# cranial electrical stimulation



## bruno2006

Got a fisher wallace stimulator (www.fisherwallace.com) and have been using it for a few days. If anyone is interested in this kind of alternative to drug treatment, I can let you in on my progress (anxiety, depression). Used Nexalin cranial therapy as well, but that crap was so expensive and, even though i saw some improvement (mainly used it to get of antidepressants), it did not last so long, hence the fisher wallace device. I am combining the stimulator with aminos acids, adrenal support (gaia), vitamins and minerals, and omega 3 and 6.


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## nork123

I tried a similar electrical brain stimulation device called "alpha-stim" ages ago, and it didn't do much of anything against my anxiety or depression, plus i'm not sure how safe these things would be, pulsing electricity through your brain doesn't sound like the safest idea and I was advised on this site that it was not such a good idea to use it. I haven't heard about this particular device but for me personally I would stick with just the amino acids and things you are taking because they seem like a much safer idea than the electrical stimulation

If you do keep using it though it would be interesting to see how you get on and if it has any benefits or side effects


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## bruno2006

nork123 said:


> I tried a similar electrical brain stimulation device called "alpha-stim" ages ago, and it didn't do much of anything against my anxiety or depression, plus i'm not sure how safe these things would be, pulsing electricity through your brain doesn't sound like the safest idea and I was advised on this site that it was not such a good idea to use it. I haven't heard about this particular device but for me personally I would stick with just the amino acids and things you are taking because they seem like a much safer idea than the electrical stimulation
> 
> If you do keep using it though it would be interesting to see how you get on and if it has any benefits or side effects


yea I heard of alph sim. A clinic i went to used to use it and they said it worked for some, but didnt last long. But, there are some who have benefited from it and I am sure there are different success rates from the various CES devices. There is another one called the Bio tuner I am interested in.

As far as safety, there are no reports of people dying, becoming suicidal or homicidal, developing diabetes, experiencing withdrawal, having a child with birth defects (read that some mothers are choosing CES instead of antidepressants), becoming fat, losing their inability to fall in love, etc, etc, etc. There is no doubt that this device is MUCH MUCH safer than antidepressants and, sorry to say, I find it quite comical that people would be worried about a device that has been around since 1991 with NO serious side effects, yet would pop pills that have severe side effects, some even covered up and ignored, and, further, with a questionable efficacy rates. Energy medicine (low level electrical waves, or magnetic waves, etc) is a very safe form of treatment and I think people should give it a try before drugs because there is nothing to lose. No one has ever (not with the fisher wallace device anyways) experienced severe side effects from it and the worst thing that can happen is it does not work for you to which you can simply return it and go about your life .

Well i have benefited so far, its only been a week but hopefully the effects are lasting. If not then I will return it. I dont think that there is any question that the device is efficacious as the study at Harvard proves.


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## rrhxiv

it works wonderfully for me. I feel almost normal...it allowed me to get off Nardil(which didnt work muchand had many side effects) Ive been using it 2 months and the only downside is it causes insomnia for me(paradoxical effect)


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## Twyla

*Works great for me too*

Been using it for over a year and it has been very effective for me, and I was pretty bad off. Relieved my anxiety and depression. I use it most days for an hour.


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## bruno2006

Twyla said:


> Been using it for over a year and it has been very effective for me, and I was pretty bad off. Relieved my anxiety and depression. I use it most days for an hour.


I am going to have to call you out on this- I think you work for them because two reasons: one, you only have 5 posts and the come here and talk about what supposedly helped you. Two, fisher wallace is currently advertising to previous customers a full 50% off on their product, which to me, means they need increased sales.

Sorry, but this is what I believe. I have been a member of varous forums and they get hit with supposed "members" marketing products and its not only annoying, but wrong.

The device helps but its not like you use it and you feel great,rather, for me, it sort of just relaxes you and I think in some people it works for depression but it didn't help me during withdrawal syndrome depression. So, it may help for someone who is depressed and who either uses meds or has never used meds but for withdrawal it didn't help me. The main benefit I use it for now is to help relax me when I am panic-y and stressed. Its pretty effective for that but so are many other things.

Bottom line is it can help but its not like a drug or herb that you take and feel great (btw I am not for drugs). In my opinion things like this should be used first before drugs.


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## gcali

I'm interested in hearing more first hand reports on CES (alpha stim or fisher wallace).


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## Twyla

*Whatever dude*



bruno2006 said:


> I am going to have to call you out on this- I think you work for them because two reasons: one, you only have 5 posts and the come here and talk about what supposedly helped you. Two, fisher wallace is currently advertising to previous customers a full 50% off on their product, which to me, means they need increased sales.
> 
> Sorry, but this is what I believe. I have been a member of varous forums and they get hit with supposed "members" marketing products and its not only annoying, "
> 
> I find it amusing that u think I work for the company. Don't take it out on me that it didn't work for you. It SAVED my life and I felt compelled to at least put it out there in case it could help someone else in dire circumstances, as I was. I'm only posting this now because this is the first I am seeing it, I only come on here when someone sends me a message, otherwise I am not on here because for the time being I am well and don't peruse boards anymore. You seem a little paranoid, btw.


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## CMPunk38

*Hi Twyla. Just a few questions.*



Twyla said:


> bruno2006 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I am going to have to call you out on this- I think you work for them because two reasons: one, you only have 5 posts and the come here and talk about what supposedly helped you. Two, fisher wallace is currently advertising to previous customers a full 50% off on their product, which to me, means they need increased sales.
> 
> Sorry, but this is what I believe. I have been a member of varous forums and they get hit with supposed "members" marketing products and its not only annoying, "
> 
> I find it amusing that u think I work for the company. Don't take it out on me that it didn't work for you. It SAVED my life and I felt compelled to at least put it out there in case it could help someone else in dire circumstances, as I was. I'm only posting this now because this is the first I am seeing it, I only come on here when someone sends me a message, otherwise I am not on here because for the time being I am well and don't peruse boards anymore. You seem a little paranoid, btw.
> 
> 
> 
> HI. Just bought the Fisher Wallace Stimulator. Used it 4 times already. Found that I am a bit nauseous after treatment. How bad were you depressed?
> How long did it take for you to start feeling normal on a daily basis? I have good days, but lousy days still. Thanks
Click to expand...


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## Zil

Lol this is BS. Wtf are these posts they don't even make sense. The guy said your posts were hoaxes and you reply with complete non-sense.

You don't need to be on 50 types of medication so get out of this.


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## Twyla

*To CM Punk*

I did not feel improvement for 3 weeks. Somewhere in the 4th week I started to feel better and gradually, over months got better. I was also exercising, eating pretty healthy, goimg to CBT and DBT most weeks, etc. I'm not familiar with a fisher Wallace but with the AS if you are nauseated then it is up too high. I was very depressed, cried for hours every morning. I was able to work part time if I took Ativan.

I really hope that you get some relief, whether with your FW or whatever works for you.


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## CMPunk38

Thanks for the info Twyla. Ive noticed it has decreased my depression. Still had a bad day yesterday. I find I have more anxiety now. Feel restless and/or worried. Body aches. Digestive problems. Did you have bad anxiety as well? What is CBT and DBT? Therapy?


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## CMPunk38

*Thanks Twyla*



Twyla said:


> I did not feel improvement for 3 weeks. Somewhere in the 4th week I started to feel better and gradually, over months got better. I was also exercising, eating pretty healthy, goimg to CBT and DBT most weeks, etc. I'm not familiar with a fisher Wallace but with the AS if you are nauseated then it is up too high. I was very depressed, cried for hours every morning. I was able to work part time if I took Ativan.
> 
> I really hope that you get some relief, whether with your FW or whatever works for you.


Sorry I wrote another thread above...


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## anarkee

good luck with your brain damage goals of 2013


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## CMPunk38

anarkee said:


> good luck with your brain damage goals of 2013


You're an 18 year old kid. What the **** do you know? Read about the device. Its FDA approved. It wouldnt be available if it caused brain damage. Pills do worse things to you.


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## FlyBoy

*Reply to many:*

To all,

I have several purposes in writing this. They ALL pivot around wanting to help people. I suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in October 2010 (now 2.5 years ago) after which I experienced severe anxiety, depression and insomnia. :afr I wouldn't wish that on my greatest injury ... including the person who did it to me. It has a long path back to being normal again but I have succeeded by the grace of God. My doctors at the HMO were not very helpful, in fact they were my #1 source of stress.  Ultimately what got me back to normal were proper supplementation and proper thoughts. (Proper nutrition, of course, was a given.) Now that I am 99% recovered and just trying to get a little bit better sleep and a little more control over my moods, I am interested in the Fisher Wallace device hence my interest in the discussion on this forum. If you will indulge me now I will tell you some of the things that work for me concerning my recovery.

In addition to proper nutrition I consulted a nutrition expert who put me on 5-HTP to get off of Zoloft. We also tried L-Tryptophan but 5-HTP worked better for me. Zoloft is one of many SSRIs. L-Tryptophan and 5-HTP are what Zoloft would like to be if they could be. SSRIs basically recycles your serotonin, but l-tryptophan and 5-HTP help you to create your own fresh serotonin, naturally. (L-tryptophan is the precursor to 5-HTP which is the precursor to Serotonin which is the precursor to melatonin). These are amino acids which come quite naturally primarily in meat products. Vegans and vegetarians are often lacking in amino acids such as these, hence they are at greater risk for depression and anxiety. I used a few hundred milligrams per day of 5 HTP or about 500 mg per day of L-tryptophan. Tryptophan made me sleepy, so I only used it before bedtime. An excellent book on the topic is called The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. I highly recommend it. :yes

Another great book that helped with my thinking is called The Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. :yes:clap It helped me to realize that I DO have more control over my mind's thoughts than I realized. The brain does what it wants, but the MIND filters out what the brain nags it with. The MIND decides what it will ignore or focus on. I know that sometimes it seems you can't stop thinking about something bad, but you CAN internationalize thinking about a different, good thing! Hence the battle. :duel But, it's worth the battle, right? That's a very rough way to summarize Meyer's excellent book and it doesn't do it justice.

I believe that a brain injury, years of poor eating habits, mental abuse, etc. can and WILL alter the brain and the mind. Psycologists say that if we remain in a condition for more than a short time (a couple of weeks??), we BECOME that condition. Then, it becomes an uphill journey to dig our way out of it. As for me, I remained there too long before taking the steps I needed. In my case, I was too injured to know what to do and my doctors failed to put me on the proper track in a timely manner so I had to sink to the depths before I clawed my way out. :tiptoe The above mentioned things (supplements & thoughts) were instrumental in my recovery.

Now that I'm well again, I am interested in the FP CES device (or other device) to make me new & improved. I want something to help me properly respond to stress, anxiety and to help me sleep like a baby. Supplements and thoughts have done well so far. It's time for an upgrade to Michael 2.0! :high5

As for the young people making know-it-all comments, keep them to yourselves, please.  As one commenter mentioned "what do you know?" Indeed, I long for the days of being 18 again .. or even the exciting years of being 23 in my new career as a USAF pilot. But, I knew nothing ... and you should humble yourselves and listen and learn from those who have been around the block a few times more. In the military, it was common to say "if you aren't part of the solution, then you are part of the problem." Don't be that guy.

Praying for your speedy recovery!


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## jackiehawaii

Here is some info comparing three CES units I have tried for anxiety/depression issues. I have now tried the Alpha Stim 100, the Fisher Wallace, and the Sota Bio Tuner BT-8.


These are my personal opinions. I have nothing to do with any of these manufacturers.


For past 20 years I have been through many medications. For me, a combo of Xanax and Neurontin has worked the best.


While researching other meds, I stumbled onto this CES technology.
I first tried out the Fisher Wallace unit. From that trial, I could tell CES was for real. During the trial period of the Fisher Wallace, I also bought an Alpha Stim 100 unit.

The ease of use of the Alpha Stim I liked better than the Fisher Wallace. And, with the Alpha Stim I could feel immediate results. Based on that, I sent the Fisher Wallace back. (Had to pay shipping both ways and a restocking fee).


I then wanted to see what the Bio Tuner BT -8 was all about. There are 6 settings on it, and I like the way it is made compared to the other 2 units. Very well designed and not cheap feeling. It does not have the .5hz setting that the Alpha Stim unit has. It is based around the 100-111hz settings. The Alpha Stim has .5, 1.5, and 100.
For me, I really like the .5hz.


I think with this CES thing, you really need to test out several devices to see which works for you. Maybe none will help you. I know 100% for sure that it is helping me out.


Let me know if you have any questions. I have jumped into CES with both feet and have learned a lot. 

I will sell the brand new Sota Bio Tuner BT-8 that I just got if anyone wants it. Sota will honor the 3-year transferable warranty. For me to ship back to Canada, pay the original shipping, and pay the 20% restock fee will be more than $100. Maybe someone here can use it.


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## stv0626

*Your device*

Hi..I am in a somewhat desperate situation as I've taken about 20 different kinds of meds for the last 15 years and it's been a nightmare. I came across an article on tms transcranial magnetic stimulation as an alternative and became very interested. I found out my insurance doesn't cover it and I could never afford it. So then I started looking on the Internet for something similar and found the Fisher Wallace info. I read about the 6 months deferred shipping if you pay through Paypal and spent a few days trying to set that up until I realized that you have to apply for the credit for the deferred payments..ugh! I had been unemployed up until 3 weeks ago and have no assets and make $9/hour at my new job. My anxiety and depression has been crippling--people who haven't gone through it couldn't possibly understand it. I saw your response about wanting to sell your device but I had never heard of it?..What would the cost be? And would there be any way I could make installment pmts? I have to do something different because this is literally unbearable.


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## jackiehawaii

Steve, I sent you a PM.
I can provide opinions on which CES units helped me. Before committing to buy any, get on a trial or rental program first. Fisher Wallace has a 60 day trial. Alpha Stim and the rest most have at least 30 days. Now that I am familiar with these things, I can tell in 2 days what works and what does not for me. The Alpha Stim unit worked best for me vs the Bio Tuner or Fisher Wallace. But the latter 2 sure seem to work for others. Other units that seem interesting to me that I have not tried are: the CES Utra and it's .35HZ setting, not it's 100HZ. And also the Oasis units like the Oasis Pro. Check eBay too. Buying a used one is good. That way if it does not help you, you can probably resell and get your money back. I bought the Sota Bio Tuner BT-8 brand new. Great unit but not for me. I will probably take a $100 loss on it when selling, but that's okay. 

I am familiar with the TMS therapy you mentioned. That is what got me into the CES.
TMS is one huge money making machine. Maybe it is great, but insurance companies don't want to pay much on treatments. Could cost thousands. Whereas the CES is a one time buy that you can do from home. And some insurance companies do reimburse for some CES units. (Like alphas stim and Fisher Wallace).


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## not2bad

I have been using cranial stimulation for a couple of years now and I think it helps a great deal with my insomnia. I have felt slight decrease in my overall levels of anxiety but it has not really helped with my confrontation anxiety at all.


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## anna65

stv0626 said:


> Hi..I am in a somewhat desperate situation as I've taken about 20 different kinds of meds for the last 15 years and it's been a nightmare. I came across an article on tms transcranial magnetic stimulation as an alternative and became very interested. I found out my insurance doesn't cover it and I could never afford it. So then I started looking on the Internet for something similar and found the Fisher Wallace info. I read about the 6 months deferred shipping if you pay through Paypal and spent a few days trying to set that up until I realized that you have to apply for the credit for the deferred payments..ugh! I had been unemployed up until 3 weeks ago and have no assets and make $9/hour at my new job. My anxiety and depression has been crippling--people who haven't gone through it couldn't possibly understand it. I saw your response about wanting to sell your device but I had never heard of it?..What would the cost be? And would there be any way I could make installment pmts? I have to do something different because this is literally unbearable.


------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
HI,
There is quite a bit of research on these products which is mostly good. Check out the Fisher-Wallace and Alpha Stim websites. I read through much of the research and they are backed by major medical and research institutions. Find a doctor or practitioner in your area and often you can rent the device -like 50 dollars for 3 weeks to try it out. A local DO in our town has the units and rents them. Or if you want to buy they do come with 30 and 60 day free trials for a full money back guarantee. The unit is not for me but for my husband who is just starting to feel better from anxiety and depression. Now we have to work on the insomnia part of weaning off of benzos which sucks. He just wants to fall asleep naturally again. We are going to give this a try. 
I understand how insidious depression and anxiety can be because my husband was almost checking out but with some meds, supplements, and support, he is making small gains. I think its a battle but getting off of meds could be an answer. I think that they further debilitated him, yet for others they are life saving. Psychiatrists don't have all of the answers, they just give you the answers they know about which is pharmacology. Sometimes this is nothing but poison. There are other approaches like naturopathy who knows maybe this electrical stim as a support that can help over the long term.


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## Starship1701

> I am familiar with the TMS therapy you mentioned. That is what got me into the CES.
> TMS is one huge money making machine. Maybe it is great, but insurance companies don't want to pay much on treatments. Could cost thousands. Whereas the CES is a one time buy that you can do from home. And some insurance companies do reimburse for some CES units. (Like alphas stim and Fisher Wallace).


Insurance companies are now getting on board with covering TMS since this July 2013. I learned it just a minute too late after going out of my way for a clinical research study that offered the active treatment as compensation! I know Bluecross covers and as well Harvard pilgrim. Possibly tufts I can't remember. The coverage criteria are basically proving you've tried 4 meds unsuccessfully for at least 4 weeks at effective dosage, or that you've had serious adverse reactions or side effects. So either that or sign up for a research study if you have no insurance... The TMS did start to work for me at the end! If only I could have continued, but 4 weeks was all they offered.

I was wondering if this poster knew which insurance companies cover the CES devices?


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## jaw444

anna65 said:


> -----------------------------------------------------
> Now we have to work on the insomnia part of weaning off of benzos which sucks. He just wants to fall asleep naturally again. We are going to give this a try.


Hi Anna
i'm wondering whether anything like this helped your husband with his insomnia? How's he doing? I hope you guys are making progress.


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## pdguest

*How is the Fisher Wallace Stimulator working for you?*

I would be interested in learning how this device has helped or not helped you. 
Thanks!


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## sooverit7

what is the difference between "cranial Stimulation" and Alpha Stim? i have been trying to find some responses in here that are recent. I am typing this 8/26/15 and everthing I am reading is from 2012/2013....I suffer from PTSD w severe anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, arthritis and lock jaw from the stress of it all with no resolution.....SUGGESTIONS? I have VERY LITTLE money, but I need to find an answer to my prayer. I am a single mom of 2- ages 7 and 9 who need a mom w energy to do things with them and the ability to go back to work and get off of LTD so I can provide more for them. I feel like a prisoner in my own body and in my condo I have significant dr bills, meds side effects and lowering of hope that I'll get past this....


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## EmmieTuesday

bruno2006 said:


> Got a fisher wallace stimulator (www.fisherwallace.com) and have been using it for a few days. If anyone is interested in this kind of alternative to drug treatment, I can let you in on my progress (anxiety, depression). Used Nexalin cranial therapy as well, but that crap was so expensive and, even though i saw some improvement (mainly used it to get of antidepressants), it did not last so long, hence the fisher wallace device. I am combining the stimulator with aminos acids, adrenal support (gaia), vitamins and minerals, and omega 3 and 6.


Hi, yes, I'm interested in learning more. Thank you.


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