I’ve Tried Medication, Ketamine, Even Residential - Could TMS Still Help?

Sam Clinch • December 12, 2025

How TMS is different: a quick, plain-language explanation



TMS uses a magnetic coil to stimulate specific areas of the brain associated with mood and emotional control. It’s non-invasive, does not require anesthesia, and is performed in an outpatient setting. Instead of changing chemistry like antidepressants or providing a rapid but medication-based reset like ketamine, TMS aims to retrain brain circuits by repeatedly activating under-performing regions so they function more normally over time. Inspire’s patient materials stress this neuroplastic, circuit-based approach and describe mapping, stimulation and physician oversight used to personalize treatment.

Why TMS can work even after other treatments fail


There are several reasons TMS might help when other options didn’t:



  • Different biological mechanisms. Antidepressants target neurotransmitters; ketamine rapidly affects glutamate and neuroplasticity; TMS delivers patterned electrical activity to cortical circuits. Because mechanisms differ, failing one path doesn’t rule out benefit from another. Clinics increasingly view TMS as complementary rather than redundant.



  • Targeted circuit retraining. TMS is aimed at re-engaging specific brain regions (for example, the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in depression), which can reduce entrenched symptoms that medication alone hasn’t corrected.



  • Evidence for treatment-resistant cases. Research and clinic data show TMS can produce response and remission in many people who previously failed medication trials or other interventions; clinics report meaningful clinic-level outcomes consistent with published literature. Inspire’s materials note strong response rates in real patients and systematic outcome tracking.



  • Repeatability and boosters. If someone responds to TMS once, they are often likely to respond again to retreatment, maintenance, or booster sessions, a practical advantage for people who relapse after other therapies. Clinics offer maintenance, rescue, and extension programs for long-term care.



Read more: Is TMS right for me?


How TMS compares with other intensive options you may have tried


Medications:


  • Pros of meds: widely available; many people respond; easy to combine with other care.



Ketamine / Spravato:



  • What ketamine/Spravato offers: rapid antidepressant effects in hours to days for some patients, and can reduce suicidal ideation quickly. Spravato requires in-clinic dosing and monitoring for a few hours afterward.



  • How TMS differs: TMS produces cumulative neuroplastic change across many sessions rather than a brief pharmacologic reset. For some people, ketamine helps, but benefits fade or are incomplete; TMS can produce a durable improvement for others. Clinics sometimes view ketamine and TMS as complementary, with ketamine for rapid rescue and TMS for durable circuit retraining, and will recommend the best sequence for an individual patient.


Residential care / intensive psychotherapy programs:



  • Residential programs provide intensive therapy, structure, and sometimes medication management; they’re invaluable for many. However, if symptoms persist after residential care, it suggests that entrenched neurobiological patterns are contributing to ongoing suffering. TMS addresses brain circuit function directly and can be effective alongside continued outpatient psychotherapy and medication when residential gains are incomplete. Inspire emphasizes integrating TMS into a broader care plan when warranted.


ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy):



  • ECT remains the most robust treatment for severe, refractory depression and can produce high remission rates, but it requires anesthesia and has a longer recovery. TMS is much less invasive, avoids anesthesia, and offers a favorable safety/tolerability profile. For many patients who are reluctant to pursue ECT, TMS offers a middle ground with strong evidence and fewer procedural burdens. Inspire materials explicitly compare TMS and ECT on safety and tolerability. 

Evidence & outcomes, what the data and clinic experience show


Published and clinical evidence:


Studies and meta-analyses support TMS for treatment-resistant depression and other conditions. Inspire’s clinical reporting aligns with those findings: many patients experience meaningful response and remission after a course of TMS. Clinic materials note that TMS response rates are “well over 50%” in relevant cohorts, and real-world tracking shows a large proportion reach clinically meaningful thresholds.


See our in-clinic results here


Responders after prior failures:


Clinical booklets and consult materials emphasize that patients who responded once to TMS often respond again with boosters, and maintenance TMS can reduce relapse risk. This is particularly encouraging for people who have cycled through many prior treatments.


Bottom line: While individual results vary, TMS is a well-documented option with a track record of benefit in many treatment-resistant cases - a real “next step” for people who’ve tried medication, ketamine or residential care without durable recovery.

Who should consider TMS after trying everything else?



  • People with persistent depressive symptoms after adequate medication trials and/or psychotherapy.


  • Those who had partial or temporary benefit from ketamine or residential programs but relapsed or were left with residual symptoms.


  • Patients want a non-systemic, non-anesthetic option that can be combined with continued psychotherapy and medication.


  • People open to an outpatient course of daily treatments (or compressed accelerated schedules in some cases), and are willing to undergo screening (implants, seizure history). Most clinics, including Inspire, perform careful screening to optimize safety and fit. 




Download Your Roadmap to TMS


Want a clear picture of what to expect? Download the TMS Treatment Roadmap by Sydney


What a realistic care plan looks like at Inspire TMS Denver


Comprehensive consult and review:


Clinician review of your psychiatric history, prior treatments (meds, ketamine, residential notes), and outcome measures. Inspire will check insurance and discuss likely coverage.


Mapping session:


Physician-led mapping determines stimulation location and intensity; the first treatment is often scheduled after mapping. This ensures any new clinic’s parameters are properly individualized.


Course selection:


Standard rTMS over weeks, iTBS shorter sessions, or accelerated protocols for rapid delivery when clinically appropriate. If you’ve had ketamine or other interventions, the team tailors the protocol to your trajectory.


Monitoring & follow-up:


Outcome scales guide progress; if you respond, the clinic discusses maintenance or booster strategies to preserve gains. If the response is partial, protocol adjustments or retreatment options are considered.

Safety, side effects & important cautions


Side effects:


Common effects are mild and temporary, scalp tenderness or headache. Serious risks (like seizures) are rare and screened for. Clinics are trained to manage side effects and emphasize safety. TMS is routinely compared favorably to more invasive neuromodulation in tolerability.


Not a guaranteed cure:


Not everyone responds. Some patients experience a “TMS dip” or need protocol changes; clear communication and outcome tracking are essential. Inspire’s materials are honest about variability and the need for individualized care. 

Cost & coverage after prior intensive care


Insurance realities:

Insurers typically require prior medication trials for coverage of TMS for depression and may not cover off-label or accelerated protocols. If you’ve had expensive prior treatments (e.g., residential, ketamine), it’s worth checking whether TMS would be a covered next step given your history; Inspire routinely runs benefits checks and prior authorizations.


Self-pay & sliding scale:

For off-label courses (or when insurance won’t pay), clinics often offer sliding scale or packaged pricing and may provide hardship assistance for repeat/maintenance care. Discuss these options at the consultation.



Not Sure If Insurance Covers TMS?

Get a personalized estimate - see if you qualify for insurance and what you’d pay without coverage.


Real patient perspective


Many patients who had previously “tried everything” told Inspire they finally felt meaningful recovery after TMS - including people who’d had long histories of medication trials, ketamine, or residential stays. One patient wrote that TMS “provided results that years of therapy and medication could not,” noting durable improvement after TMS care. Patient stories don’t guarantee outcomes, but they illustrate that change is possible even after exhaustive prior steps.


Next steps - how to evaluate whether TMS is right for you


Gather your treatment history (med lists, ketamine/Spravato records, residential discharge summaries, outcome measures). Bringing mapping notes or specific device info helps, but is not required.


Book a consult with a TMS-trained psychiatrist who will review your history, screen for contraindications, and explain protocol options (standard, iTBS, accelerated, maintenance). Inspire offers free phone consultations to help people decide.


Ask about the sequencing -whether TMS, repeated ketamine, ECT, or a combined approach is the best next step for your case. A thoughtful team will discuss risks/benefits and make a plan that centers on your goals.

  • If ketamine helped a little, does that mean TMS won’t work?

    No. Ketamine’s mechanism differs from TMS. Some patients respond to both; others respond to one and not the other. Prior partial response to ketamine does not predict TMS failure and may sometimes signal the brain is still plastic and capable of change.

  • Should I try ECT instead?

    ECT has very high effectiveness for severe refractory depression, but it requires anesthesia and has recovery considerations. TMS offers a less invasive alternative with good tolerability; your clinician can advise whether TMS or ECT is more appropriate based on severity, history and preferences.

  • Can TMS be combined with psychotherapy or meds?

    Yes. Best outcomes are often achieved when TMS is integrated into a broader treatment plan including psychotherapy and medication management as needed. Inspire emphasizes coordinated care.

Every Question Answered

Want to know more about TMS? Check out this in-depth guide to TMS therapy with transparent and easy to understand explanations about TMS processes, protocols, and treated conditions.

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