How Far Would You Go Te Help Yourself ?

[ikop]

there is a procedure called deep brain stimulation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_brain_stimulation

"Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a [DLMURL="https://www.ptsdforum.org/wiki/Surgery"]surgical[/DLMURL] treatment involving the implantation of a medical device called a [DLMURL="https://www.ptsdforum.org/wiki/Brain_pacemaker"]brain pacemaker[/DLMURL], which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the [DLMURL="https://www.ptsdforum.org/wiki/Brain"]brain[/DLMURL]".

this treatment has remarkable therapeutic otherwise treatment-resistant states like some types of essential tremor , parkinsons ,chronic pain . and beeing investigated for Tourette syndrome , Major depression, and OCD.

As you can see the treatment very invasive and has complications and side effects.

As i know , up to this day , no human clinical trials were performed for ptsd but recently as scientists
tried this method in a rats model of ptsd ,( and it seems to work)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20537659

they decide to perform a human trial , expected to commence in 2011.
[DLMURL]http://www.neurosigma.com/dbs.html[/DLMURL]

if this kind of proccedure will be proven to be hellpful , i think i would try it , despite of the risks.

 

[milbert]

Sounds interesting, but I don't think I would try it, personally.

 

[Queen Boudica]

Surely there are better alternatives than that? I'd have to have exhausted all options and be completely desperate.

 

[Kim]

If it meant my life wouldn't be derailed again and I wouldn't have to go through what I'm going through now, yeah, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

[heidi]

I think the fact that this procedure probably doesn't carry a very high success rate would be reason enough not to try it. If it had a high success rate it would be a different story.

They were using a similar treatment for migraines. The people who had this type of implant were left in worse condition unfortunately. I think medical science is far from having solutions.

 

[ikop]

This procedure can be very effectife , just because it can anatomicaly alter brain arias . this is not fiction.
for example when we are talking about esential tremor ( it is a type of familial non parkinsonian tremor) it can produce up to 90% reduction of the tremor , when drugs at best can reduce no more than 40%, 50% , and often are not so effective after couple of years .
i think that ptsd is a very good "psychatric" candidate for this procedure because this condition is mostly driven by over activated amygdala, and if it can be dampen with it , most of the ptsd symptoms will problly gone .

 

[a3a2]

I think the fact that this procedure probably doesn't carry a very high success rate would be reason enough not to try it. If it had a high success rate it would be a different story.

They were using a similar treatment for migraines. The people who had this type of implant were left in worse condition unfortunately. I think medical science is far from having solutions.

From what I have learned, they actually have had a very high success rate in dealing with migraines with this procedure. My husband is a candidate for this surgery, and it is one avenue we are persuing. I haven't watched these particular links (so I am not sure to which type of migraine is being referred), but have seen others, and have spoken with the surgeon in the U.S. who has performed more of these surgeries than anyone else.

 

[heidi]

oh sorry. I guess my understanding is simply anecdotal. With the cases I've heard about it hasn't helped the people involved and they've since had problems with numbness and head pressure. That's completely anecdotal though and I haven't read any scientific studies.

 

[Srain]

From what I have learned, they actually have had a very high success rate in dealing with migraines with this procedure. My husband is a candidate for this surgery, and it is one avenue we are persuing. I haven't watched these particular links (so I am not sure to which type of migraine is being referred), but have seen others, and have spoken with the surgeon in the U.S. who has performed more of these surgeries than anyone else.

My neuro doc has discussed this with me at some length as the 'final frontier' for my Chronic Migraines. It is not something I really would jump on doing but as I am someone that has pain daily and on a scale of 1-3, 1 being, "I have throbbing pain, it's annoying but I can deal with it. 2 being, "I hurt have to pack my head in ice and I cannot do anything, leave me alone", and 3 being," cut my head off now!!! I'm dying!!" At a 3, I'm willing do anything. I hover between 1-2 and peek at a 3 several times a month for hours, sometimes days, depending on the time of year and it's getting worse, which they do with age.

We'll see....interesting post.

 

[heidi]

My migraines are not at the daily or chronic level and respond to medication. I can completely understand trying anything when at the chronic daily level. The only thing I'm not sure of though.. what are the stats for number of people that are helped with the surgery?

 

[a3a2]

This is still in clinical trials. I can't remember the exact stats, but I know Cleveland Clinic has had success. Mayo in Arizona (Dr. David Dodick) is preparing for a clinical trial. MHNI in Michigan (the docs name slips my mind....). RThere are far more, but these are the ones with which I am more familiar.

Without medication, my husband's migraines are @ a 8-9, daily. He literally in fetal position and wanting to die. With medication, a 1-3.

My ptsd is pretty much under control, so I don't need to consider this for me, but for him....in a heartbeat!

 

[Srain]

Yeah, I'm sorry Heidi, I know that USF has been doing it on ODD and Parkinson’s disease since 1996 but currently I don't have the success stats.