I have been on every type of dep. med. over the past several years. They either don't work, make the depression worse or it works only until by body starts fighting the medication. I even under went ECT treatments for 4 months. Between the ECT, meds and the decease itself I have lost the last 25 years of my life. If fact I have a 22 year old son and I have no memory of his life. I'm starting Wellbutrin XL. However my pdoc suggested I research the possibility of the VNS implant.
Does anyone know anything about the procedure?

i know nothing about it. i'm sorry that you've had such a hard time of it. depression totally can eat our lunch, dinner and breakfast........xoxoxox pat

[Juliana]

I'm sorry it's so hard for you. I don't know anything about VNS... other than what I saw on a documentary on tv. I wish I could help you. Is your pdoc going to be monitoring your progress on Wellbutrin XL closely? The reason I mention it is because Wellbutrin made me much, much more depressed than I was before I started taking it. So, it scares me. I don't want that to happen to anyone else. These drugs affect different people in different ways, but I just hope your doc is going to be there tracking your progress and making sure you improve rather than getting worse. I hope you find something that makes you feel better. It sounds like you've been through more than your share of pain.

[sabby]

Hi Keb....I'm sorry the meds haven't been helpful to you.

The VNS or Vegas Nerve Stimulator was initially for folks who suffer from Epilepsy. I work with a woman who has a VNS implanted and it has been a godsend to her.

Since the brain functions both chemically and with electrical impulses, it sounds like the VNS would be a great choice for someone like you who is medication resistant in some way.

One of the things about the stimulator is that when it activates, it may make your voice sound different for a few seconds. It's nothing major and after awhile you probably won't even notice it. Every couple of years you will need to have the battery changed, but it's a minor procedure.

I wish you well and hope things work out for you!!

I also found this link that might be helpful to you - http://www.depressiontreatmentnow.co...FRzmgAod2HmlNA

Hugsssssss
J

Thanks Sabau2. I will check out the link.

At least now I know I am not the only one who has heard of the VNS.

According to my Dr. the success rate is 30-50% but company only implants the device on severely depressed/med resistant cases. Since I have been on every class of antidepressant with no lasting success I feel like I am running out of options

Thanks again for the info.

[(JD)]

I, too, have read a little about it. Try the wellbutrin, and if you need to..try the VNS! Life is worth living... I hope you find yours soon. TC

[John_James]

Hello everybody. I had the VNS procedure done sixteen months ago. Life is not perfect but it is getting better. If you have any questions please contact me. Take care.

[wickedwings]

i do, i do! i'm actually slated to get vns myself. i've tried everything, too. look, there's a website where you can learn more about it: www.vnstherapy.com. yes, go for it. even if anyone says, "there's no guarantee that it might help," i would still go for it because the risks are so much higher if we don't try it. even if it doesn't give me a total remission from my depression and only a partial relief, i'll take it because it's better than nothing. yeah, i know, i have memory retention problems because my depression is so very severe and have problems remembering things short-term. yeah, i know about the ect's tendency to wipe out memories and that's why i'm not doing it if i can help it. i just don't want to make my memory problems any worse than it already is. i'm so sorry for your memory wipe of your son. i hope he can understand and help you remember some of it (hopefully with good memories). i've done research in everything in search of anything that could help me. i find vns therapy to be the last hope for me since nothing else works. don't be afraid. we're in this together. remember me, if you can, because i probably will forget typing this after awhile, ok? i'm stuck in a fog that makes my memory worse because of my medication, cymbalta. hopefully, i'll remember, but if i don't, please somehow get to me because i get so lost navigating through the psych central website. um, just to let you know, i understand you totally. do your research. don't leave a stone unturned. and you'll know what you wish to do. i did it, and am determined to get this vns therapy. it's not a cure - it's a better management tool. if it doesn't work, over the years, you might improve inch by inch. the effectiveness is gradual. i can handle this because i've had depression since 1992

Wickedwings, thanks for you thoughts on VNS. I never really thought (or at least not consciously) about the risks of not having the procedure.
On first go 'round found out there are some serious med. ins. problems. That was sort of kick in the stomach so for now...well I'm just not sure.
As for the memory, the walking around in a fog is getting worse. Pdoc assures me it is only the "depression" not alzheimer's. There are times when I'm lucid but they are getting fewer and fewer. Hmmmmm
Thanks for your post.

[wickedwings]

yeah, i know what you mean about walking around in a fog. i've been there due to the depression. now, it's due to the cymbalta, i think. sometimes, it makes wonder if there's something worse wrong with me. believe me, it's normal to feel way when you're in depression. for me, the risk is so much higher if i don't try the vns therapy. that's why i'm so gung-ho for the treatment. you've already tried the ect treatments. being a candidate is easy, but convincing insurance companies to cover for it is another story. i hope it works out for you. insurance companies will cover it for those with med-resistant epilepsy, but won't for those with treatment-resistant depression. don't ask me why they're like that. right now, i'm waiting on my insurance company to pre-approve it. it's a dicey waiting game. nerve-wracking, too. but, i got to keep going somehow. it's hope for me. so, i got to keep at it. it's hard, but it will be worth it. really.

My pdoc said he would talk to ins. co. etc. And you right that it's really our only ray of hope. I also have this little issue (well big issue) with being "under the knife" to work through.

Pdoc also have me a list of 5 resident hospitals that specialize in treatment resistant depression. So I guess I do have another choice....I can have myself committed. Wonder if they let you play on the internet? Would sure miss PC.

[wickedwings]

i know what you mean about being under the knife. believe me, i've been through major surgeries before. this one pales in comparison. 7 years ago, i had to have surgeries on my knees because my kneecaps were rubbing and wearing my joints away due to excessive connective tissues pulling them out of position. good thing i did it because i would have had to have joint replacements very early in life! it took me months of rehab and many more to recover, but it was extremely worth it - it gave me my knees back. the recovery is more like a few weeks with the vns procedure, really. i'd rather have it done than get committed. i don't believe they allow computers at all because the hospital i was in last april didn't. believe me, it's worth it. if you're still afraid, they can help you relax and stuff before the surgery. i know they do because they do it all the time. i'm not afraid of surgery because i've been through plenty of them due to birth defects and minor this and that. look, if you wish to talk more about it, i'm here for you. it's ok if you don't feel comfortable because we all walk a different path in life.