VNS RECEIPIENT, ANYONE ELSE?

I AM NEW TO THE FORUM AND ENJOY THE CHANCE TO GIVE AS WELL AS TAKE ADVICE ON DEPRESSION.  I HAVE HAD DEPRESSION FOR OVER 21 YEARS.  I AM 41 (42 IN APRIL:)) AND WAS RECENTLY IMPLANTED WITH THE VAGUS NERVE STIMULATOR.  IT HAS TRULY BEEN A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE WITH THIS IMPLANT BOTH WONDERFUL AS WELL AS FRIGHTENING! 

I HAVE BEEN UP AND DOWN WITH MOODS, EMOTIONS AND ENERGY.  I WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT I HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH RECENTLY THAT I FEEL THAT WITHOUT VNS, I MIGHT NOT BE HERE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING. 

IF ANYONE HAS ALSO BEEN IMPLANTED OR WANT INFO ON THIS AS AN OPTION, LET ME KNOW AND JOIN THIS POST. 

I'm sorry but I have had to edit part of your post as it violated forum rules & regulations #1. No discussion of any illegal activity or threats of violence. (ie. illicit drug use, including medical marijuana use, threats of suicide or self-injury, or threatened or intended physical harm).  Discussions of suicide or self-harm that are deemed negative and therefore potentially injurious to others are also not permitted.  Thank you ~ Elisha

Post Edited By Moderator (els) : 3/26/2007 7:37:28 AM (GMT-6)

Thank you for the welcome!  I am excited to be able to share with you my experiences with my VNS.  I will say however, that I am somewhat disappointed to find that I am not able to genuinely speak of my deepest thoughts without reservation.    Although it is my hope that I can express and share mostly positive things with this stimulator, it will be difficult to adhere to the rules of the forum but I will give it a shot.

I have been up and down with my moods and energy since my implant.  I have days where I do ok and days when I can barely find the energy to get my son off to school.  Currently I am without antd's but my doctor suggested that I try one because of the difference in mood day-to-day.  Now, I do have to say that I do not doctor with a psychiatrist but with a neurologist.  I had a psychiatrist but there are issues that I will not speak of at this time.  I also have narcolepsy which was diagnosed in 1995 so therefore I have had this neurologist.  He follows me because of my dual diagnosis.

I am not sure whether or not I want to do the medication path.  I have been on over 40 different meds and dislike taking them.  As I stated in my earlier post, there are issues in my life that I am going through without meds that I could not have possibly been achieved without meds prior to my VNS.  So, I am trying to focus more on my thought processes rather than meds because if I can get through what I am going through with days of despair here and there, I will gladly give this stimulator a year to prove itself!

Currently I have had my VNS turned on for almost 4 months, so it is still too early in clinical terms to see a difference.

I will keep you updated!