I recently started treating a very depressed patient. He had been struggling for some time. His world was a grey landscape where nothing stood out. The days just merged from one to the other. The only thing he looked forward to, with desperation, was his evening routine of wine and cannabis which helped him relax…
(Updated 16 July 2026) For a treatment to be genuinely accessible, it needs to be both available and affordable. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS, faces challenges on both fronts in South Africa. TMS machines are imported and expensive. Clinics therefore need to recover substantial equipment, staffing and maintenance costs through treatment fees. This makes treatment…
We have very few TMS treatment centres in South Africa. Patients sometimes have to incur extra costs to an already expensive treatment. Flights, accommodation, meals on treatment days- it all adds up. Rewire TMS Clinics have partnered up with FactTMS to try to remove barriers to TMS treatment. Let us know if you think you…
A common question when I discuss TMS with patients is, “Is TMS like shock therapy?” Funders often query, “Why wouldn’t ECT be a more appropriate therapy?” The bottom line is that TMS and ECT are very different treatments used in different circumstances.
What is TMS? TMS is a non-invasive, effective way to stimulate or inhibit the brain to treat mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, OCD and PTSD. The procedure involves placing an electromagnetic coil on the scalp and delivering a series of magnetic impulses to brain parts associated with specific functions like mood regulation. What are…
November 2023 is a busy month for Rewire TMS clinics! We are moving two of our clinics, I am presenting on TMS at the Psychiatry Congress (SASOP) and funders are starting to come on board. Rewire Poortview is now moving to Cat’s Corner, Roodepoort. More and more evidence is coming that TMS’s efficacy can be…
When Medical Aids pay for TMS in South Africa, it will become accessible to more people struggling with mental illnesses.
Last year I embarked on a new chapter in my career, opening Rewire TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Clinics. When I first learned about TMS, I must admit, I was sceptical. The idea of using magnetic pulses to treat Treatment Resistant Depression seemed unconventional, even improbable. However, my curiosity pushed me to delve deeper into the…
Psychiatrists are excited about new developments in the treatment of depression.
TMS therapy takes commitment. There are steps to help the process along
When I first heard of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, I must admit, I was a bit sceptical. I struggled to believe that a giant magnet held to your head could help patients struggling with Treatment Resistant Depression. But, as study after study came in, with extremely positive results in traditionally hard to treat patients, I became increasingly frustrated. Why wasn’t…
If you are going through hell, keep going Winston Churchill By the time patients come to me for the treatment of their depression, they have often been sick for some time. When we go into the history of the illness, it becomes clear that most have been depressed before. If you have had two episodes, more…
Drained of all colour: What is depression? Depression is a difficult concept to understand. We use the term loosely every day: “that movie was so depressing,” or, “I feel so depressed when I think of Covid”. In this context depression is a normal, healthy part of the human experience. From an evolutionary perspective, depression could even be…
At Rewire TMS Clinics, we stay abreast of current research to deliver the best protocols for our patients.
The evidence is in!Fitzgerald et al evidence for effectiveness of rTMS ANZJP (1) TMS works!