A letter to Bonnie, my cousin. Martha, her mother has been diagnosed with bi-polar disease.
Bonnie,
I was told late last year that medications could no longer help me in my struggle with depression. So I decided, after much prayer and research to go with VNS therapy. I had been following the developing technology since 1999. This is for depression, and bi-polar problems. The original application was for epilepsy and when epileptics began to feel better more research was done. I was implanted 2/26/08 and the device was turned on two weeks later. I have been steadily improving since. There have been down times because of stressors (teeth problems) and heat (working out in it) that have effected me. But overall my medications are being decreased and I am doing much better. Thinking, motivation, being almost normal once again. The device gets better with time. Most people do not respond as rapidly as I did. But it truly has been a miracle for me. My migraines are less powerful, depression is gone most of the time. Emotions, though right below the surface, are more controllable and I can deal with everyday things more effectively. It was the quality of life that I went for. Maybe that is what we should all look for in the treatment of the mentally ill.
Now back to my comments.
The oral antibiotic Cipro through me for a loop. It increased the depression to suicidal thoughts. Once it was stopped, and the blood level decreased, the depression went away. The infection in the tooth has decreased and I feel much better overall. It still is there, but less painful. I am going to have more teeth problems and I think that knowing that that will effect the depression gives me strength to endure it. (Knowing where the depression was coming from started the come back from it.-editor)
