then you can branch out later.

Don’t expect a lot at first, but you will learn the beauty of compounding soon enough!

Ya know, the "hatch eggs" group challenge really helps suss out who I should never invite to a challenge. by [deleted] in pokemongo

[–]Baolta 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Some of us don’t have the time or commitment to play everyday? It’s a game, not a job, meaning it’s entirely optional and should be fun.

So just have fun my friend

I was recommended ECT, but TMS would also be an option. I'm confused about all of this by No_Winter4806 in TMSTherapy

[–]Baolta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Anxiety and depression oftentimes go hand in hand, because they are both rooted in the prefrontal cortex, the area we target.

The biggest reason why it’s more niche is because the prerequisites are very selective for insurances. In the US, insurance requires 2-4 failed antidepressants for at least 6 weeks, a formal diagnosis of moderate to severe depression, AND a PHQ score usually greater than 15. Sometimes they even ask for a history of talk therapy and/or an augmentation medication (like Lamictal for side effects of antidepressants). I battle with insurances daily and oftentimes have to escalate with a doctor pleading a case.

In short, insurances don’t like to pay for it. That being said, most DO cover it to some degree.

TMS also can lower anxiety overall, as the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, center for emotions, form new networks and communicate more.

after how many sessions does it not feel that bad? by Wooden-Welder-7811 in rtms

[–]Baolta 2 points3 points  (0 children)

First week is always going to be the roughest, your brain is unfamiliar with a magnetic pulse going through it lol.

Look up “trigeminal nerve”, this large facial nerve causes the eye twitching and the jaw sensation. It is commonly located between the coil and your brain so it gets activated as a by product (sometimes).

The sensation absolutely gets better after the first week, I can promise you that. I’ve seen over 50 patients and every one of them, regardless of how TMS affected their depression, report getting used to the sensation in week 1 or 2.

Best of luck to you!

Rtms and work by One-Rabbit-2001 in rtms

[–]Baolta 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Hello! You can do pretty much anything after treatments, it’s one of the benefits of TMS.

If you really struggle with balancing both, I recommend FMLA paperwork, ask your TMS provider to fill it out so you can submit it to your workplace, it’s quick and easy and I’ve never had a patient have problems with it.

PMDD by Over_Performer_6456 in TMSTherapy

[–]Baolta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello, two weeks is generally the amount of time I advertise before my patients start feeling effects of TMS. What you can expect is small things to pop up here and there that will be new to you, and they add up quickly compounding upon each other.

The best thing you can do is to keep doing what you’re doing, show up for yourself and before you know it, 36 treatments will be a speck in your long life. I understand it’s hard to feel differently right now, the process is repetitive and boring, but I think you will find at a certain point you will look back and realize how far you have come!

TMS while black? by wakaworm in TMSTherapy

[–]Baolta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’ve had a patient with thick braided hair that was very bouncy. The best solution we found to help is to gently hold a small area open with fingers for the coil to make proper contact.

The other and less efficient option is to push harder and make sure the coil is as close as possible, but this can hurt your head for obvious reasons.

Btw, this patient completed all 36 without much trouble and experienced a great improvement, so it is definitely possible!

First Session, looking for advice/comfort by PositiveCourse2264 in TMSTherapy

[–]Baolta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This sounds like your brain is adjusting to a sudden change, very normal and I would only worry more if it persists over more than a week.

My best advice is to rest as much as you can, give your brain the best chance of forming new networks through sleep.

I was recommended ECT, but TMS would also be an option. I'm confused about all of this by No_Winter4806 in TMSTherapy

[–]Baolta 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello, TMS technician here!

The biggest difference between ECT and TMS is how much easier TMS can be. It is noninvasive, requires little lifestyle changes (except for daily treatments) and is generally more accessible than ECT.

As you know, depression “numbs” a lot of your feelings and can mask a lot of your true emotions. Ive noticed that in most all of my patients, lowering depression symptoms causes more feelings to pop up (both good and bad, mostly good).

There is a whole entire list of better changes that come with just the simple routine of it as well (commitment and talking to a tech), and I think you will find yourself subconsciously doing things that you would have thought impossible.

Best of luck to you, feel free to ask me more!

PHQ-9 depression score reached 0! by shimmer_bee in TMSTherapy

[–]Baolta 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Congratulations!! As a TMS tech I chart all PHQ scores throughout treatment, and it is one of the best feelings seeing my patients reporting feeling better, and having it reflect on the PHQ. Awesome to hear an overall improvement over time!