If you’ve been managing depression for any length of time, you’ve probably tried more than one approach. Maybe you’ve worked with a psychiatrist to find the right medication. Maybe you’ve sat through therapy sessions, adjusted your routine, and still found yourself wondering why things aren’t clicking the way you hoped. It’s a frustrating place to be — and you’re far from alone.
One question that comes up often at Advantage TMS is whether patients can continue their current medications while undergoing TMS therapy. The short answer is yes. But there’s a lot more worth understanding about how med management with TMS works, and why this combination is giving so many patients real, lasting relief.
Medication management — often called med management — refers to the ongoing process of prescribing, monitoring, and adjusting psychiatric medications to treat conditions like depression and anxiety. For many patients, this means working with a psychiatrist or prescriber over months or even years to find the right medication, the right dose, and the right schedule.
Antidepressants like SSRIs and SNRIs are often the first line of treatment for depression, and they work well for many people. But a significant portion of patients — roughly one-third — don’t see adequate improvement from medication alone. Others experience side effects that make it difficult to stay on their prescriptions long-term. This is where TMS therapy enters the conversation.
TMS stands for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. It’s a non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment for depression that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain responsible for mood regulation. In patients with depression, the nerve cells in the prefrontal cortex are often sluggish or underactive. TMS essentially wakes those cells up — helping normalize brain chemistry and restore healthy neural function over the course of a treatment program.
A typical TMS treatment course runs five days a week for six weeks, with sessions lasting between 19 and 37 minutes. Patients are awake throughout, can drive themselves to and from appointments, and resume normal daily activities immediately after each session. There’s no sedation, no systemic medication, and no recovery time.
At Advantage TMS, we use the Apollo TMS Therapy System under the supervision of a board-certified psychiatrist and trained TMS professionals.
Yes — and some clinical evidence supports doing so. In fact, TMS therapy was studied in clinical trials both with and without antidepressant medications, and it was found to be safe in both contexts. Patients who were already on antidepressants during their TMS treatment did not face increased risks, and many saw improved outcomes compared to medication alone.
This makes med management with TMS a well-supported and increasingly common approach to treating depression, particularly for patients who:
It’s worth noting that TMS is non-systemic — meaning it doesn’t circulate through the bloodstream the way medication does. This is why it doesn’t carry the side effects commonly associated with antidepressants, such as weight gain, sexual dysfunction, nausea, or fatigue. Combining the two approaches gives patients the benefits of both without compounding unwanted effects.
Think of it this way: antidepressants work by adjusting chemical signaling in the brain, while TMS works by directly stimulating the neural networks responsible for mood. When those networks are sluggish, medication has a harder time doing its job. TMS helps revitalize those pathways — and once they’re more active, the brain is better positioned to respond to whatever other interventions are in place, including medication and therapy.
This is why TMS is sometimes described as a reset. It doesn’t replace the other pieces of a patient’s care plan — it makes them work better.
At Advantage TMS, we also pair TMS with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), lifestyle coaching, and individualized support. Our Licensed Clinical Social Worker guides patients through treatment, and group therapy sessions are offered free of charge for both current patients and alumni. Lab work is available to identify any vitamin deficiencies or underlying issues that may be contributing to depression. This whole-person approach means you’re not just treating symptoms — you’re building a foundation for long-term mental wellness.
If you’re currently on antidepressants and considering TMS, here’s what the process typically looks like at Advantage TMS:
Free Consultation: We offer same-day free consultations to help you understand whether TMS is right for your situation. Our team reviews your history, current medications, and treatment goals.
Coordinated Care: Our clinical team works alongside your existing prescriber to make sure your medication management and TMS treatment are aligned. You don’t have to choose one or the other — both can continue simultaneously.
Treatment and Monitoring: Over your six-week TMS course, our team tracks your progress closely. Some patients find that their medication becomes more effective, or that they’re able to work with their prescriber to adjust dosages as symptoms improve.
Aftercare and Maintenance: Advantage TMS patients have access to complimentary maintenance sessions, monthly follow-ups, monthly events like yoga, soundbowl and paint nights, and ongoing group therapy as alumni. The goal is lasting relief — not just short-term improvement.
About 75% of TMS patients see at least a 50% improvement in depression symptoms — and those improvements often last for months or years after treatment ends. If your current medications aren’t getting you where you want to be, or if you’re looking for a way to treat depression that works with your existing care plan, TMS may be the missing piece.
Advantage TMS is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. We accept most major insurance plans, including Tricare, ChampVA, Medicare, all Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, Aetna, Cigna, United, and more.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how med management with TMS could work for you.
Hunter, A. M., Minzenberg, M. J., Cook, I. A., Krantz, D. E., Levitt, J. G., Rotstein, N. M., Chawla, S. A., & Leuchter, A. F. (2019). Concomitant medication use and clinical outcome of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. Brain and behavior, 9(5), e01275. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1275
Mayo Clinic. (2023, April 7). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcranial-magnetic-stimulation/about/pac-20384625
Our office is closed December 25th for Christmas and January 1st for New Years Day. If you have any questions or urgent requests, please email us at info@advantagementalhealth.com.
Please fill out the form if you have a patient interested in learning more about TMS treatment. We appreciate the referral and partnership.
Next Steps:
• Our TMS Coordinator will contact the patient to schedule a complimentary information session.
• If the patient decides to seek TMS treatment with Advantage TMS, we will communicate with you when necessary and the patient will continue to work with you while receiving treatment.
Questions?
• Please don’t hesitate to contact us at 727-600-8093 or info@advantagementalhealth.com
