TMS Patient Journey
Discover the depression-free treatment path at Bloom.
Imagine a Life Free from the Symptoms of Depression
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a highly effective, FDA-cleared, non-invasive therapy for the treatment of mental health conditions, such as Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in patients that have failed medication trials or have not reached full remission from symptoms. If you’ve never heard of it, you’re not not alone. Read more to find out more about TMS therapy at Bloom and answers to the common questions patients have about TMS treatment.
Step 1: TMS Assessment
Want to find out if TMS may be right for you? Fill in the TMS Assessment Form or call us at (667) 668-2566.
Currently, TMS treatment is primarily used for individuals with medication-resistant depression—which means that a patient has tried two or more medications and still suffers from depression symptoms. There are other scenarios where TMS may be an excellent choice for your mental health needs.
Taking this initial step will help us help you along your path to wellness.
Step 2: Intake Phone Screening
A Bloom Team Member will reach out to you to gather more information about your treatment history and your insurance coverage.
Our compassionate team will collaborate with you to determine care plan options that are tailored to suit your individual situation. Bloom can help you determine if you fit the criteria for TMS therapy.
Step 3: Virtual TMS Consultation
A Bloom Medical Director will meet with you to perform an in-depth review of your medical history use their expertise to determine if you will be a good candidate for TMS therapy. If they determine that TMS may be an effective treatment option, they will provide you with a detailed overview of your customized TMS treatment plan. The Medical Director will discuss each phase of the treatment process and what results you can expect to see.
During this session, you will have the opportunity decide for yourself if TMS is the appropriate choice for your personal situation. We encourage you to ask any questions that you may have. We want to give you honest answers that will provide you with confidence about trying TMS therapy to help you on your path to recovery from depression.
We do not have a one-sized-fits-all approach to mental health care and TMS may not be right for you. The Medical Director will listen to you and can recommend other options, such as Spravato® further medication management, or psychotherapy.
Step 4: We Do The Paperwork
If we discover that you are an ideal candidate for TMS, we will do everything in our power to get you the help you need. We will treat your situation with the sense urgency it deserves.
You have suffered for long enough. We will do all of the heavy-lifting on your behalf to try to get approval from your insurance company. We will keep you informed throughout the entire process, so you know what we are doing to fight for you!
The Bloom Promise
Regardless of the treatment option you ultimately choose, your well-being and personal control over your mental health care is our number one priority. We promise to provide you with complete transparency. We will act as your guide, give you detailed information, and answer your questions so you can determine the best solution for you! Our medical directors will serve as a direct support and resource throughout your entire treatment path at Bloom.
TMS Treatment
TMS therapy follows a clinical treatment process that initially involves frequent patient visits, 5 times per week, then tapers down in frequency throughout the course of your treatment.
During your first TMS session, a Bloom TMS Technician will perform a motor threshold test to obtain your unique brain map and and create your an individualized TMS prescription.
When you arrive at the TMS treatment center, you will be led into a private treatment room with soft light. You will sit in a reclining chair (much like a chair at a spa) and a friendly and supportive TMS technician will place the TMS treatment coil on your head. The TMS treatment coil will deliver gentle magnetic pulses (kind of like an MRI) that are specially designed to stimulate targeted regions of your brain.
The device will be activated for 20 minutes and during this time, you may hear a clicking sound and feel a tapping on your forehead. There is no anesthesia or sedation. You can lay back and relax, read, work, listen to music, watch YouTube on your phone, or do anything else that helps you pass the time.
When the treatment is over, there is no down time. You can get straight back to your day and resume your normal activities, such as work or school. This is ideal for lunch breaks from work, early mornings, or evenings. You will repeat this same process each for each session during the course of your treatment.
There are typically no side effects from TMS sessions. The most common potential side effect is a mild headache either during or after the treatment. There are infrequent reports of short-lived scalp discomfort at the site of stimulation. Some patients experience minor twitching of facial muscles during the treatment.
The Care Team Model
The Bloom Health Centers TMS Team will be deeply involved in your care every step of the way! We know the frequent visits can seem overwhelming to those with a busy life. We will work with you to figure out a schedule that will fit your needs! When possible, we can be flexible with our treatment center hours to accommodate you and your schedule. We are here to serve you, and we make it our mission to treat you with the level of compassion and respect you deserve while we guide you on a path to remission from depression.
Post-TMS Treatment
Your TMS Care Team will closely monitor your individualized treatment path and make recommendations for further care as you make progress. TMS is an effective treatment alternative to medication and therapy that helps patients achieve full remission from depression. Unlike medications which can months to exert their full effects, many of our patients notice an improvement in their depression symptoms with TMS after 2 weeks of treatment (8-10 sessions). It is important to stick with the full recommended course of the treatment.
TMS treatment results will vary from person to person – you are unique and will experience your recovery from depression in your own unique way. Our patients typically notice small changes at first, such as increased energy levels or less difficulty concentrating. As treatment progresses, changes like increased motivation and better eating and sleeping patterns tend to emerge. Some of our patients don’t any notice results, but report that their loved ones have noticed significant changes in their behavior and mood.
Our TMS Team will work you with carefully and help you to identify your progress milestones. Various factors such as age, medications, caffeine intake, and sleep quality can affect the effectiveness of your sessions, and we will make changes in your treatment as necessary to help you get relief from your depression with TMS therapy.
Start Your TMS Journey at Bloom
At Bloom, you will receive:
- TMS treatments that are proven to be clinically effective and safe.
- A personal Bloom TMS Care Team that is dedicated to your treatment plan.
- No financial headaches – we handle the coverage authorizations from your insurance provider.
TMS Effectiveness
TMS therapy is incredibly effective in treating depression and is typically long-lasting. While most patients who complete their entire course of TMS tend to experience remission from depression for six months to a year, many have results that last for much longer.
The length of your remission may depend on many factors including:
- Diet
- Exercise
- Lifestyle
- Severity of illness
- Supplemental treatments such as talk therapy or medications
The unfortunate reality of mood disorders is that many times, the symptoms will return. Studies show that relapse in depression symptoms occurred in about 35% of patients who had successful results from TMS. The good news is that patients who experience a relapse and return to TMS treatment tend to experience quick results when they reconvene treatment.
Our Care Team will work with you on an individual basis to determine a TMS therapy maintenance plan to prevent relapse and ensure the best results so you can live a normal and happy life without the burden of depression.
Have questions?
We’re here to answer them. Give us a call or request an appointment through our online form.