I am almost 8 months out from my last TMS treatment. I have ambiguous feelings about the results. I offer this as a note of caution...

Overview:
Diagnosis - MDD and Dysthymia. Some anxiety. Current episode duration - 3 years. On meds 20+ years.

Course of TMS treatment: 30 @ 5 days/week. Taper 3/wk for 3 weeks. Cost: $10,000+. My motor threshold is high so the machine was turned up above average as I understand it. As a result I experienced discomfort for the entire treatment period... enough to cringe with each 'firing' of the magnet. We made no changes to medication.

The treatments had a very real and substantive impact. They clearly cranked my neurons into overdrive.

The primary impact of the treatments was on cognitive function. Went from very suppressed to improved planning and execution of personal and work related tasks. Marked decrease in wanting to sleep... 10+ hours to 8. More engaged on a social and personal level... In spite of this symptom relief (which has persisted) I did NOT experience the return of a sense of well-being. The negativity and anxiety already present actually amped up as my cognitive function increased through the treatments. For me it was cycling between a heightened perception and fear of threats to me professionally and financially and shame over current and past failures... started as soon as my eyes opened each day. This continued to increase through the end of treatments and for over 30 more days. (My understanding it that the neurons stay hyper-active for at least this long.) Suicidal ideation was very much present from before the end of treatment through this extended period. At 30 plus days out the intensity started to decrease. Very scary period.

The threat/failure cycle continued. I've done individual and group therapy work. Finally, in the last two weeks, I've experienced some sense of ease and comfort.

I had 13 ECT treatments in 2003... This experience was pretty scary, as well. Very debilitating in the short term. Six weeks for treatments. Took about 6 weeks for me to gather up enough of my marbles to go back to work. A sense of well being came back sooner than with TMS. Cognitively it took several months.

TMS has a positive impact overall. Just have your support system in place and be prepared for a bit of a ride...