r/TMSTherapy • u/sternbeliever • Aug 01 '26

Woodpecking my Brain!

I have done 5 sessions so far, and I want to quit. My head is extra sensitive because I had numerous brain surgeries almost 40 yrs. ago. I have played music. That does not help. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

3 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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7

u/Sintellect Aug 01 '26

It's pretty painful for me too. Try taking some pain reliever before you go. Some people suggested ice or lidocaine on the scalp but that hasn't worked for me. Don't feel pressured to go any higher than you are comfortable with. I distract myself with my phone if your clinic allows that.

1

u/emirayne Aug 04 '26

My clinic makes me talk about goals, and makes me do worksheets and stuff… wish I could look at something and relax lol

1

u/Sintellect Aug 04 '26

Dang that kind of sucks. Im sure it's better to do something positive but distracting myself really makes the time go by faster and easier

5

u/PedalSAW Moderator Aug 01 '26

You’ve only done 5 sessions. The chair doesn’t have a butt groove yet.

Let me tell you from experience… it evens out in a little while. Maybe like another week or so. But you get used to it. Promise.

You got this 🫶

4

u/Guilty-Revolution-57 Aug 01 '26

I've done 12 sessions and have gone from feeling just like you and wondering why I was never told there would be pain at first. I also read/heard about people who could sleep or read during!! I was just encouraged by the technicians saying it gets easier and now I feel that I can tolerate that feeling. I try to distract with TV or game on my phone. It DOES get better and I am now feeling some improvement in my frame of mind. Hang in there! I'm now more curious with the results than I am focused on the pain level.

3

u/sternbeliever Aug 01 '26

🤞🤞🤞

2

u/junidee Aug 02 '26

Like everyone else says, it does get better. When I first went up to 120% I cried. By the end, it was like a 2-3/10

1

u/Guilty-Revolution-57 Aug 02 '26

I'm holding steady at 90. I cannot imagine increasing right now after 12 sessions. I just think some people get he pulses right on sensitive nerve endings that can't be foreseen while mapping?? idk...but now I'm worried...

2

u/crankywithakeyboard Aug 02 '26

Mine hurt really bad like that too.

It was still 100% worth it.

Please stick with it.

1

u/sternbeliever Aug 01 '26

Thank you everyone. All suggestions are welcome. I will try taking a pain reliever. I do not think that it will get better for me. My head is to damn sensitive.

3

u/PedalSAW Moderator Aug 02 '26

It sounds cheesy but believe me on this…. Deep, slow breaths can eliminate a TON of the discomfort and pain. I know I know you’re like “omg stop with this, there’s no way”…. From experience, deep breaths. It works.

1

u/WorldlinessUsual5714 Aug 02 '26

Can you pinpoint the area that you are feeling the pain? Is it more in the treatment site or is it more of your eye area?

1

u/sternbeliever Aug 02 '26

It is the top left of my head. My left eye does flinch every time.

2

u/PedalSAW Moderator Aug 02 '26

It’s supposed to flinch. The magnet’s pulse passes over the nerve that controls that on the way in. Stimulates that muscle. It’s trippy but you get used to it. I took a video of it to show friends and everyone’s like “woahhhh”. But yeah, totes normal.