Posted by bob on July 16, 2001, at 23:11:48
In reply to Re: Let me introduce myself, posted by susan C on July 16, 2001, at 22:13:08
> Bob, have you had VNS procedure? pdoc recommened I looked into it as a possiblity, local U doing study, so first equipment and battery and surgery would be free and also because some pdoc recommend ECT to me, but I can't bear the thought of the surgery.
> >
> > Sal:
> >
> > What about VNS? Apparently people who respond to ECT seem to also respond to VNS. It doesn't have memory loss associated with it.
Susan:I came very close to getting into a study near where I live, but did not quite fit the protocol requirements. There is a chance of another study starting there, and I will try again if the opportunity arises. I admit, the surgery is scary, and I have my reservations... but when I think about all the pain I've had going on and off medecines - withdrawl, side-effects, non-response etc... I don't have much to lose. It is supposedly a relatively low risk surgery, and I've heard good things about it. Of course, I'm sure that less-than-stellar outcomes wouldn't be highly publicized as of yet, since it has not been FDA approved for depression. It's an unknown, so it is a very hard decision, but ECT does NOT warm the cockels of my heart. The remainder of my life spent with these aimless drug trials is not very consoling either. If this board, or my experience for that matter, is representative of the population-at-large for refractory depression, than I feel that pharacological treatments have a long way to go.
poster:bob
thread:70356
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010714/msgs/70431.html