News SGB PTSD Treatment Article

[Powder]

In the link Girl3 provided (thanks!) the receptors were shown to be altered/not as functional after trauma exposure, regardless of the presence of PTSD or not. And the study also helps me see why SSRIs don't do anything for me. In fact, they make me feel terrible. All of them do.

Am I wrong to jump to the conclusion that serotonin in the wrong thing to be looking for in PTSD? Sure trauma did cause a receptor change/damage, but this was not shown to be etiological for PTSD in most cases.

As Girl3 says, no great new medicine is in view yet to even be tested. And I doubt a modified SSRI that targets specific receptors will do anything to touch PTSD.

I am not a doctor, and I wish I were since that would allow me to understand the anatomy and the discussion much more keenly.

My last therapist said my idea that when they find a way to fix Autism they will also know how to fix PTSD is ludicrous, since they are not in any way related. But my point is that when we understand the brain and all related systems attached to it to that extent, both conditions will be better understood and workable solutions may be found.



Quote:

Because low [11C]P943 binding potential was found in both of the trauma groups, this "suggests that abnormal serotonin type 1B expression does not sufficiently explain the phenotype of PTSD," write the researchers."Thus, the data more strongly support the hypothesis that the extent of...alteration reflects features of trauma exposure...rather than the nature of the response to the trauma."​

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[ikop]

I wrote a very detailed post about a procedure called DEEP brain stimulation , but it got deleted or lost . So I am trying to write this 3 time .

Deep brain stimulation is a procedure when a tiny electrode is put into a specifc brain spot , in order to influence it's activity , it is used for many years to treat essential tremor , parkinsons , and recently depression and OCD.

It could the same way be used to PTSD in order to dampen the over alerted amygdala. Recently, functional neuroimaging studies have suggested that amygdala hyperactivity is responsible for the symptoms of PTSD.

The researcher who's name is Antonio De Salles who is a leading expert of this field and his team are preparing this days a clinical trial for the "dbs of the amygdala" and they are working wןth a company called Neurosigma .

This procedure is attempting to go straight to the core of the disorder , the disfunctional amygdala and bring it to a normal level.

The site of neurosigma :
behaviors

"NeuroSigma and its partners have been able to target and stimulate a therapeutic area of the brain using Deep Brain Stimulation. Human clinical trials are in the planning stages and are expected to commence in 2011. "

I would like to know your opinions , because we might be talking about reasonable near cure of this devestating disorder .

 

[Nicolette]

I wrote a very detailed post about a procedure called DEEP brain stimulation , but it got deleted or lost . So I am trying to write this 3 time .

Ikop, Anthony removed your posts from public view as they were not in accordance to our basic grammar requirement. Please take note how Amethist has edited the post above and follow thank you. Posts which have too many grammatical errors will be removed so you will have to continually re-post to get it correct if you do not end up temp banning yourself first.

 

[katt]

I am with IchBin on this. With the SGB procedure from Dr. Lipov I have made significant progress! It is the only therapy with has allowed me to make such significant progress. I was completely disassociated from my body and now I can feel a connection with my body. I believe strongly the procedure breaks the self feeding cycle of arousal and memories, allowing the body and the mind to rebalance. The science is there as to why the procedures work. When this cycle is broken the body can reach a new level of homeostasis, because the body and mind naturally wants to achieve this balance.

I believe we are truly on the forefront of major breakthroughs with PTSDs. There is quite a bit knowledge on the emotion of fear and now with the new devices that perform brain scans - EEG and MEG devices which can verify and substantiate hypothesis, there will be major advances. We should all be hopeful! And any doctor that has discovered and invested in a procedure that will improve the condition of PTSD should be applauded and supported! So I am very thankful to Dr. Lipov and I think information about this new procedure should be shared with other that suffer from PTSD. I have tried many new therapies and Dr. Lipov's procedure has worked for me!

 

[katt]

Also I might comment that Dr. Lipov has been conducting a physicians based study, tracking the results of his procedures. So I do not understand the point being made that he is not doing this. I believe he is looking for additional funding to expand the number of studies, which makes sense to me!

 

[Kim A4]

Hi All. Just in case you were not aware and/or may be eligible, there is study for male vets underway by Lipov: [DLMURL]http://chicagomedicalinnovations.org/learnmore/[/DLMURL]

I am now 1 year and 3 months post SGB and still no signs of depression, trigger anxiety or excessive startle reflex/rapid heartbeat. As with Ich Bin and Katt, I still feel very strongly that this procedure is profound. I am also still saddened to see all the negativity on this site that seems to knock down anyone who gets too enthusiastic about reporting their happiness.....what is with that?

I was unfortunately the victim of another traumatic event in the past 6 months, so may consider a "booster" shot soon to help take the edge off some reactivated PTSD thoughts, but overall, I am still in much better shape than I was pre SGB. In fact, the reason I was able to calmly navigate my way through this latest trauma, was, in my opinion, due to the more serene brain and subsequent skills and confidence I only gained after the initial SGB treatment.
I am happy to hear others are also having success.
In any case, wanted to check in and give an SGB follow up.....still strongly feel that it is a very safe and remarkably fast-acting procedure and if you can get it, go for it.

 

[Kim A4]

Additionally, here is a good general article about the SGB for PTSD,.... FYI.
[DLMURL]http://www.beckersorthopedicandspine.com/pain/item/10476-6-points-on-treating-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-with-stellate-ganglion-block[/DLMURL]

 

[Kim A4]

Ooops, sorry, Just now saw that Ich Bin already sniffed out and posted the above link.

 

[IchBin]

Kim, it's always a pleasure hearing from you, as your "voice" always seems to speak so reasonably. I wish you all the best with dealing with your recent trauma. And Katt, I smile when I hear about your successes, thank you so much for sharing with us. At the risk of hijacking the thread, I'll share a small bit about what happened to me lately...

I got a call the other night that my cousin, who is basically my closest friend in the world, was in a terrible paragliding accident in Bolivia which shattered one of his back bones and his feet. He had to get emergency surgery right away, and I was told that after some scans he was lucky his spinal cord was not pierced by bone fragments. Pre-SGB I would've probably fell to pieces, so to speak, when I heard such news. But besides some rough dreams, I've been able to remain quite calm and talk about it with my friends and family. As a comparison, when I told the news to another close friend he flipped out and began cursing my cousin for his stupid behavior - in my opinion his way of showing that he was extremely stressed out.

In a lot of ways I still feel like I've been given a second chance, and that I learn something new every day about myself that was obscured by my illness. Like I've said before, the shot didn't erase memories or make me a different person, it just allowed who I was to finally blossom.

 

[katt]

Oh IchBin, what a beautiful story, thank you for sharing!
KimA4, I do think that SGB helps to rebalance your fight or flight response. I am so sorry for recent trauma. I think the SGB could help. I also recently have started Meditation - TM to supplement and maintain the balance of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervouse system. It does seem to work and I think the science behind the mediation is similiar to the shot. Dr. Lipov was the first to encourage me to try meditation, any kind of meditation.
It is so valuable the sharing of your stories, thank you both!

 

[Kim A4]

Yes, my flight or fight was the symptom that was the most affected, specifically my adrenaline levels were "trimmed" back to more reasonable levels. Due to being retraumatized in a way that again caused prolong fight or flight (I was assaulted last year by a well-known man in my small town, reported it to the police knowing there was no proof or witnesses, but subsequently lost my entire social world, especially my best friends who knew my attacker for 30 years and felt they needed to choose).....As a result, I was on high alert for months, fearing my attacker, his wife or any of the 20+ "friends" the attacker and I shared, who all abandoned me.....this prolonged fight or flight was enough, in my opinion, to cause some adrenaline producing neurons to regrow, and so I am now scheduled for a "booster" SGB on Thursday of next week to reset them back to pre-trauma levels.

I know what it did for me before, and although I am not as "bad" as I was before the 1st block, I see no need to suffer if this injection can take the new edge off, which I hope it will do. I also still feel that the first SGB made it almost impossible to get clinically depressed, perhaps a lifesaver in its own right, as I feel depression, once common for me, is "gone". It would have surfaced during this time of substantial losses pre first SGB, but thank goodness it never did. I am still on NO meds.

I am currently working with a physician doing neurofeedback 3x week and I think that also helps as I am told the traumatized brain is chaotic, electrically speaking, and neurofeedback helps train the brain to function on calmer and more stable wavelengths. She told me that the brain will tend to want to go back to old functionalities in PTSD if given the right chance. I feel confident and hopeful that my days of abuse and assault are over (please, dear God) and that this second shot, in the words of another member here, will lend more of a sense of permanence to the relief. I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to have another SGB.
For anyone interested, I am paying for this shot out of insurance. My performing doc charged me $750, and if the surgical facility does not pass insurance guidelines, it will be another $700. I feel it is well worth it.
The neurofeedback is a good technique and also offers alleged permanence, but it still does not even begin to compare to the profound difference the SGB can offer. It is also very expensive at $100/session and 30-50 sessions required.....I will keep you posted as to my results.

 

[Girl3]

If results last even a few months,
I wonder what the implications are if trauma is endured during the period the shot is working?

Surgical sympathectomy lasts anywhere from 0 hours to permanent - but average is about 6 months. Chemical sympathectomy is less certain than surgical sympathectomy, but has some of the same side effects. Rebound of previous issues can occur.

The immediate effect of sympathectomy is complete relief of ALL anxiety because the sympathetic nervous system is taken out of commission. The same thing happens with a T4 spinal block or a T6 epidural infusion. OH - and by the way? Epidurals and spinals have been found to relieve the effects of PTSD.