Day 16: be patient with the Fisher Wallace Stimulator

Using the FWS for only 15 minutes yesterday morning, at Level 1, was not helpful. I stayed up very late and slept poorly, with one wicked weird dream about being in southern California (the opposite coast) and trying to find a new place to live, involving a tented area adjacent to a trailer in a bad part of town. Weird. I won't go into more detail, but there was plenty.

This morning I went back to take another look at the Clinical Recommendations document I mentioned in a previous post. These were the passages that stood out to me:

"Most patients find that at the end of 20 minutes on level 1, they are more relaxed, calmer, and a bit drowsy. However, many may not feel these effects for 2 or more weeks after the start of treatment." 

I added the bolding for emphasis. I am impatient, as you may be, in my hope for the change that seems promised by the FWS. But I am going to keep these bolded words in mind and realize I have to stick with this for a little longer. At this point, after 4 days at Level 1 in the morning only, I do not think there is any noticeable relaxation or calm after using the FWS. But, if those feelings can take 2 or more weeks, I may have a long way to go.

The clinical recommendations also state:

"If there is no response after 1-2 weeks, depending on how urgent the symptom relief is, one would then go to level 1 twice a day....."

So, it sounds like I need to try the Level 1 in morning only for two weeks, and then go to Level 1 twice per day. I have 10 days to go. Wish me staying power. I hope we don't all get too bored by this blog in the meantime.