Lived Experience Forum

[PD_Perhaps]

I almost took an anti epileptic drug that was offered by a doctor...but I need proof. It's the scientist in me. I declined at the time.

[PD_Perhaps]

I have a long list that could be psychological in nature or vagal nerve related. I realize that I sound quite mad but I can assure you I am not. 🙂

[Appleblossom]

Dont worry I have a very broad notion of madness and sanity. I started going to psych wards when I was 10 and been visiting them ever since but have never been able to convince anyone to lock me up.  Apart from the orphanages etc.

I am not able to push my point very well , am easily fobbed off.

I am just trying to learn and share.  I find the current access to information about physical and mental health wonderful, looked up brain physiology yet again and the Vagus Nerve stimulator.

[PD_Perhaps]

It is an interesting field the vagus nerve. Because it is called the wandering nerve it goes from your head and pass many organs including. Because implants have been used in about 6000 people in the past to treat epilepsy and depression that is none responsive to other forms of therapy, it caught my eye...and then the pennies started to drop. Again, correlation doesn't mean causation. Now they have developed an easy to use vagus nerve stimulator I very much want to try it to improve my situation. It is being studied overseas to help in types of mental illnesses, including OCD, Depression, PTSD etc. The only one approved in Australia was for cluster head aches. The ear and fore head ones are still not approved in Australia and as far as I can see there is no research being done on it. Any thoughts on getting a research program up and running in Australia? Thoughts? I for one am in!

[Appleblossom]

Can they really distinguish between a cluster headache and the others?

My little brother is very upset with the limitations of the Australian medical system ... we just dont seem to have the population density and infrastructure to do the same kinds of things as they do in the US and Europe ... even though we have had some world renown medical minds.

My ex husband and family were mayo clinic types ... the best of the best yadda yadda ..

Keep trying to imporve situation here ... try not to too mad when they dont let you but keep turning up stones. It might be suitable for me as I have a lot of head pain that is undiagnosed ... due to a combination of stress and physical trauma ... cant say why .. because of the forum rules.

I, myself am interested myself in Broca's and Wernicke's areas.

I hazard a guess it is the space between receptive and expressive language that is a major issue for many psychiatric disoprders ... I may be wrong ... does anybody know of research?

[ivana]

That post was to Appleblossom as she mentioned the term SH.

[ivana]

I dont think your "mad" and i doubt that anybody on this forum thinks that either.

Just because you have a long list of unusual symptoms doesnt make you "mad" even if doctors think you are.

The Vagus nerve stimulator trial sounds like a great idea and really interesting.

I understand you didnt want to take the anticonvulsant because your scientific nature requires proof,but at the same time are you sure you wouldnt give it a try because the reality is that the majority of Psychiatric diagnosis and treatment is based on "guesswork" and without proof.

Ie:theres no proof (such as bloodtests etc) to actually confirm that each person actually has the DSM diagnosis that they have been given-its an educated guess at best (on the part of the psychiatrist).

In addition the treatments(when medication) arn't based on proof just on experimentation, with patients simply offered one antidepressant (for example)and then another if that one doesn't work etc.

Alternatively,could you afford to go to one of the countries where the non invasive VNS stimulator is approved and get treated there?

[ivana]

"I,myself am interested myself in Broca's and Wernicke's areas"

Me too.

[PD_Perhaps]

I have no idea Apple. I checked out those areas briefly. I'm sorry I can't be of help here.

[PD_Perhaps]

It may be that the psychiatrist or doctor may prescribe something along those lines.Once I can convey and list the symptoms they may have an idea. I am a bit loathed to take extra medication, but if is passes my BS metre...I'll consider it. There is still a way to go on my journey. I have always said that instinct was flawed and unreliable, what I never mentioned in the past is that it can also show us things and be a powerful tool. The only way to know is to test it...once a scientist....always a scientist.