That’s Shocking

Sometimes all it takes to prevent a seizure is a little help every now and then, zapping your brain back to reality. What can do  that? A vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) is what you’re looking for. A VNS is a type of neuromodulator that alters the activity of nerves. VNS involves implanting a device that sends regular, mild pulses of electricity to your brainstem through the vagus nerve in your neck. After reaching your brainstem, the electrical charge is sent to different areas of your brain to change the way the brain cells work, like if they are going wild during a seizure. Sometimes the VNS is called “pacemaker to the brain” because it works like a pacemaker in your heart. What IS a vagus nerve? Your vagus nerve is one of 12 pairs of cranial nerves that send electrical signals between your brain and different parts of your neck, head, and torso. They control many of your body’s functions like your senses and motor functions. The longest cranial nerve is the vagus nerve, with one nerve on each side of your body. Both start at your brainstem and pass through your neck to your chest and abdomen. They connect your neck, heart, lungs and abdomen to your brain. Its a very important nerve! The nerve running down the left side is generally the one treated with the VNS when used for epilepsy. It plays a heavier role in brain function with less an impact on the lower abdomen. The implant is intended to improve blood flow to critical areas of the brain, alter the chaotic electrical patterns that occur during a seizure, and increase the level of norepinephrine and serotonin in your brain. Both are thought to help ward off seizures. So what does a VNS feel like? Initially, after activation you will feel a weird “tickle”. It may cause you to cough when its actively “zapping” , but otherwise, hoarseness while stimulating and an inability to speak loudly, or yell are general effects. You’re usually unaware the device is on or even feel the stimulation after you adjust to it. But how is it implanted? The device can be done as an outpatient procedure and usually takes 45 to 90 minutes to complete. Commonly, you’ll be given general anesthesia to keep you asleep during the procedure. Your surgeon begins by making two incisions, one on the left side of your neck to expose your vagus nerve and the other on your upper left chest below your collar bone. The coiled electrodes at the end of the lead wire are gently wrapped around your left vagus nerve through the incision made in your neck. The insulated lead wire is guided from your neck to your chest at the incision.They then connect  the end of the electrode to a battery (a little bigger than a silver dollar).Once the device, lead wire, and electrodes are implanted, the system is tested. The device is usually turned on at the lowest setting for 30 seconds to 90 seconds to make sure it’s correctly stimulating your vagus nerve. In 2-4 weeks you’ll return to your healthcare provider to turn on a stimulator device. The device will be set to deliver electrical impulses to your vagus nerve at a certain frequency (measured by Hertz), for a certain length of time (measured in microseconds to seconds) and on a specific time on/time off cycle (measured in seconds to minutes). Settings usually start at low levels to see how your symptoms respond and to check for side effects. If you sense a seizure is coming, you will be given a handheld magnet that can be swiped over the device in your chest to send extra stimulation to your brain. MY take: my experience with VNS has been positive. My surgeon was amazing, and my insicions healed exceptionally well. I have scars, but the scar on my chest is actually very helpful in locating where the magnet should be swiped (check out my Instagram page to see) I do struggle projecting my voice when the device is stimulating, but that’s only a few seconds. I have found that using the magnet and swiping generally helps with my post-ictal phase, too. On seizures I have “swiped” , my recovery is brief, and much less confusing (and there’s no crying!) The VNS doesn’t cure epilepsy, and may not even completely stop your seizures, but any little bit of comfort or  help is appreciated when living with epilepsy, and the VNS can give you that!