Comments on “More on Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Depression”
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12 Responses to “More on Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Depression”
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Hi Greg and hi to your readership,
I just happened upon your website and I’d like to take a moment to contribute some information. My spouse, Joyce, is one of the earliest study subjects for the VNS Therapy for TRD. Without going into a long dissertation on this forum regarding the VNS Therapy one can always peruse our website offering sharing our experiences, research and knowledge at:
VNSdepression.com
My spouse has benefited remarkably from the therapy. After some 37 years of numerous medications as well as various alternative and/or adjunctive therapies we’ve finally achieved a reasonable degree of control, stability and long-term remission of her severe MDD (Major Depressive Disorder). For the first 3 years she was depression free without the use of any psychotropic medications for purposes of depression. These last 3 years she’s been almost depression free but we’ve had to utilize adjunctive therapies in addition to her VNS Therapy.
As one previous respondent mentioned that the efficacy rates appeared low I would personally feel from the standpoint of a very long time support person and health care advocate that when we ran out of options even a 1% chance to achieve wellness was a ray of hope.
There are no panaceas or cures to the best of my knowledge when dealing with severe TRD. I first and foremost am an advocate for education in making informed and un-coerced medical decisions along with encouraging hope and persistence and when one achieves any degree of wellness from “the beast” as I refer to my spouse’s illness, it not only achieves a degree of wellness but a vast improvement in one’s QOL (Quality of Life).
I extend my best wishes to all those challenged by “the beast” to find their treatment regimen that obtains wellness rapidly.
Warmly,
Herb
VNSdepression.com.
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I am a rapid cycler bipolar with mixed states and some other things thrown in for good
measure.I am one of the first people in US to have been implanted with VNS device for treatment
of depression, after it was approved by FDA. I started the ball rolling before the approval.
So I created Yahoo group on the subject of VNS for depression. Your readers and you can join.Click on a link below:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/vns-for-depression/
Thank you for your website.
Yuri
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8
Hi Carol,
My understanding is that Medicare will pay for vagus nerve stimulation for epilepsy (its original use), where it is indicated as medically necessary — but I am not personally aware of whether Medicare will cover the procedure in this very new use for treating depression. I understand that most insurance companies are presently reluctant to fund the full cost, which can range up to $40,000.
All the best,
Greg -
7
Does Medicare pay for the implantation of the Vagus Nerve Stimulator….if not, when is it expected to do so.
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Hi Jane,
There’s nothing like first hand, real life experience! If you (and your insurance company) do decide to go through with VNS, and if you feel like commenting here again on your experience, I imagine our readers would welcome the chance to hear about it.
All the best,
Greg -
5
I am activley seeking VNS therapy for depression. It is being submitted to my insurance company. I would like feedback from anyone who has had this done.
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4
Hi Anthony,
Actually, many researchers would be ecstatic to find a response rate differential of roughly a factor of 2 (i.e., 27 percent versus 13% is roughly twice as effective)…
If you have a peek at the September 2005 Biological Psychiatry issue cited above, it may offer some of the latest details available in print. One very significant problem with the early studies is that they have not been RCT (randomized controlled trials), considered by most researchers to be the ‘gold standard’ in terms of judging clinical effectiveness.
I guess the upshot is that some of the numbers look promising, but in my view personally, they are far far far from conclusive!
All the best,
Greg -
Anthony Murawski3
You state in your article that according to the Rush second multicenter trial, “[o]ne rating scale showed a 27.2 percent reduction in symptoms among participants and a 15.8 percent remission rate at years end . . . .” To be more accurate, the response rate was 27.2 percent (i.e., that percentage of subjects had at least a 50% reduction in sypmtoms). However, in a subsequent article in the Journal of Biological Psychology (dated 7-28-05), Rush compared the same 205 patients to a group of similar patients who continued to receive treatment as usual (TAU) and not VNS. The response rate for the TAU group was 13% (I don’t know what the remission rate was). In other words, the response rate for the VNS group was only 14% higher than the TAU group. Not very impressive . . .
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Hi Peter,
Our earlier article about the FDA having approved VNS — vagus nerve stimulation — for depression (linked at the start of this article) has a link to the company which produces the device, and the link to the study which this article is reporting on also has more details than are provided here. I would guess those two sources (the company and the University which published this current study) would be the best places to get authoritative and up-to-date information about the procedures involved.
All the best,
Greg -
Peter Shaer1
How extensive is the surgery for the implant and the adjoining wires? Is it in Dr.s office or hospital and is a general or local administered. Are there any side effects associated with this this procedure?
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