Patient experience, That’s Life magazine

Bristol patient shares her experience of TMS treatment in That’s Life magazine.

Jan from Bristol recently shared her story about her experience with TMS treatment for a feature in That’s Life magazine. In the interview, Jan said;

Feeling tired and depressed, another day passed and I still couldn’t leave by bed. I’d felt like this for several weeks and things weren’t improving. I just felt so low.

Like many people suffering with depression, the impact was really starting to affect Jan’s life, but luckily she was able to see the signs and reached out for help.

Realising I couldn’t do my job anymore, I resigned from my support work job. When I wasn’t able to find the energy or will power to make myself my food, I knew I was in trouble. I went to see a doctor and had a session with a psychiatrist, who diagnosed me with severe clinical depression.

Sometimes, realising you need help and taking action to seek help is the first step to getting better.

After starting on antidepressants, I hoped they would be a solution to my sadness, but unfortunately they didn’t seem to have any effect

We see many patients in clinic who have tried lots of different types of medication, but for some reason, they do not work for them. TMS is a safe and non-invasive treatment for depression and can sometimes help those who have not benefitted from antidepressants or other medications for depression. Like many other patients we see in clinic, Jan decided to do her own research and look into other options.

I started reading up about other treatments for depression and came across an article about something called Smart TMS. It was a non-invasive, medication-free solution with the tagline ‘Mending Minds’. The treatment used magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain, and 75 percent of the patients who had tried it experienced a significant reduction in their symptoms. I attended a course in Bristol and, after completing it, I genuinely felt so much better.

We want to thank Jan for sharing her story. Mental health issues are starting to get more attention and the barriers to the stigma around mental health are starting to crack, however, the more brave people like Jan who can open up about their experiences, the quicker these barriers will come down.

At the end of the course my head felt clearer and I’d shed so much emotional pain. My life was so bleak but it has colour now. If you suffer from depression, I urge you to check it out. I’ve recommended it to two friends who have said it has helped them too.

To find out more about TMS for depression click here.