TREATMENT: Does the Fisher Wallace Stimulator® work?

[BPDFamily.com]

Hi - My dBPDw's therapist has recommended she use a Fisher Wallace Stimulator. Not as a BPD cure (oh i wish) but as a way to relax and help with depression.

Has anyone else here had experience with this, either directly or with someone they know? It's FDA approved, so it's not a quack thing but I haven't found a lot of trustworthy reviews online.

Appreciate any thoughts on whether this was helpful.

[Nonamouse]

Hi - My dBPDw's therapist has recommended she use a Fisher Wallace Stimulator. Not as a BPD cure (oh i wish) but as a way to relax and help with depression.

Has anyone else here had experience with this, either directly or with someone they know? It's FDA approved, so it's not a quack thing but I haven't found a lot of trustworthy reviews online.

Appreciate any thoughts on whether this was helpful.

[Cloudy Days]

Is it the thing they use in EMDR where they hold two things in their hand and they vibrate back and forth?

My husband uses them in his therapy because the traditional EMDR seems to work him up too much, makes him a nightmare to be around for a day or two. I've seen a difference in my husband since he has been using them, but it could be just the therapy in general. Either way, he seems to tolerate it well unlike the traditional EMDR.

Well, I went and looked it up, it looks like the same thing but it's different. My bad

[briefcase]

 

Hi Nonamouse (great name by the way!), and welcome.  I wish I could help you with your question, but I'm not familiar with Fisher Wallace Stimulator, hopefully someone will come along who knows about it.  It looks like its for insomnia and depression.  Let us know if it works, I think a lot of members here would be interested.

[Nonamouse]

OK thanks for the feedback. It was prescribed by a DBT therapist so I was thinking there might be a connection. It requires a prescription but doesn't have to be an MD. I'll report back if it does help.

[Hydroman]

It works by putting radio waves through the cranium stimulating the production of seritonin.   I contacted the company and it has been used to treat symptoms (depression and anxiety and insomnia) for bipolar and borderline personality disorder patients-they didn't give me much info.  

My wife doesn't like all the side effects of meds so this might be an option.

[an0ught]

It may be that this device prescribed by a person who believes in it actually works. Suggestion can be powerful. However at $500+ I would like to see credible double blind tests published in an independent scientific magazine.

Lower cost or free of cost resources:

- Diary writing e.g. has survived double blind tests and requires lower investments.

- MoodGym https://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome may be also a resource worth a look and is free

- Have you looked at the workshop and book section esp. Burns: Feeling Good?

These relationships can be quite stressful. How are you feeling yourself?

[Nonamouse]

I posted here a few months back also looking for feedback. No one had heard about it. Most of the reviews I can find on the web find it effective for insomnia, but little information available on anxiety and none specifically on BPD.

I have taken the plunge and will report back any experience later this month. Yes, it's pricey but not in comparison to a 12 month prescription of seroquel.

- Diary writing e.g. has survived double blind tests and requires lower investments.

an0ught, while I agree in with you for a normal brain, for my BPD, diary writing was an awful prescription. Her first therapist had her journaling every day. It focused her on negatives, activated her anger and contributed directly to several rages. Her new T cut it out, only short mood diaries now, and I know she is much off for it.

[Hydroman]

Thanks Nanomouse!   I look forward to hearing your report.   I talked to my wifes' T about it-he had never heard of it.   He promised to research and I'm doing more research.  Nothing about its use for BPD symptoms so your report will be the first.

Hydroman

[Hydroman]

I decided to try the fisher wallace device for my wife who has severe bipolar disorder and BPD.   She hates all the side effects of the drugs, her psych won't give her klonapin or other benzo's for anxiety so worth a try.  What we saw was that it did help for insomnia and depression.  Being bipolar, it sent her into mania though.  We sent the device back and Fisher Wallace did refund us the money minus the expendables. 

I played with it, after using it, I did get tired and fell asleep fairly quickly thereafter.  Not being depressed, hard for me to say if it would work or not.   

If you are bipolar, don't try it but if only BPD-might work for you.

Hydroman