Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Hi all, I have recently commenced repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and am at the half-way mark so thought I'd give an update as to how it's going.

I initially started with a high frequency (excitatory) protocol but found that unbearable in that it seemed to make things worse. So, I switched to a low frequency protocol which has more of an inhibitory effect. (Interestingly, there's some evidence for both types of protocols being effective for RLS).

In terms of side effects, after the first 10 or so sessions my brain felt really tired (not a sleep deprived sort of tiredness). That is lessening howeve I still experience daytime lethargy.

Additionally, the device is very heavy, and as the target area is very small (ie the motor cortex), it sits at a very awkward angle causing me some back and neck pain .

On the upside, I find myself getting sleepy earlier in the evening about 8 or 9:00 p.m. Ordinarily I need to wait for my medication to kick in around 11:00 p.m. before I feel sleepy so that's a positive.

I won't actually know if the treatment has been successful until I have finished the entire course (25 sessions) and reduced my medication. I maintain my current medication regime for the duration of treatment.

The treatment is not presently subsidised nor covered by insurance so i pay 160 AUD per session.

I'll report back at the conclusion of my treatment.

[Elffindoe]

Thanks for sharing.

[ruthgnatt]

Thank you very much for sharing your experience so far. Good luck with the remaining sessions.

[Joolsg]

Thanks for updating us. Any new treatments that may help are great to know about. I know Arjiji also uses TMS in Spain but his is administered at hospital.Fingers crossed it keeps improving the RLS and sleep.

[Hidden in reply to Joolsg]

Thanks Jools. I didn’t realise Arjiji's was in a hospital setting. My treatment is administered at a clinic. It has only recently become available here on an outpatient basis, which is good as it makes it far more accessible.

[Guitarpickin]

Thank you for letting us know how it is going. I hope at the end of it all, you find the treatment successful.

[Arjiji]

Dear AMROB:

You asked me about certain technical details of my TMEr treatment and I have not answered you before because I do not know what you asked me.

I'm going to write you here what I know about the treatment:

Left

Duration 10 minutes Left 80% on U.M.

Frequency: 1 Hertz

Train duration: 100 seconds

Interval: 0 seconds

Period duration 17 seconds

Location: slightly lateral upper center C. Motor 1 on both sides of the left and right hemispheres.

Right

On another card it says: 15 Hz 100/100 U.M.M.

Train duration: 5 seconds

Intervals: 600 (train 10 seconds - pause 600 seconds - train 5 seconds).

Duration of the protocol 40 minutes. About 8 trains.

Motor cortex. Frontal lobe.

And that's all. It didn't occur to me to ask what all this meant.

I took some photos of the cards that she, the doctor, used and nothing else.

The treatment was in a private clinic, not in a hospital. 25 sessions.

And the doctor followed a standardized protocol that came in a manual from the machine's own builders-vendors.

Sorry I can not be of more help.

[Hidden in reply to Arjiji]

Thanks Arjiji, your reply is most helpful.It appears we had different protocols.

I had low frequency (which is between 1 and 5 Hz) over the motor cortex (M1), left hemisphere only. The actual treatment itself lasted around 18 minutes.

I had 25 sessions of this protocol.

My doctor didn't used a standardised protocol but rather looked to the literature as to what would be best for my condition. He had never treated anyone with periodic limb movement disorder. I finished treatment 3 weeks ago.

I'm yet to experience any benefit from the treatment, but am still hopeful.

Thanks again for your reply.