VNS Experiences??

I've been thinking about pursuing the Vagus Nerve Stimulator...but before asking the completely clueless ppl at the VA hospital about it...I wanted to ask the real experts.....you guys!!
Who has one?  Do you know someone who has one?  Is it working?  I know 3 ppl have one and they all say that it works; the scary thing is that in one person, each time the unit "kicks in"....she loses her voice!!!  She was told this was a "normal" side effect.  The other two ppl don't have this problem.

Tell me the good, bad and the ugly...I'm med resistent as I can't count how many meds I've been on and they either just don't work or I can't tolerate the side effects.  I also have severe PTSD.

Thanks...

[Hensley258]

You will find a lot more info regarding VNS at www.Cyberonics.com

They also have a forum where you can post questions to individuals that have had the procedure. May I also suggest a book called, "Out of the Black Hole." It's written by Charles E. Donovan. He was also a Med resistant Depression sufferer like you and I.

I have the book and it's very informative. It goes into great detail about the procedure, what to expect, how it works, ect....

It's kind of a patients guide to VNS.

Like you I also have been trying to get VNS. My doctor approves and I meet all the criteria for the procedure, but my health insurance company refuses to pay for the procedure. I have found that most insurance companies will not even consider covering the procedure. The few people that I have talked to that have gotten the implant have done so by paying cash. $40,000 too rich for my blood. I have already filed appeals, but they deny each one. I would have to hire an expensive Lawyer to pursue the appeal, but the cost of this is just as high as the procedure itself.

Now my insurance company has no problems paying for expensive and ongoing ECT treatments, that are not as effective. Where's the Logic in that? No thanks, I'm not going to subject myself to ECT. It only works for a couple months anyway, then it's back to the Black hole. Not to mention the memory problems that come with ECT treatment.

As usual, quality care is only avalible to those with money and lots of it.

I find it a real shame that a treatment exists that can help my condition, yet it is out of my reach because my insurance company needs more profitts this year.

Maybe you will have better luck getting your insurance company to cover it.

About the side effects, At higher settings the implant can cause some minor voice changes for the first few months after it is turned on. Fortunatly the implant frequincies can be adjusted by the doctor with the use of a remote wand. Most problems related to voice changes usually are caused because the implant is not set properly. This is easily corrected.

Like any surgury it obviously has some risks, but they are rare.

I should also mention that they now have a new VNS implant (sort of a 2nd generation unit) that is very small. About half the size of the origional, which means that a smaller cut can be made to insert the implant.