Does anyone know about an Brain Implant for BiPolar?

[tria106]

I have had Bi-Polar for over 20 some years now.  On and off drugs...in and out of inpatient facilities.  I am going broke as now I am on disability and my Phys. is costing me 300.00 each visit.  I can not do this anymore.  Each day is a struggle for me to get out of bed.  I have found little information on a new brain implant procedure for bi polar patients.  I have had ECT's and they have worked.  Not sure what I want to do.  If anyone could guide me in the direction to finding more info on the implants I would appreciate it very much. I am at my limit.  My worth is at a 0 right now and I need help fast.

[Delusion]

Indeed i would also like to hear more of what you speak i have not heard of this... anyone?

[RJ233]

I don't know anything about brain implant. This is the first time I have heard of it. Does your dr take Medicare? If he does, you should not have to pay that much. I would contact Social Security Office or the number on the Medicare Card to get info on that. If they accept Medicare and there is a co payment to be made, then the dr is not suppose to bill you for what Medicare doesn't pay for the rest of the bill. Call them and check it out. Wal Greens has a plan they only charge $4 on 30 day generic meds (it may be Wal Mart) you'd have to check.

Personally, I don't want anyone messing with my brain, it is already in bad enough shape, but how long have they been doing the procedure? I wouldn't want to be in the first few and have some info on the long term effects. RJ

[LeftCoastChick]

HI there! I have researched it myself. I'm told it's still very experimental, expensive and hard to find a surgeon. You mentioned you don't always take meds, you need to have compliance with taking your meds, that will help, have you also tried different drugs?
If you had diabetes, you would take your meds every day, this is no different and can be as fatal. Stay on your meds even if you feel good and it will get better.  I'm in the same position, I'm only getting 60% of what I was earning because I am on long term disability, I'm on a tight budget. Hang in there!

[tria106]

A Dr. sent this website to me to review on the implant -
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC267/333/20780/883426.html?d=dmtICNNews

Take a look I hope it comes through for you.  I have had ect's before in 2004 and they worked, but I did loose some long term memory.  The implant sounds a bit scary.  If I find out more information I will post it.

[monkeyc]

I would want some serious guarantees before embarking on surgery as experimental and expensive as this particularly as nothing I can find shows any study on Bipolar itself but rather unipolar depression - can someone post a link to anything about this being used to treat Bipolar?

Depression is only one phase of the illness after all

[Delusion]

I agree with monkeyc i would want full details on the procedure and whether there are any risks, indeed unipolar is a very diffrent case... if the surgery was proven though and did work and did fix us i dont know about you guys but i would do it no matter how excruiatingly painful it was or wasnt.