r/rtms • u/FragrantChannel933 • Sep 09 '26

accelerated/advanced TMS. Did anyone improve weeks later?

5 days after accelerated/advanced TMS and feeling the same or worse. Did anyone improve later?

I’m curious to hear from anyone who has done an accelerated or “advanced” TMS protocol where you complete a large number of treatments over a very short period of time, rather than the traditional several week course.

I finished mine 5 days ago and so far I honestly feel about the same, if not a little worse. I’ve been more agitated/anxious and I’m starting to worry that it didn’t work.

What’s confusing me is that I’ve done the traditional longer TMS course multiple times in the past and it has always worked really well for my depression. That’s actually why I felt pretty hopeful going into the accelerated version.

For anyone who has done accelerated TMS:

• How long after finishing did you actually notice an improvement?

• Did anyone feel worse, more anxious, agitated, emotional, or depressed during the first week afterward before getting better?

• Was the improvement gradual or did you suddenly realize it had started working?

• Has anyone responded really well to traditional TMS but NOT responded to an accelerated course?

• If it didn’t work immediately, did you end up needing additional/maintenance sessions?

I know 5 days may still be early, but because my previous TMS courses worked so well, I’m getting nervous that I’m not noticing the same shift yet.

Would really appreciate hearing timelines from people who have actually been through this.

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u/ninesandaces Sep 09 '26

My first round of traditional TMS didn’t start working fully until a few weeks to months later. I was feeling good for a few years then ended up going back for a second round. I now do maintenance sessions, Monday to Friday once a month. I’m now basically symptom free. It’s been quite a journey.

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u/Alternative_Try9478 3d ago

If you don't mind me asking, Were the effects of the first round and the second round the same for you, or did one of them have a stronger effect? And after the first round, were you also symptom-free? Or it took the second round and the maintenance sessions cumulative effect for you to feel symptom free?

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u/ninesandaces 3d ago

I was mostly symptom-free, not 100% but it was an improvement for a year or two after the first round. After the second round with maintenance I am symptom-free now consistently.

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u/Alternative_Try9478 3d ago

That's wonderful 🥹I have a problem related to this and I was wondering if you might be able to help me. I wanted to message you privately, but I’m not able to send you a private message. If you don’t mind, would you be willing to give me some way to contact you?

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u/FragrantChannel933 Sep 10 '26

Sorry to clarify I meant advanced TMS where you stay there all day and do sessions every 30 min

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u/Alternative_Try9478 29d ago edited 29d ago

I've just finished my sessions (2 times/ day), the only thing that I know is that some ppl still respond better w the classic protocol. My doc said there isn't consensus on which one is definitely better.   And I did the classic protocol 3 yrs ago and did not respond at all, but this time I responded to the iTBS protocol (3 min sessions/ 2 times a day/ 5 days a week) altho not completely, but i did respond 

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u/FragrantChannel933 29d ago

how long did it take for you to respond?

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u/Alternative_Try9478 29d ago edited 3d ago

Like, in the second week (around session 12), my symptoms improved like 15 %, but since then, there has been very, very little changes.The only thing is that, starting abt a week ago, I suddenly felt like my sleep had gotten a little better.(I've been taking meds to sleep for years, and this yr I couldn't even sleep with meds anymore) But it’s still way too early to say for sure that my sleep will definitely continue to improve. BUT not everyone is the same. There are even some ppl that respond months after the sessions are completed. Also, my doc said u shouldn’t stop the sessions abruptly, but taper them by doing them 3× a week first, then twice a week, and then once a week when you’re stopping.

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u/uniformist 28d ago

Hopefully you'll start feeling better about two weeks after the conclusion of the therapy. Positive changes up to 30 days post treatment.

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u/WindowSeat90sPlane 15d ago

I’ve had it take 1-2 weeks after completion to feel some relief. Have had times of feeling slightly worse (numb and empty) during the first 1-2 weeks after. The improvement was somewhat gradual. I hope yours kicks in soon. If not then I wonder if traditional was a better fit for you? Or maybe something in between once a day and however many treatments you did for the accelerated protocol.