How long does it take before VNS Therapy starts to work?
People have different response patterns to VNS Therapy. Some people respond very early and maintain their responses, while others respond much later. The design of the clinical study for FDA approval made it hard to relate the optimal dose to the response rates and to how long a person had had VNS Therapy. Clearly, while some people responded within 3 months of VNS Therapy stimulation, others first responded after 9 months or more.1,2 Because of this delayed response, it is essential to understand that this is a long-term treatment—very different from standard depression treatments like medications, which often take effect within weeks. In most people, the antidepressant effects of VNS Therapy are subtle at first. Family members often notice improvements (like more energy or greater motivation) before the patient does.
