Sam. I’m so sorry you are experiencing all these problems after TMS. I agree with you that everyone should avoid TMS. I truly wish you more healing and access to your sense of self and humor. It’s not an easy road and I don’t know how much we can get back after a TMS brain injury, but I hope we all get a sense of peace and health back after so much was taken away.
I truly appreciate your comment and willingness to share some of your story. You are incredibly strong for doing so.
Hi Angelina. I am so sorry to read that you are still struggling. TMS does take a piece away from you both physically but deeply emotionally as well. It alters your brain. I can understand and have experienced what you are describing and I AM SO SORRY. I wish I had more to offer other than a laundry list of everything I have tried to heal in hopes, something might not only resonate with you but be receptive. It’s hard. Outside of working on the eye damage from TMS, the most encouraging healing I have done for my nervous system has been craniosacral therapy and the harmonic egg. After TMS, and maybe even before, I respond to much more gentle, holistic healing and these have helped me feel safe and at ease, which was such a struggle after TMS.
Anyways, I truly hope each day brings a little more peace, promise, and maybe not your old self, but feelings of being whole. Sending you love!!
Hey SLP! I’m glad that you have been doing research surrounding TMS and hopefully finding that there is more behind the curtain than the marketing materials lead you to believe.
When I sought help at the Amen Clinics, I was desperate for help and answers because I was treated as a lab rat with my primary care doctor and told I was crazy by the psychiatrist who administered TMS. With that background, the SPECT image was incredibly validating because it showed damage exactly where they placed the TMS coils as well as where I had experienced severe pain since TMS. But, I went to the Amen Clinics to heal a brain injury. I do not think they are equipped to truly treat brain injuries. I do appreciate the supplements they introduced me to, but those alone, can’t heal a brain injury. The meetings I had with the doctor were simple brain storming ideas of where I could go to get help for my brain injury like a functional neuro chiropractor as an example. While it was understanding that the Amen doctor could not do anything more than review my blood tests, SPECT scans and prescribe supplements, I was thinking there would be more based on cost and other reviews of the program. I also did not appreciate how once your three consecutive follow-up sessions are completed, you are essentially graduated from the clinic. I sent in follow-up questions, I asked for a subsequent meeting since I still had severe symptoms and instead, I received a congratulatory email asking me to sign up and join others who had completed the program. Because I still had severe symptoms and was still struggling, this rubbed me wrong. But again, I was seeking help with a brain injury and not anything else they claim to help, so that is my experience.
Best of luck with your family member and I truly wish you all the health and healing. If I can answer anything else, please let me know.
Hey Criag, thank you so much for your message and sharing your story. I am terribly sorry you have been experiencing such prolonged symptoms after your brain injury. I can truly relate to wanting to try everything possible to heal and rid yourself of the struggle. I just passed my 3 year mark recently and every year, I always expect a different milestone, though, of course, my timeframe is certainly only a blip in time compared to 40 years. As a result, I can only speculate that, I too, would navigate anything promising. I just wanted to offer my deepest empathy on your journey and what you are willing to try to improve your brain fog, memory, speech, etc.
I wish I could offer an encouraging sentiment with what you are considering, but because of my injury and current struggles, I can only provide caution in trying TMS and answer your question. With that, I hope you find the answer that is truly best for you.
So, I received TMS at a private clinic run by a psychiatrist; however, the support group (VTAG – Victims of TMS Action Group) in which I belong has many injured by the SAINT protocol developed by Stanford Medicine, which I would argue are peers to Mayo Clinic. While the TMS protocols differ between Stanford and Mayo, I actually received the same rTMS protocol that the Mayo Clinic offers.
If you are still highly considering TMS for your brain injury, I would look into who is administering treatment and the training they underwent to ensure they know not only the safety protocols to enforce and the proper mapping, but can accurately screen you properly and not say, “it gets worse before it gets better” or “you are in a dip”. Also, I would highly recommend the doctor be present for every session to evaluate. In the end, I think trusting your gut is key, if it hurts too much or you have any adverse reaction, communicate very clearly and don’t back down because you know your brain and body best and the team should support you and not push a protocol as a one-size-fits-all, if it’snot right.
I truly wish you the best. And, just know that you are extremely worthy of friendships and belonging despite your injury. If there is a protocol that will help you heal, feel more confident, lessen the pain and symptoms, I am always fully behind that as you deserve healing. No judgements on what that protocol is. I’m in your corner, even if virtually!
Hi Agelina, I am really sorry that you walked away worse. It is frustrating that your psychiatrist would simply prescribe anxiety medication and tell you it should help. In my experience, a Neuro-Optometrist linked my head pain, eye issues, coordination troubles, and cognitive functioning to a brain injury. With the symptoms you listed, have you been able to find help outside of your psychiatrist? I truly hope you get the healing and answers you deserve. It is troubling to read about more people being injured by TMS with little care to how they can help them recover. Thank you for reading my story and I truly wish you the best!
You’re so welcome and I really hope it proves helpful! Methylation can definitely feel like a deep rabbit hole at first, but even small steps can make a big difference. I actually wrote a simple intro blog about it that doesn’t get too far into the weeds (there are over a dozen types of methylation ), but it might give you a good starting point as you explore: https://www.jordansartfulwellness.com/post/understanding-methylation-my-journey-and-why-it-matters
Feel free to reach out if you ever want to chat more about it. It’s been such a key piece in my own healing.
Thank you for sharing your journey. I’m really glad you found a path that worked for you and brought relief. I totally understand the instinct to be cautious; if I had trusted mine more, I might have avoided what happened to me with TMS. I think your story shows how personal and diverse healing can be and how sometimes, it’s the systems we don’t go through that end up sparing us harm.
My piece was really about speaking up for those of us who did seek help through psychiatry and got hurt in ways that were deeply preventable. I wish that kind of harm wasn’t even possible in a system meant to heal. Your comment reminds me how important it is to trust our own sense of what’s safe and right and why we need to keep shining light on practices that carry risk, especially when people are vulnerable and just trying to get better.
I hear you so much! The urge for justice is strong, especially when the harm is so real and lasting. It’s a complicated road, but speaking out and connecting with others who get it has been a powerful first step. Thank you for reading my story and speaking out!
Thank you so much, Heather. I really appreciate your kind words and support. It means a lot to know others are questioning and researching before committing to TMS, especially with symptoms like migraines and fatigue that could be worsened. It’s heartbreaking how often concerns get dismissed or downplayed, and that’s exactly why I felt compelled to share my experience to help others avoid harm and to push for better awareness and safety. It means the world that my story made an impact on you to keep questioning and putting your health first. Wishing you strength and healing on your journey as well.
If you ever want to connect or learn more resources, feel free to reach out. We’re in this together.
P.S – If you do not mind, I did have a thought about your migraines and fatigue and wondered if you looked into methlyation?? I’m not a doctor, but learning about methylation really helped me understand some of my symptoms related to fatigue (before TMS). Methylation is a natural process in your body that affects how your genes work and helps with things like energy, detox, and brain health. For me now, it is now even more important to my current healing for my brain recovery.
There are 12 common markers that show how well this process is working, and I found out I had issues with about 10 of them. After making some changes like adjusting my diet and supplements, I noticed improvements. It might be worth exploring??
Thank you, Daniel. That really means a lot. It’s been an incredibly painfully tough road, but hearing that sharing my story might help someone else makes it feel totally worth it. I really appreciate you taking the time to read and say something. Truly. Thank you!
Hey Sam, I’m so incredibly sorry you’re going through this. I can’t imagine how devastating it must be to have gone through 27 full sessions and be left with such severe, lasting symptoms. What you described about the memory loss, the word-finding issues, not being able to ride your bike, the intense ringing, and feeling reclusive, it’s heartbreaking.
Thank you for sharing your story and for being so brave and open. I know how hard it is to speak up when you’re in pain and feel dismissed or forgotten. Your voice matters so, so much and it helps others feel less alone.
As my story shares, I only did three sessions out of a planned 56 and still ended up with a serious, debilitating injury. It’s terrifying how quickly things can go wrong and how little help or acknowledgment there is when they do. It never gets easier to hear that the same has happened to others and again, I’m sorry it has happened to you.
The more we connect and share our stories, the more I truly believe we’ll start to uncover ways to heal. We may not have all the answers yet, but together, we can move through this even if it’s slowly, even if it’s messy. You’re not alone in this. If I have any resources to share further, I will certainly do so. I’m sure you know about VTAG and I hope you found understanding there. I’ve created a resource booklet that is ever changing as I learn more, but you’re welcome to explore it. https://www.jordansartfulwellness.com/_files/ugd/d3ad28_087e9a0be61e4cdfb246d2669694c400.pdf?index=true
Hi Song,
Thank you so much your words really moved me. It’s validating to be met with that kind of understanding, especially after so much gaslighting and dismissal. You’re so right when physical symptoms follow a psychiatric treatment, they’re too often written off as psychosomatic or somehow less real. And when a treatment is marketed as cutting-edge or “safe,” any harm becomes almost untouchable, like we’re not allowed to question it without being labeled as unstable or ungrateful.
In my case, the psychiatrist even falsified my records claiming I was on Zoloft when I wasn’t. We now believe she did that to get my treatment pushed through insurance faster, so I could be approved and put into the machine without delay. That kind of deception just to streamline a process is terrifying. It robbed me of informed consent and contributed directly to the harm I experienced.
I didn’t want to become a cautionary tale, but I also couldn’t stay silent when the harm was so real. Finding others who get it who truly see what’s happening has helped me start to reclaim pieces of myself that were lost in the process.
Thank you for holding space, for naming the bigger issue, and for reminding me that this isn’t just personal. It’s systemic. I hope we all keep raising our voices until dignity, honesty, and bodily autonomy are non-negotiable in care.
Sending warmth and deep respect All the best.
James, wow wow. I had to sit with this before responding. Your words are so deeply validating and painful and true, and I felt them all. Thank you for reflecting it all back. It means more than I can say.
You’re right. There’s just no end to how many layers of wrong there are with TMS and how it’s pushed, sold, and badministered. Reading your story, I had the exact same reaction. Moments where I went, wait, I’ve never even thought of that before, even though I live with the same injury. There’s something about hearing it from someone else that cuts deeper but connects to what, I think, we all experience. Like it gives permission to grieve what we couldn’t fully name.
I’m so sorry you went through what you did. The promotional video ask… I mean, what? It’s like they’re living in a different dimension. It’s surreal and enraging.
The gaslighting is so calculated. I’ve seen those same reports in the MAUDE database too. They knew. They know. And they’re still pushing it, still pretending. It’s beyond negligence. It’s a machine fueled by denial and profit and people who don’t want to see the truth.
Also, I just want to say. I came across your posts and your blog on Mad in America right after my injury. I think it was just the right Google search at the right moment, and I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t found them. Your story helped me put words to what was happening, and it gave me the strength to keep looking for answers. I really hope that with more of us speaking out, it becomes even easier for others in crisis to find these stories and feel less alone.
Your words are a lifeline, James. Truly. I hope you know that your voice is helping hold up so many people, including me. None of us should be carrying this alone, and somehow, through the wreckage, we’re finding each other. That gives me hope.
Thank you for being here. I’m grateful for you.
Thank you, Daniel. That really means a lot. It’s been an incredibly painfully tough road, but hearing that sharing my story might help someone else makes it feel totally worth it. I really appreciate you taking the time to read and say something. Truly. Thank you!
Freya, thank you so much for your thoughtful words. It means a lot. You’re so right. We go in with trust, doing what we’re taught to do, and when things go wrong, it’s like the system flips on us. Instead of care, we’re met with denial, blame, or silence. It’s devastating.
What you said about psychiatry and the pattern of disbelieving patients rings painfully true. The way people are experimented on, dismissed, and often left to pick up the pieces alone is a deep, systemic failure.
I really appreciate your compassion. Wishing you strength too, wherever you are on your own path. We need each other in this.
Thank you for your concern, Cathy. I truly wish I had never undergone TMS, but that’s part of what makes this so complicated and heartbreaking.
Like many others, I was told to expect minor side effects like headaches and that I might feel worse before I felt better. I reported the pain and symptoms right away like the extreme pressure in my head, vision issues, and confusion, but the staff reassured me it was “normal” and even suggested it meant the treatment was “working.” I trusted the clinic. I was also misled to believe the psychiatrist was monitoring my sessions, when in fact she was out of town and unaware I was being treated.
By the time I realized something was seriously wrong, the damage had already been done. And once your brain is injured, it’s not like breaking a leg because you don’t always recognize how impaired you are until much later. I stopped after three sessions, but I still live every day with the consequences.
This is why I speak out now: because many people who are harmed are dismissed or blamed, when in reality, they weren’t given true informed consent or safety protocols. I hope my story helps prevent this from happening to others.
Sam. I’m so sorry you are experiencing all these problems after TMS. I agree with you that everyone should avoid TMS. I truly wish you more healing and access to your sense of self and humor. It’s not an easy road and I don’t know how much we can get back after a TMS brain injury, but I hope we all get a sense of peace and health back after so much was taken away.
I truly appreciate your comment and willingness to share some of your story. You are incredibly strong for doing so.
Report comment
Hi Angelina. I am so sorry to read that you are still struggling. TMS does take a piece away from you both physically but deeply emotionally as well. It alters your brain. I can understand and have experienced what you are describing and I AM SO SORRY. I wish I had more to offer other than a laundry list of everything I have tried to heal in hopes, something might not only resonate with you but be receptive. It’s hard. Outside of working on the eye damage from TMS, the most encouraging healing I have done for my nervous system has been craniosacral therapy and the harmonic egg. After TMS, and maybe even before, I respond to much more gentle, holistic healing and these have helped me feel safe and at ease, which was such a struggle after TMS.
Anyways, I truly hope each day brings a little more peace, promise, and maybe not your old self, but feelings of being whole. Sending you love!!
Report comment
Hey SLP! I’m glad that you have been doing research surrounding TMS and hopefully finding that there is more behind the curtain than the marketing materials lead you to believe.
When I sought help at the Amen Clinics, I was desperate for help and answers because I was treated as a lab rat with my primary care doctor and told I was crazy by the psychiatrist who administered TMS. With that background, the SPECT image was incredibly validating because it showed damage exactly where they placed the TMS coils as well as where I had experienced severe pain since TMS. But, I went to the Amen Clinics to heal a brain injury. I do not think they are equipped to truly treat brain injuries. I do appreciate the supplements they introduced me to, but those alone, can’t heal a brain injury. The meetings I had with the doctor were simple brain storming ideas of where I could go to get help for my brain injury like a functional neuro chiropractor as an example. While it was understanding that the Amen doctor could not do anything more than review my blood tests, SPECT scans and prescribe supplements, I was thinking there would be more based on cost and other reviews of the program. I also did not appreciate how once your three consecutive follow-up sessions are completed, you are essentially graduated from the clinic. I sent in follow-up questions, I asked for a subsequent meeting since I still had severe symptoms and instead, I received a congratulatory email asking me to sign up and join others who had completed the program. Because I still had severe symptoms and was still struggling, this rubbed me wrong. But again, I was seeking help with a brain injury and not anything else they claim to help, so that is my experience.
Best of luck with your family member and I truly wish you all the health and healing. If I can answer anything else, please let me know.
Report comment
Hey Criag, thank you so much for your message and sharing your story. I am terribly sorry you have been experiencing such prolonged symptoms after your brain injury. I can truly relate to wanting to try everything possible to heal and rid yourself of the struggle. I just passed my 3 year mark recently and every year, I always expect a different milestone, though, of course, my timeframe is certainly only a blip in time compared to 40 years. As a result, I can only speculate that, I too, would navigate anything promising. I just wanted to offer my deepest empathy on your journey and what you are willing to try to improve your brain fog, memory, speech, etc.
I wish I could offer an encouraging sentiment with what you are considering, but because of my injury and current struggles, I can only provide caution in trying TMS and answer your question. With that, I hope you find the answer that is truly best for you.
So, I received TMS at a private clinic run by a psychiatrist; however, the support group (VTAG – Victims of TMS Action Group) in which I belong has many injured by the SAINT protocol developed by Stanford Medicine, which I would argue are peers to Mayo Clinic. While the TMS protocols differ between Stanford and Mayo, I actually received the same rTMS protocol that the Mayo Clinic offers.
If you are still highly considering TMS for your brain injury, I would look into who is administering treatment and the training they underwent to ensure they know not only the safety protocols to enforce and the proper mapping, but can accurately screen you properly and not say, “it gets worse before it gets better” or “you are in a dip”. Also, I would highly recommend the doctor be present for every session to evaluate. In the end, I think trusting your gut is key, if it hurts too much or you have any adverse reaction, communicate very clearly and don’t back down because you know your brain and body best and the team should support you and not push a protocol as a one-size-fits-all, if it’snot right.
I truly wish you the best. And, just know that you are extremely worthy of friendships and belonging despite your injury. If there is a protocol that will help you heal, feel more confident, lessen the pain and symptoms, I am always fully behind that as you deserve healing. No judgements on what that protocol is. I’m in your corner, even if virtually!
Report comment
Hi Agelina, I am really sorry that you walked away worse. It is frustrating that your psychiatrist would simply prescribe anxiety medication and tell you it should help. In my experience, a Neuro-Optometrist linked my head pain, eye issues, coordination troubles, and cognitive functioning to a brain injury. With the symptoms you listed, have you been able to find help outside of your psychiatrist? I truly hope you get the healing and answers you deserve. It is troubling to read about more people being injured by TMS with little care to how they can help them recover. Thank you for reading my story and I truly wish you the best!
Report comment
Hi Zenda! I am thankful that my story helped you reconsider TMS, but even more glad to read that therapy helped you. Wishing you all the best.
Report comment
Thank you, James!
Report comment
You’re so welcome and I really hope it proves helpful! Methylation can definitely feel like a deep rabbit hole at first, but even small steps can make a big difference. I actually wrote a simple intro blog about it that doesn’t get too far into the weeds (there are over a dozen types of methylation ), but it might give you a good starting point as you explore: https://www.jordansartfulwellness.com/post/understanding-methylation-my-journey-and-why-it-matters
Feel free to reach out if you ever want to chat more about it. It’s been such a key piece in my own healing.
Report comment
Thank you for sharing your journey. I’m really glad you found a path that worked for you and brought relief. I totally understand the instinct to be cautious; if I had trusted mine more, I might have avoided what happened to me with TMS. I think your story shows how personal and diverse healing can be and how sometimes, it’s the systems we don’t go through that end up sparing us harm.
My piece was really about speaking up for those of us who did seek help through psychiatry and got hurt in ways that were deeply preventable. I wish that kind of harm wasn’t even possible in a system meant to heal. Your comment reminds me how important it is to trust our own sense of what’s safe and right and why we need to keep shining light on practices that carry risk, especially when people are vulnerable and just trying to get better.
Report comment
I hear you so much! The urge for justice is strong, especially when the harm is so real and lasting. It’s a complicated road, but speaking out and connecting with others who get it has been a powerful first step. Thank you for reading my story and speaking out!
Report comment
Thank you so much, Heather. I really appreciate your kind words and support. It means a lot to know others are questioning and researching before committing to TMS, especially with symptoms like migraines and fatigue that could be worsened. It’s heartbreaking how often concerns get dismissed or downplayed, and that’s exactly why I felt compelled to share my experience to help others avoid harm and to push for better awareness and safety. It means the world that my story made an impact on you to keep questioning and putting your health first. Wishing you strength and healing on your journey as well.
If you ever want to connect or learn more resources, feel free to reach out. We’re in this together.
P.S – If you do not mind, I did have a thought about your migraines and fatigue and wondered if you looked into methlyation?? I’m not a doctor, but learning about methylation really helped me understand some of my symptoms related to fatigue (before TMS). Methylation is a natural process in your body that affects how your genes work and helps with things like energy, detox, and brain health. For me now, it is now even more important to my current healing for my brain recovery.
There are 12 common markers that show how well this process is working, and I found out I had issues with about 10 of them. After making some changes like adjusting my diet and supplements, I noticed improvements. It might be worth exploring??
Report comment
Thank you, Daniel. That really means a lot. It’s been an incredibly painfully tough road, but hearing that sharing my story might help someone else makes it feel totally worth it. I really appreciate you taking the time to read and say something. Truly. Thank you!
Report comment
Hey Sam, I’m so incredibly sorry you’re going through this. I can’t imagine how devastating it must be to have gone through 27 full sessions and be left with such severe, lasting symptoms. What you described about the memory loss, the word-finding issues, not being able to ride your bike, the intense ringing, and feeling reclusive, it’s heartbreaking.
Thank you for sharing your story and for being so brave and open. I know how hard it is to speak up when you’re in pain and feel dismissed or forgotten. Your voice matters so, so much and it helps others feel less alone.
As my story shares, I only did three sessions out of a planned 56 and still ended up with a serious, debilitating injury. It’s terrifying how quickly things can go wrong and how little help or acknowledgment there is when they do. It never gets easier to hear that the same has happened to others and again, I’m sorry it has happened to you.
And you’re absolutely right: TMS is not FDA approved, it’s FDA cleared through the 510(k) process, which doesn’t require thorough long-term safety testing. It was pushed through under a loophole. The Center for Research on Women and Families has raised major concerns about this:
https://www.center4research.org/statement-national-research-center-women-families-fda-advisory-panel-meeting-regarding-neurostar-tms-system-major-depression/
I’m just so sorry this happened to you. None of us deserved this and I hope you know that what you’re feeling and experiencing is valid.
The more we connect and share our stories, the more I truly believe we’ll start to uncover ways to heal. We may not have all the answers yet, but together, we can move through this even if it’s slowly, even if it’s messy. You’re not alone in this. If I have any resources to share further, I will certainly do so. I’m sure you know about VTAG and I hope you found understanding there. I’ve created a resource booklet that is ever changing as I learn more, but you’re welcome to explore it.
https://www.jordansartfulwellness.com/_files/ugd/d3ad28_087e9a0be61e4cdfb246d2669694c400.pdf?index=true
Report comment
Hi Song,
Thank you so much your words really moved me. It’s validating to be met with that kind of understanding, especially after so much gaslighting and dismissal. You’re so right when physical symptoms follow a psychiatric treatment, they’re too often written off as psychosomatic or somehow less real. And when a treatment is marketed as cutting-edge or “safe,” any harm becomes almost untouchable, like we’re not allowed to question it without being labeled as unstable or ungrateful.
In my case, the psychiatrist even falsified my records claiming I was on Zoloft when I wasn’t. We now believe she did that to get my treatment pushed through insurance faster, so I could be approved and put into the machine without delay. That kind of deception just to streamline a process is terrifying. It robbed me of informed consent and contributed directly to the harm I experienced.
I didn’t want to become a cautionary tale, but I also couldn’t stay silent when the harm was so real. Finding others who get it who truly see what’s happening has helped me start to reclaim pieces of myself that were lost in the process.
Thank you for holding space, for naming the bigger issue, and for reminding me that this isn’t just personal. It’s systemic. I hope we all keep raising our voices until dignity, honesty, and bodily autonomy are non-negotiable in care.
Sending warmth and deep respect All the best.
Report comment
James, wow wow. I had to sit with this before responding. Your words are so deeply validating and painful and true, and I felt them all. Thank you for reflecting it all back. It means more than I can say.
You’re right. There’s just no end to how many layers of wrong there are with TMS and how it’s pushed, sold, and badministered. Reading your story, I had the exact same reaction. Moments where I went, wait, I’ve never even thought of that before, even though I live with the same injury. There’s something about hearing it from someone else that cuts deeper but connects to what, I think, we all experience. Like it gives permission to grieve what we couldn’t fully name.
I’m so sorry you went through what you did. The promotional video ask… I mean, what? It’s like they’re living in a different dimension. It’s surreal and enraging.
The gaslighting is so calculated. I’ve seen those same reports in the MAUDE database too. They knew. They know. And they’re still pushing it, still pretending. It’s beyond negligence. It’s a machine fueled by denial and profit and people who don’t want to see the truth.
Also, I just want to say. I came across your posts and your blog on Mad in America right after my injury. I think it was just the right Google search at the right moment, and I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t found them. Your story helped me put words to what was happening, and it gave me the strength to keep looking for answers. I really hope that with more of us speaking out, it becomes even easier for others in crisis to find these stories and feel less alone.
Your words are a lifeline, James. Truly. I hope you know that your voice is helping hold up so many people, including me. None of us should be carrying this alone, and somehow, through the wreckage, we’re finding each other. That gives me hope.
Thank you for being here. I’m grateful for you.
Report comment
Thank you, Daniel. That really means a lot. It’s been an incredibly painfully tough road, but hearing that sharing my story might help someone else makes it feel totally worth it. I really appreciate you taking the time to read and say something. Truly. Thank you!
Report comment
Freya, thank you so much for your thoughtful words. It means a lot. You’re so right. We go in with trust, doing what we’re taught to do, and when things go wrong, it’s like the system flips on us. Instead of care, we’re met with denial, blame, or silence. It’s devastating.
What you said about psychiatry and the pattern of disbelieving patients rings painfully true. The way people are experimented on, dismissed, and often left to pick up the pieces alone is a deep, systemic failure.
I really appreciate your compassion. Wishing you strength too, wherever you are on your own path. We need each other in this.
Report comment
Thank you for your concern, Cathy. I truly wish I had never undergone TMS, but that’s part of what makes this so complicated and heartbreaking.
Like many others, I was told to expect minor side effects like headaches and that I might feel worse before I felt better. I reported the pain and symptoms right away like the extreme pressure in my head, vision issues, and confusion, but the staff reassured me it was “normal” and even suggested it meant the treatment was “working.” I trusted the clinic. I was also misled to believe the psychiatrist was monitoring my sessions, when in fact she was out of town and unaware I was being treated.
By the time I realized something was seriously wrong, the damage had already been done. And once your brain is injured, it’s not like breaking a leg because you don’t always recognize how impaired you are until much later. I stopped after three sessions, but I still live every day with the consequences.
This is why I speak out now: because many people who are harmed are dismissed or blamed, when in reality, they weren’t given true informed consent or safety protocols. I hope my story helps prevent this from happening to others.
Report comment