Pros & Cons of TMS 

Pros: 

• TMS is more effective than medications once three antidepressants have not worked
• TMS was approved by the FDA in 2008 
• TMS has been shown to be effective in multiple medical studies
• The effect is long lasting. Often people are still doing well years later. If depression does come back, more treatments restore the benefit 85% of the time
• TMS is just a magnet placed next to the head. No electric current passes through the patient
• TMS is an outpatient office procedure 
• Patients remain awake and alert, and can resume normal activities immediately after treatment 
• Patients can watch TV and chat during their treatment 
• TMS is covered by almost all insurances 

Cons:

• Side effects may include mild headache and muscle twitching during the treatment
• 15 minute treatments, 5 days per week for 6 weeks, then a week of 3, a week of 2 and a week of 1 treatment. Days off are OK
• 1/1000 patients experience a seizure during the treatment. Similar incidence with antidepressants, but those can happen anywhere, anytime