Vagus Nerve Stimulation Shows Success in Study

Unfortunately the initial VNS studies for depression were poorly blinded. When VNS has been studied in epilepsy, the placebo patients get a VNS implanted that puts out a current, but not a therapeutic level of current. In the VNS studies for depression, the ones that garnered the FDA indication, the placebo patients got a VNS implanted that put out no current. Because the patients can feel the current the device puts out, and because a fair amount of the time it alters the voice, a no-current VNS device is a poor placebo, and it's quite obvious to the patients and to the docs who got the real VNS device and who didn't. The placebo response rate for depression is, of course, not insignificant. The data for VNS working at all in depression are, therefore, not very convincing.

Let's not forget electroconvulsive therapy -- an oldie, sure, but still an antidepressant medgadget (and it works better than VNS!)

Cyberonix issued a letter to all dr's doing the VNS study about mid Nov. of 2006 stating the device was prone to max out without warning during adjustment. Four months later I experienced that max voltage and the device could not be reset until the tech called cyberonix for help. So I sat there at max voltage for close to 15 minutes. To make a long story short I have spent the last nine months in severe pain, bad headaches EVERY day plus being nonfunctional for half that time. The dr over the study and cyberonix both refuse to admit or even aknowledge that anything is wrong but the device just hasn't been fully adjusted yet so it can work. Yet they have no excuse why my teeth are literally burnt up and breaking off, I can no longer safely drive plus the head and body aches etc. They screwed up and they are coving their asses is all. I would not recomend VNS Therapy for depression to anyone !! Be careful who you trust and only believe a small portion of what they tell you !