I hope all you are doing well. I have been getting regular updates on the status of Medicare or Medicaid paying for Vagus Nerve Stimulation implant surgery. I have also read about another device called "deep brain stimulation". I guess it will be years before it will be approved for the use of depression. It is now used for MS and Parkinson's. Two electrodes are implanted into 2 selected parts of your brain and a "pacemaker like" device is implanted into your chest. It sounds promising but years away.
Does anyone with new VNS implants have any comments on how things are going for them? Good or bad, would like you to share your experience. Even though Medicare and Medicaid won't pay for the implant, I have talked to my psychiatrist about the implant. She is trying to discourage me from thinking about it. In June it will be 4 years since I have worked my last job, 4 years since I have gotten behind the wheel of a car and drove. I have only gone out a handful of times and that was to doctor's appointments. I got sick, my family kept telling me to go to my doctor for a check up but I refused. While I was an inpatient in a psych. unit having ECT treatments, the staff arranged to have a doctor come to me. I had to have surgery. Because I waited so long there were complications and I ended up in the hospital for 6 days. Now the problem is coming back but I won't go to have it checked out. Back to the VNS implant. My doctor doesn't think It would help me. That is why I am trying to get as much input as I can from people who have had the implant. I have spoken to a represenative at Cybertronics; they thought it would help but of course I couldn't take their word for it because they are the ones selling it. I spoke to the nurse in charge at Mass. General. She also thought I would benefit but no insurance coverage, no implant. I wish that people who don't understand what it is like to be depressed, afraid, etc. could experience it for just a few days.
I wish you all good mental health. Donna
