While it is highly recommended that you finish the entire 6-8 week TMS course before assessing level of improvement, patients have the right to decline treatment at any time. However, stopping TMS mid-course is not recommended, as it will have wasted time and effort patients have put in for the initial treatments.

All patients respond to TMS treatment differently – some may respond as early as two weeks, while others can take as long as 6 weeks to respond. There are even some reports of patients showing a response 2-3 weeks after the completion of the TMS course. On average, patients tends to show some kind of positive response within 4 weeks.

Typically, after completion of a TMS course, patients will see their clinician for a post-treatment evaluation to determine whether or not TMS was effective and what additional steps are needed. If a patient were to stop treatment mid-course, there will unlikely be any positive or long-lasting reduction of their depressive symptoms.