Epilepsy Talk
Move Over VNS…There’s A New Guy in Town! | January 28, 2018
What if I were to say there’s a new nerve stimulation therapy that requires NO SURGERY and reduces seizures among those who are drug resistant by about 40 percent?
SAY HELLO TO TRIGEMINAL NERVE STIMULATION!
The difference between this experimental device and the VNS is that the skin is never penetrated and the TNS is powered by an external device about the size of a large cell phone.
Imagine putting one gel pad on each eyebrow for 12 hours a day — and getting this kind of radical seizure relief.
(Not that much of an inconvenience since it can be worn at night when you’re asleep or during the evening when you’re home.)
All you feel is a “slight tingling sensation”. A small sacrifice for such a great pay-off.
With a reduction of depression as a bonus.
It is also effective for relief of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
How does it work?
Traditional approaches to treating epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders have focused on the use of pharmaceutical products.
While these treatments have been successful for many individuals, significant numbers of people continue to suffer, despite trying multiple medications, and the medications often carry side-effects that limit their use.
In recent years, neuromodulation has emerged as an alternative treatment for these disorders.
But current generation systems are invasive, expensive, with the lack of a way to predict whether you will respond to that treatment prior to implantation.
NeuroSigma’s unique eTNS/sTNS approach uses the brain’s existing circuitry to achieve a therapeutic effect.
You can quickly and simply initiate treatment with the non-invasive eTNS system.
Therapy is simple to deliver, and can be done in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
If you respond positively to the eTNS, you have the option of eventually “graduating” to having the sTNS system implanted, assured that it will be effective prior to exposing yourself to the risks of surgery.
The decision is up to you.
But, either way you choose to go, it’s a win-win situation!
NOTE: Available in the European Union, Canada and Australia. In the United States, both eTNS and sTNS are investigational devices and are limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.
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Resources:
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/27/138619259/new-device-reduces-seizures-no-surgery-required?ft=1&f=100
http://www.neurosigma.com/tns.html
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/780121
Tags: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), depression, Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), new nerve stimulation therapy, no surgery, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), reduces seizures, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (TNS), VNS
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Wonder what it would take to get in on this as a test subject?? Or…when our FDA will get paid enough to release it for use here in the USA?
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Comment by Ellen LaFrancis — January 28, 2018 @ 12:29 PM
The TNS is being developed by physicians and researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
It’s in Phase III of testing. I guess you would have to contact Dr. Christopher DeGiorgio there or NeuroSigma itself.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 28, 2018 @ 12:46 PM
Hopefully Dr. DeGiorgio will respond to you. I wrote to him several years ago when this was first being studied, for my son. He didn’t have the courtesy to even respond. I understand these doctors are busy, but aren’t we all?
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Comment by Holly — January 29, 2018 @ 6:06 AM
Perhaps speaking to someone on his team would help?
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 29, 2018 @ 10:06 AM
Great news but why does the US not offer this? Thank you. Tami Cooke
Sent from my iPhone
>
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Comment by tamicooke515@gmail.com — January 28, 2018 @ 12:45 PM
FDA approval is rigorous — and political. It could be a matter of money or a matter of more in depth testing needed.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 28, 2018 @ 2:21 PM
O’WELL,, Again looks like more false promises to me. It says nothing how it will or does make the brain chemistry better or worse & how these vibes of electrical charges affects all brain health & chemistry / chemical reactions in different areas of the brain. 1– Will GABA be increased by have 1 of these gadgets ?
2– Will GLUTAMATE be more saturating in the brain daily than not ?
3– Dose GLUCOSE get more or less abundant ?? and How that can or may cause HYPER or HYPO glycemia when glucose in the blood can be effected by brain actions or reactions from a gadget ?
I can see it now, how more maybe TYPE 2 Diabetes is going to happen & maybe more seizures too from unstable glucose levels which can lead to HIGHER GLUTAMATE in the brain. Just another GADGET bandwagon I will not ride on or ride out, Not hopping on it.
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Comment by C D — January 28, 2018 @ 12:53 PM
Sorry, but it’s an individual choice for each person.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 28, 2018 @ 2:19 PM
Glucose is not produced by your brain. While it’s true Glucose can impact your brain function, and you can have seizures from uncontrolled glucose levels, Glucose doesn’t cause epilepsy. Glucose is produced by your liver.
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Comment by Mai Watson — January 28, 2018 @ 6:02 PM
Thanks both for your input and the clarification Mai.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 28, 2018 @ 7:56 PM
Another treatment for epilepsy(probably limited types) that was advertised way earlier than it should have been. As a grand mal epileptic without localized seizures I will probably never see a non-drug related epilepsy treatment for my type of seizures.
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Comment by Jeffrey Woods — January 28, 2018 @ 1:59 PM
Don’t give up quite yet. There are 28 medicines in development for epilepsy as well as several therapeutic interventions.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 28, 2018 @ 2:18 PM
Thanks for the information of another alternative mechanism to fight the war against Epilepsy/Seizures.
Hey, what do I got to lose for trying ANYTHING under the sun, to stop or reduce my seizures?
After all, my current medications are NOT the best solution to my seizures & living with my seizures without medications & alternative option/mechanism are NOT solutions to my seizures, either.
Therefore, the war against Epilepsy must go on, for giving up the fight is NOT the solution to the problem.
It’s just great to see the light across the tunnel, knowing that some of us may benefit from this alternative options & stop/reduce our seizures.
Gerrie
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Comment by BahreNegash Eritrea — January 28, 2018 @ 3:24 PM
It’s not the light at the end of the tunnel. But as you said Gerrie, it’s the light ACROSS the tunnel.
Let’s hope some of us can benefit in the future, because the technology sounds wonderful, if not a bit ambitious. 🙂
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 28, 2018 @ 7:54 PM
Thank you Phylis
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Comment by E — January 28, 2018 @ 5:30 PM
Anything I can do to help is good. Just sing out if you need anything.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — January 28, 2018 @ 7:55 PM
I have a question. I wonder if others have experienced this. Phylis, do you recognize these symptoms?
A 25-year-old male has a long history of “episodes” characterized by a lack of sleep and increasingly “upset behavior”. They occur at least once in 3 to 5 weeks. This individual is by nature a calm and content and even happy person, The episodes are experienced by him as extremely painful. They start with him not being able to put his head on the pillow, wanting everything dark in his room, sweaty feet and hands and dilated pupils. Whether severe migraines, or seizures, the pain is causing behavioral expressions. The episodes are the pre-cursor of seizures. Not all episodes are followed by a clearly observable seizure and this may be because it is at times controlled by the anticonvulsant medication. The episodes can last up to 10 days.
Are these prodromal symptoms of epilepsy?
Any insight very much appreciated!
E.
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Comment by E — February 1, 2018 @ 9:31 AM
My guess would be the agony of migraines.
This article may help (but then again, I’m not sure)
Epilepsy & Migraines — Kissing Cousins
https://epilepsytalk.com/2017/04/27/epilepsy-migraines-kissing-cousins-2/
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — February 1, 2018 @ 10:19 AM
Thank you, Yes, we think that it is related. I will read the article.
Apart from Topamax, have you found that anything else works ?
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Comment by E — February 1, 2018 @ 11:23 AM
I read the article. You mentioned more drugs we can consider. Thank you!
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Comment by E — February 1, 2018 @ 11:29 AM
Glad I could help.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — February 1, 2018 @ 2:27 PM