Fifth day of Treatment - End of week 1

Today was my 5th day of treatment and the end of week one. I am not going to sugar coat anything. At my full dose which is 76, I feel pain. The pain is like being stabbed in the brain with a knife or stick. Keep in mind that I am having the 3 minute rapid theta wave treatment vs. the traditional 1 pulse per second at 1Hz treatment for 30 minutes. The people I know that are having the other treatment described it not as painful but more like a woodpecker or an annoying hammer feeling. The 3 minute treatment is proven to be as effective as the traditional 1 pulse per second method.

To get through the pain I feel with it I am taking Advil and Tylenol prior to treatment and I am having my very compassionate tech talk to me during the treatment to distract me.

I am told that in time, the pain and discomfort will lessen and that some people end up not feeling it at all. Although I find that hard to believe at this point, I am hopeful. The pain is not excruciating but it is not fun. It is not bad enough for me to stop the treatment. I can handle it but it takes a fair bit of effort. I am grateful for this opportunity.

At the end of treatment today I felt a headache and nausea - both of which subsided within about an hour or two. I feel very tired, but I haven't been sleeping very well so I am not sure how much of it is from the treatment and how much of it is from lack of good sleep.

I am relieved to be able to have a couple of days now where I do not have to go to treatment. I am unable to go home for the weekend so I plan on taking it easy, sleeping as much as I can, trying to get in some exercise and trying to find the time for some self care.