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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mashogr8 on May 21, 2002, at 18:00:09
Several months ago there was a thread re info on
vagus nerve stimulation treatment. The thread seemed to come to an end because no additional information on anyone's experiences was available.My psydoc has suggested VNS as a possible to ECT. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has personal or anecdotal experience with VGS.
Thanks for time and thoughts.
Ma
Posted by JonW on May 21, 2002, at 21:34:49
In reply to vagus nerve stimulation, posted by mashogr8 on May 21, 2002, at 18:00:09
Hi Ma,
At the end of last year I was hospitalized twice and seriously considering ECT after the second time. My parents and I brought up VNS to several psydocs I was involved with as something to try before resorting to ECT, but all of them told us there's insufficient data to recommend it. I figure if there's a chance it could work, why not try VNS first? I can see their point, though. ECT is not some form of torture like they've portrayed in the movies. It goes along with some serious risk and undesireable side-effects that shouldn't be taken lightly, but it's still the most effective treatment for depression available. In my opinion, if someone is at high risk for suicide or who is in a deep depression and hasn't gotten any relief, it makes the most sense for treatment to be guided by the data on efficacy and maybe even efficacy alone -- as long as there aren't any flipper babies or third limbs associated with it or anything :)
Jon
> Several months ago there was a thread re info on
> vagus nerve stimulation treatment. The thread seemed to come to an end because no additional information on anyone's experiences was available.
>
> My psydoc has suggested VNS as a possible to ECT. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has personal or anecdotal experience with VGS.
>
> Thanks for time and thoughts.
>
> Ma
Posted by IsoM on May 22, 2002, at 0:27:39
In reply to vagus nerve stimulation, posted by mashogr8 on May 21, 2002, at 18:00:09
One of Dr. Bob's mental health links includes a site of Dr. Ivan Goldberg (a psychiatrist and clinical psychopharmacologist) dealing with depression. Doing a quick search on his site gives 9 results about vagus nerve stimulation.
http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=vagus+nerve&sp-a=0007111e-sp00000000&sp-advanced=1&sp-p=any&sp-w-control=1&sp-w=alike&sp-x=any&sp-c=10&sp-m=1&sp-s=0He can also be contacted through e-mail at Psydoc@PsyCom.Net Why not e-mail him for additional information, if you like?
Posted by Anna P. on May 22, 2002, at 0:41:11
In reply to Re: vagus nerve stimulation » mashogr8, posted by IsoM on May 22, 2002, at 0:27:39
There is also the site Cyberonics.com that has a message board for people who have done VNS. Some of them are dealing with VNS for depression.
Anna P.
Posted by BarbaraCat on May 23, 2002, at 22:35:01
In reply to vagus nerve stimulation, posted by mashogr8 on May 21, 2002, at 18:00:09
My pdoc recently went to a symposium on new treatments for depression. He thought that VNS seemed the most promising of all including transcranial magnetic stimulation. It's method of action makes alot of sense, even though the little pacemaker implant thingie seems a bit Borg-like. He also said that it will probably be a long time before it becomes a first line treatment because of the expense involved, especially with our current managed care system. You're very lucky if you have an opportunity to have this procedure performed. It seems to be a novel treatment and is reversible.
> Several months ago there was a thread re info on
> vagus nerve stimulation treatment. The thread seemed to come to an end because no additional information on anyone's experiences was available.
>
> My psydoc has suggested VNS as a possible to ECT. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has personal or anecdotal experience with VGS.
>
> Thanks for time and thoughts.
>
> Ma
Posted by JonW on May 24, 2002, at 4:49:47
In reply to Re: vagus nerve stimulation » mashogr8, posted by JonW on May 21, 2002, at 21:34:49
Ooops! :) I confused VNS with TMS. I was referring to TMS, and I don't know anything about VNS. Excuse me, while I go put my foot in my mouth.
Jon
> Hi Ma,
>
> At the end of last year I was hospitalized twice and seriously considering ECT after the second time. My parents and I brought up VNS to several psydocs I was involved with as something to try before resorting to ECT, but all of them told us there's insufficient data to recommend it. I figure if there's a chance it could work, why not try VNS first? I can see their point, though. ECT is not some form of torture like they've portrayed in the movies. It goes along with some serious risk and undesireable side-effects that shouldn't be taken lightly, but it's still the most effective treatment for depression available. In my opinion, if someone is at high risk for suicide or who is in a deep depression and hasn't gotten any relief, it makes the most sense for treatment to be guided by the data on efficacy and maybe even efficacy alone -- as long as there aren't any flipper babies or third limbs associated with it or anything :)
>
> Jon
>
>
> > Several months ago there was a thread re info on
> > vagus nerve stimulation treatment. The thread seemed to come to an end because no additional information on anyone's experiences was available.
> >
> > My psydoc has suggested VNS as a possible to ECT. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has personal or anecdotal experience with VGS.
> >
> > Thanks for time and thoughts.
> >
> > Ma
Posted by mashogr8 on May 24, 2002, at 17:51:53
In reply to Re: vagus nerve stimulation » mashogr8, posted by BarbaraCat on May 23, 2002, at 22:35:01
My psydoc undoubtedly attended the same or similar meeting as he brought VNS up for the first time this past week (Maybe when he was at the APA meeting in Philadelphia). He knows there was a study at the local university, but is not sure that they are still accepting research subjects. If they still are, there would be probably little or no charge. I have no idea whether my insurance would agree to the procedure. I like the fact that the implant can be removed. It appears that there are minimal side effects, one being a possible change in the tenor of the voice which my pdoc describes as hoarseness. My job requires a decent sounding voice. This is one reason I hoped to hear from someone who had undergone the implant. Did they have any side effects, in particular, voice change.
In the mean time, I will go to Boston for a second opinion re medication. I think any decision re future treatment will depend on the results of tnat meeing.
I really appreciate the time you and others took to respond to my question. This site is so beneficial and has saved me on more than one occasion. Even when hope has been buried ten thousand feet underground, comments from many to others have helped me to not give up but to try to uncover it. As long as that help exists, and medications don't work long enough, I will be able to hold on.
Ma
P.S. this probbly should be another thread but do you have any info re Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?
"My pdoc recently went to a symposium on new treatments for depression. He thought that VNS seemed the most promising of all including transcranial magnetic stimulation. It's method of action makes alot of sense, even though the little pacemaker implant thingie seems a bit Borg-like. He also said that it will probably be a long time before it becomes a first line treatment because of the expense involved, especially with our current managed care system. You're very lucky if you have an opportunity to have this procedure performed. It seems to be a novel treatment and is reversible.
>
> > Several months ago there was a thread re info on
> > vagus nerve stimulation treatment. The thread seemed to come to an end because no additional information on anyone's experiences was available.
> >
> > My psydoc has suggested VNS as a possible to ECT......
> > Ma
This is the end of the thread.
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