Once you have decided to try NeuroStar TMS therapy, you may still wonder how long the effects from a cycle of treatment last and whether you will need to continue with TMS treatments to maintain your results.
Dr. Deirmenjian has over 14 years of experience treating patients with TMS therapy and was an early adopter of TMS therapy for the treatment of depression. Whether you have questions about your treatment or want to discuss a prior treatment, reach out to us today.
Benefits from TMS therapy can last for an extended time. As with any treatment, your results will be specific to you. Studies have addressed the question of how long TMS therapy can last, and they found that 68 percent of patients will experience six to 12 months of depression relief from a completed cycle of TMS. Almost half of patients were still in complete remission at 12 months. Data is sparse as to benefits lasting beyond 12 months, but anecdotal observations have reported depression relief beyond one year, and a few patients experienced multiple years of relief.
If your depression quickly returns after finishing your treatment cycle, we will discuss your options. You may need another cycle of TMS treatment, but we will also consider whether your situation warrants moving on to ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) or Esktamine (ketamine therapy).
If you do well for a matter of months, but then your depression returns, we will strongly consider another cycle of TMS treatments. If the TMS therapy worked well for you in the past, it can make sense to return to it.
Many patients worry that if they cannot follow the treatment plan exactly, they will hurt their chances for good results. Incidents such as illness, injury, holidays, or special events can stop you from adhering to your plan. However, in one study, researchers found that pauses in TMS treatment lasting up to 14 days had no discernible effect on the end result of TMS therapy. Another study looked at three sessions per week versus five sessions per week, and the results were the same, though the group with five sessions per week saw symptom relief sooner.
The bottom line appears to be that unexpected breaks in TMS treatment sessions will not hurt your end result, only delay it. When something happens that makes you change your original plan, do not worry. You will not have harmed your ability to get the most out of your TMS cycle.
Some patients prefer to complete the usual 30 treatments and then go into three weeks of tapering off TMS. For example, in those three weeks, you might do three TMS sessions in the first week, two sessions in the second week, and one single last session in the third week. While tapering off TMS therapy has not been officially studied, there are reports that tapering helped prevent or delay depression relapse.
Dr. Deirmenjian offers tapering TMS to patients who show a good response to their TMS treatments, which may help prolong the effects of TMS.
Some patients do not feel comfortable stopping their TMS therapy after the acute treatment phase of 30 sessions. This is especially true with a second TMS treatment cycle that was done due to a relapse of depressive symptoms. You can discuss the option of weekly TMS sessions for a few months or more with your physician.
Maintenance TMS therapy has not been studied in depth yet, but it does seem to help some patients maintain the effects of TMS so that they do not slip back into depression. Unfortunately, maintenance TMS is not usually covered by insurance.
No one can know your brain’s reaction to NeuroStar TMS therapy because each person is different. If you respond to TMS treatment, you have a very good chance of extended relief. When you have a good reaction with almost complete or complete remission of symptoms, you can undergo TMS therapy again if your symptoms return. The most important things for you to do once your TMS cycle is complete are to continue any planned medications or talk therapy, monitor your mental health, and contact your physician if you believe symptoms are returning. Do not give up. Instead, create a new treatment plan and embrace your future.
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