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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by linkadge on September 19, 2003, at 20:43:36
I am taking 600mg of Lithium, and doing rTMS 3 times per day. From some of the research I have read, chronic rTMS slows the reputake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, as well as increasing BDNF in the hippocampus.
I don't have doubt in my mind that rTMS does have an effect on depression. Quantifying that is another story.Linkadge
Posted by Pfinstegg on September 19, 2003, at 22:43:26
In reply to rTMS still working, posted by linkadge on September 19, 2003, at 20:43:36
I agree with you- having just had eight "booster" sessions of TMS two weeks ago. In addition to the two effects you mentioned, the doctor who gave it to me cited increased blood flow to the left frontal area and a dampening down of the HPA axis overactivity. I did a medline search when I got back, and there is literature supporting this now- new in the last year.
I posted my experience under "alternatives", but hoped that you would read it to compare magnet placements and intensities.
I know it doesn't last very long- for me it's about 4 months, but I am convinced that it's a really excellent treatment, and does not seem to have any downside. Where I was treated, they are getting about a 65% response rate, but it is "off-label" so the patients are self-selected. (I wonder what "on-label would be). NIMH has finally reported that they have gotten a 55% response rate with high frequency TMS, compared to 66% for unilateral ECT. I was interested to learn that the doctors in Atlanta find an INCREASE in Beck depression scores if it is given to the right frontal region, so they treat only on the left. At McLean Hospital in Boston they are doing brain mapping with MRIs and SPECT to find out what kinds of brain organizations respond best to TMS.
It's very exciting that you have built an effective machine, and that it seems to be so effective. What made you decide to do it three times a day?
Pfinstegg
Posted by Liligoth on September 19, 2003, at 22:57:02
In reply to rTMS still working, posted by linkadge on September 19, 2003, at 20:43:36
> I am taking 600mg of Lithium, and doing rTMS 3 times per day. From some of the research I have read, chronic rTMS slows the reputake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, as well as increasing BDNF in the hippocampus.
>
>
> I don't have doubt in my mind that rTMS does have an effect on depression. Quantifying that is another story.
>
> LinkadgeHey Linkadge, I think it's great the way you have undertaken this experiment & constructed your own device. Is the improvement constant or is there some fluctuation? Have you varied the treatments in any ways & how has this affected your results?
Posted by linkadge on September 20, 2003, at 7:11:32
In reply to Re: rTMS still working » linkadge, posted by Liligoth on September 19, 2003, at 22:57:02
I think the freqency is the most important variable of them all.
I am currently using 7.5 hs. This is right in the delta wave range. The reason I chose this is because after vigiour exercise, your brain locks into a freqency of somewhere in 6-9 hz range.
15 hz is depressing for me, it is very distinct. And the effects have lasted long enough that I know the placebo effect is not explaining it all.
Did you know that plants grow faster in electromagnetic waves ?
I will admit that I am concerned about brain cancer, cause you know this isn't rocket science yet.
Linkadge
Posted by joebob on September 20, 2003, at 12:20:36
In reply to Re: rTMS still working, posted by linkadge on September 20, 2003, at 7:11:32
or send a website or something?
thanks,
joebob
Posted by linkadge on September 21, 2003, at 15:49:38
In reply to can you post the plans for building one, posted by joebob on September 20, 2003, at 12:20:36
You'd have to email me at linkadge@hotmail.com
if you are interested, and remember that it's all your own decision.Linkadge
Posted by McPac on September 22, 2003, at 20:29:49
In reply to rTMS still working, posted by linkadge on September 19, 2003, at 20:43:36
Link,
I was reading about your homemade device---that is AWESOME that you have been able to do that! TOO COOL! But do take care dude!
Posted by linkadge on September 23, 2003, at 20:20:34
In reply to Link, Re: rTMS still working, posted by McPac on September 22, 2003, at 20:29:49
I'm taking care. From the research, it should be neuroprotective.
I certainly hope so.
Linkadge
Posted by Ilene on September 23, 2003, at 21:35:13
In reply to rTMS still working, posted by linkadge on September 19, 2003, at 20:43:36
> I am taking 600mg of Lithium, and doing rTMS 3 times per day. From some of the research I have read, chronic rTMS slows the reputake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, as well as increasing BDNF in the hippocampus.
>
>
> I don't have doubt in my mind that rTMS does have an effect on depression. Quantifying that is another story.
>
> LinkadgeI was wondering about this. I might enroll in a rTMS clinical trial at NIMH. My pdoc really perked up when I suggested it, probably because she wants a psychiatric guinea pig, but also because she wants me to be evaluated by someone else. Her particular "someone else" charges $650 for an evaluation. NIMH would be free. I'm okay with it unless they want to draw blood.
Ilene
Posted by David Smith on September 24, 2003, at 23:21:25
In reply to Re: rTMS still working » linkadge, posted by Ilene on September 23, 2003, at 21:35:13
They will want to do a battery of tests.
Go for it!:-)
Posted by Ilene on September 25, 2003, at 20:31:11
In reply to Drawing blood » Ilene, posted by David Smith on September 24, 2003, at 23:21:25
Damn it! It would take only a minute to delete the protocol from clinicaltrials.gov.
Anyway, I'm talking to the nice lady from NIMH on Monday. They have a one-day observational study where they put anhedonic people in an MRI. They don't insist you be actively anhedonic when they stick you in the MRI; I suppose that happens after you've been in there for a while. They give you a physical (yuck) but they also pay you.
Then there's the Novasoy study. "Novasoy" sounds like baby formula. If soy works as an AD, then East Asians ought to be the chirpiest people in the world.
More interesting is a memantine study. All I know is that it's used for Alzheimer's. . . .unless I'm forgetting something...
Ilene
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