<p>My brother is not on CC, but I offered to ask here about Trans-Cranial Stimulation, Vagus Nerve Stimulation, and Dr Daniel Amens’ diagnostic and recommended treatment approaches for depression, as an alternative to anti-depressants. This would be for am 18 year old, btw.</p>
<p>I have seen references to these new treatments in the press, on TV (the Doctors, Dr Oz will be discussing tomorrow, I believe), and have done a little research on the Web. It is most often for bipolar patients, but also used for patents with depression that is resistant to drugs or where the drugs cause bad side-effects. </p>
<p>Now I am really curious- has anyone out there had an experience with any of this, and can you share how it went, the results, the side-effects? With a young adult or adolescent? Any therapist or practitioners who can share their impressions?</p>
<p>There are several clinics associated with teaching hospitals in the Chicago area who are using TMS. But I don’t know anyone who has tried it. Of course, the reviews they’re reporting are pretty favorable… or otherwise they wouldn’t be reporting them!</p>
<p>I hope to be able to tune in to Dr Oz tomorrow night to learn about the updated electric/magnet therapies. Bro is being asked to do so, also.
(I am no longer interested in Dr Amen, btw- have moved on.)</p>
<p>Wonder what level of depression is required, and if this is used on 18 year olds…</p>
<p>Still hoping to hear from someone who has tried TMS or VNS, or knows someone who has…</p>
<p>performersmom - did you see the Dr. Oz show? I kind of fell asleep about 20 minutes into the program, but did DVR it. You piqued my curiosity with your query here! Do you think the information they presented will help your brother?</p>
<p>Interestingly, I was also on another non-related website today, when I saw a link to Dr. Amen’s website (I’d never heard of him until I read your post). So I read his stuff. Kind of interesting. The thing about new and progressive kinds of treatments is that they often receive criticism from the scientific community, but over time, some of those become viable treatments. It would be interesting to see how his research and treatment is viewed, say ten years from now.</p>
<p>Dr Amen is a psychiatrist, not a neurologist.
He would have more credibility if he were, IMO.</p>
<p>He has been around a lot longer than ten years however.
But I am not a fan of dr founded clinic chains ( especially when they don’t appear to be covered by insurance)</p>
<p>Ok -
Dr Oz discussed “ECT”- ElectroConvulsive Therapy- on his show tonight. ECTis not the same as what I was asking about (TMS, VNS).
It is a different, more intense brain stimulation technique for depression which actually induces a seizure, thought to reconnect and reactivate the synapses in the brain, while the patient is under anaesthesia and muscles are chemically relaxed. The electrical signal is a pulse, and it is placed carefully in two areas of the brain while body functions are being monitored, It takes only a few minutes. And I think there is a series of these to make up the treatment , say once or twice a week, but that aspect was not described at all tonight on the show…</p>
<p>However, for bipolar patients and those who do not respond to or cannot tolerate antidepressants (which have LOTS of side-effects, and remission, and limited success rates), I do think that this is an option to consider.
Not sure about 18 year olds. Or the diagnosis required.</p>
<p>Still wondering if ANYone has had experience with one of these brain stimulation techniques on CC…</p>
<p>Any psychiatrists here? Can you comment on the brain stimulation techniques?</p>
<p>Also, I have another q for psychiatrists:
Why do may of you say that you can make so much more money prescribing drugs than by treating with psychotherapy? What are the differences in the economics?
What are the economics in prescribing these brain stimulation treatments?</p>
<p>Full disclosure:
Anti-depressants are also “risky”: unpleasant side-effects, can stop working, may not work at all, can increase suicidal thoughts.</p>