Q1: AM I A GOOD CANDIDATE?
Q2: WILL rTMS BE EFFECTIVE IN TREATING MY DISORDER?
Q3: DO I NEED TO STOP TAKING MY MEDICATION DURING rTMS THERAPY ?
Q4: HOW WILL I KNOW IF I AM A RESPONDER TO rTMS THERAPY?
Q5: WHO WILL BE INVOLVED IN MY TREATMENT?
Q6: WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
Q7: CAN I SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS GONE THROUGH THE TREATMENT?
Q8: WILL THE PROCEDURE HURT?
Q9: HOW OFTEN WILL I RECEIVE rTMS THERAPY?
Q10: HOW LONG WILL THE BENEFITS LAST?
Q11: HOW LONG WILL THE PROCEDURE AND INITIAL CONSULTATION TAKE?
Q12: HOW MUCH WILL THE TREATMENT COST?

Please Note: The following information does not replace personal medical advice from your doctor or a qualified health care professional. Please read our disclaimer.

Q1: AM I A GOOD CANDIDATE?

The best way for you to determine if rTMS is right for you is by speaking with your doctor, psychiatrist, qualified health care professional, or a medical staff member at one of our clinics. Proper pre-procedural screening ensures that therapy is administered only when it is medically advisable.

Eligibility: In order to ensure your safety, the following general requirements will need to be met prior to receiving rTMS therapy:

• Currently diagnosed with depression by a psychiatrist or physician. In extenuating circumstances, an in-house MindCare physician can act as the referral source.
  
  
  • NOTE: a completed MindCare referral form is required to be eligible for treatment. Please click here to download a PDF version of the form

  • For the experimental treatment of various disease states, a completed referral form is not necessary (please see Disease State section ).

• No implanted ferromagnetic items (i.e. pacemaker)

• No previous history of epilepsy
• No foreign metal cranial bodies or metallic/magnetic implants

Note: We accept patients between the ages of 15 and 85.

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Q2: WILL rTMS BE EFFECTIVE IN TREATING MY DISORDER ?

Peer-reviewed medical journal articles prove the efficacy of rTMS in treating Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Auditory Hallucination Schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Tinnitus, Eating Disorders, Migraines, Pain Management, and other mood disorders. Please consult our Disease State section to learn more about various treatment options.

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Q3: DO I NEED TO STOP TAKING MY MEDICATION DURING rTMS THERAPY ?

Note: The following information does not replace personal medical advice from your doctor or a qualified health care professional. Please read our disclaimer.

No. Unlike the research trials in the US, which require participants to cease all medication, MindCare Centres encourages you to stay on your regular dose of anti-depressant medication. Please do not make any changes 3 weeks prior to commencing rTMS therapy. This will enable you to distinguish the therapeutic benefit received from rTMS therapy.
 

Following treatment: Please consult your doctor/psychiatrist regarding medication changes following treatment. If you want to stop taking medication, please wean off slowly, following your doctors direction. Do NOT suddenly stop taking medication.

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Q4: HOW WILL I KNOW IF I AM A RESPONDER TO rTMS THERAPY?

Your progress will be tracked throughout the course of treatment. Specifically, various medical assessment scales will be utilized in order to determine your response. The Beck’s Depression Inventory, Hamilton-17 Index, and Hamilton Anxiety scale are frequently employed to assess levels of depression and anxiety. Moreover, a trained medical staff member will keep you updated on your scores regularly, and will encourage you to provide personal feedback. Most patients tend to be aware of therapeutic benefit into the second week of treatment

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Q5: WHO WILL BE INVOLVED IN MY TREATMENT ?

Note: The following information does not replace personal medical advice from your doctor or a qualified health care professional. Please read our disclaimer.

A doctor will be involved in all three phases of your rTMS therapy procedure: the pre-procedure consultation, the administration of rTMS therapy, and maintenance care. In addition, a medical technician will administer rTMS under the supervision of a qualified physician. All doctors and medical technicians working at MindCare Centre have been educated in all aspects of rTMS therapy. While our doctors and medical technicians are highly qualified and well-trained, the outcome of your rTMS therapy also depends upon individual factors and how you respond to the treatment. We will work closely with you and your doctor to provide you with a high level of quality care and comprehensive results. We recommend you also consult your own doctor or psychiatrist, who is familiar with your depressive illness, your medical history, and will continue to care for you after your treatment.

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Q6: WHAT ARE THE RISKS ?

Note: The following information does not replace personal medical advice from your doctor or a qualified health care professional. Please read our disclaimer.

Mild headache: Experienced by only 1 in 10 patients, and results from muscle stimulation on the scalp. Typically, the headache will pass within a few hours or with a dose of Tylenol.

Sleep disruption

Decrease/increase in energy following treatment

There has not been any occurrence of seizures reported worldwide since the introduction of standard treatment protocols in 1998.

The risks of therapy are discussed fully prior to the procedure. Proper pre-procedural screening ensures that we proceed with the therapy only when it is medically advisable. As well, post-procedural follow-up helps to identify and address any potential side effects or complications.

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Q7: CAN I SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS GONE THROUGH THE TREATMENT ?

MindCare Centres believes in providing as much information as possible prior to your treatment. This includes helping you be prepared for what to expect during treatment. Please consult our Patient Testimonials section to read excerpts from real patient letters to MindCare staff. In addition, we will be pleased to arrange a correspondence via email or teleconference between yourself and a past patient. Please contact MindCare staff members for more information.

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Q8: WILL THE PROCEDURE HURT ?

Note: The following information does not replace personal medical advice from your doctor or a qualified health care professional. Please read our disclaimer.

The rTMS therapy procedure itself is painless. No anesthesia is required and the procedure is non-invasive. The only equipment that is used during treatment is the rTMS machine and a hand-held device which will be held close to your scalp. You may feel a tingling sensation, or your scalp muscles may feel a little tense, during and a bit after your treatment. This is normal and may result in a minor headache. Most patients become comfortable after a few hours or taking a dose of Tylenol.

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Q9: HOW OFTEN WILL I RECEIVE rTMS THERAPY ?

Note: The following information does not replace personal medical advice from your doctor or a qualified health care professional. Please read our disclaimer.

Generally, your rTMS therapy will consist of two stages of treatment: acute treatment and maintenance treatment. New patients will receive acute treatment which involves 20 to 30 consecutive treatment sessions over a two to three week period.

Following this first stage of acute treatment, maintenance treatment sessions may be required once every 5 to 12 months, depending on your results. A doctor will discuss this with you and will determine your need for maintenance treatment following your first set of acute treatment sessions.

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Q10: HOW LONG WILL THE BENEFITS LAST ?

Note: The following information does not replace personal medical advice from your doctor or a qualified health care professional. Please read our disclaimer.

On average, patients return for Maintenance Therapy after approximately 8-12 months. This time frame varies between each patient. Patients that have suffered from severe cases of Depression may need to return for treatment after a few months, whereas we have had other patients return for maintenance therapy after a full three years.

On average, Maintenance Therapy entails half the number of rTMS sessions that were originally completed. We encourage patients to contact us immediately if they sense their depression symptoms are returning.

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Q11: HOW LONG WILL THE PROCEDURE AND INITIAL CONSULTATION TAKE ?

Note: The following information does not replace personal medical advice from your doctor or a qualified health care professional. Please read our disclaimer.

During your initial consultation, a doctor will review your medical history, explain the procedure, and determine if you are a suitable candidate for rTMS therapy. He or she will also answer your questions to help you determine if the procedure is right for you. Your initial consultation will take approximately one hour. The initial consultation lasts approximately 45 minutes.

Each rTMS treatment appointment will take approximately half an hour. Following each session, you will be able to discuss your treatment experience with a doctor. At least a half hour break is placed in between treatment sessions.

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Q12: HOW MUCH WILL THE TREATMENT COST ?

MindCare Centres believes in providing quality patient care, and affordability for our patients is important. Although there has been significant research on the use of rTMS, and the equipment is considered a medical device by Health Canada, this is a new treatment in the medical community.

• An entire course of Acute Treatment, consisting of 20-30 treatment sessions, is estimated at $5,000 to $7,500.
• Each treatment sessions costs $250.
• Stated costs include the fee for an initial intake consultation with a MindCare physician.

Extended Insurance Coverage:

Currently the majority of the largest extended insurance providers in Canada cover this treatment on a case-by-case basis.

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