Info/opinion re ECT

Quite frankly, I would take ECT myself before I would take a lot of the psych meds we give to people ... Best wishes for whatever you decide --

Thank you SO MUCH for answering! It is just such a scary prospect - But you're right, some of the meds, YIKES! Had SEVERE SEVERE reaction to Geodon last summer, akathesia to the MAX ...

The procedure has been perfected, but the severe side effect of memory loss has not. Many patients state they lost memory from 6+ months prior to the series of treatments.

Best wishes

The procedure has been perfected, but the severe side effect of memory loss has not. Many patients state they lost memory from 6+ months prior to the series of treatments.

Best wishes

Hey, this year has been so awful I'd be GLAD to not remember it! ha ha!

Yes memory loss continues to be a problem with ECT, however this has to be balanced against the benefits. In looking at your cognition, that is your overall awareness of things around you and your ability to interact with them, I would say you appear to be functioning well on the basis of the question you pose and the replies you have given. That would I think make the psychiatrists I work with reluctant to give you ECT, however I don't know your story and its not something you should disclose on a public website. Taken that you need ECT, I would agree with elkpark it is much safer nowadays compared to the past. I have helped in the administration of ECT many times and have seen the benefits in those given it, this is poles apart from my initial opinion about it though. When training I was vitriolically opposed to it... it was 'barbaric', however my interactions with one client changed all that. She was a lady in her 30's who normally functioned as a mother and shop assistant, but due to social circumstances and relationship issues would become almost catatonically depressed. I mean this was to the point of lying motionless staring at a wall all day long, being incontinent of urine and faeces. She was given ECT and literally within a week she was skipping and playing tag with another patient on the ward. In fact on of the problems we had with this lady was she came up so fast that she became alert enough to attempt suicide after the first few doses of ECT,it was that quick in effect (she was too depressed to even attempt suicide before).

Ultimately the question of having ECT or not is more about the alternatives, if you don't for example and try another antidepressant you may respond, although this tends to take a while. On the other hand you may not respond to an antidperessant and if you start getting persistant thoughts of suicide, the outcome maybe a personal tragedy and family disaster. Also ECT can help restore the 'balance' to a person with bipolar with a reduced risk of going 'high' because the ECT can be ceased immediately this becomes evident.

At the end of the day the choice is yours, just dont buy into the 'urban legends' regarding ECT when making your decision.

regards StuPer

I believe that a lot of the associated "memory problems" can also be classified as urban legend. I work in the Alzheimers field nowadays, and one of the differential diagnoses we seek to exclude is depression. The depressed person will often suffer from lowered attention and concentration, as well as mood, and none of these are conducive to good memory. I seem to recall that unilateral as opposed to bilateral application showed less effect on memory.

All in all ECT is a relatively safe and effective treatment for severe depression which has proved resistant to other forms of treatment.

Thanks you guys, I really appreciate the feedback!

I've been working one day a week for the past eighteen months helping administer ECT. I think the screening process is key. Some of the personality disorders slip by our docs and usually we see no improvement with them. Our clients who have real depression make amazing improvement. We treat a lady who is bipolar and can become catatonic. It truly has saved her life. The turnaround she has made is astounding. Our list of success stories is a very long and gratifying one. Many of our clients are troubled with memory loss immediately following the treatment ie not being able to remember where the dressing room is, who drove them to treatment, etc. They report that this is transient. Virtually all of them report what they have traded in memory loss for the immense relief from depression is well worth it. I can't think of a single case where severe memory loss has happened. A few have complained of headache and/or muscle soreness afterwards. We treat this with Toradol and usually our clients are soon comfortable. I can say with all honestly, that I would have it if needed. I'd recommend it to a loved one if they were suffering. The positive effects can subside after a few months of stopping treatment (not always). Those clients come back for more ECT because they know they're going to feel better again soon. Hope this helps and the best of luck to you.

My doc wants to do ECT on me for intractible (sp) depression/bipolar. I'm not functioning too well ie getting out of the house, going to support groups, ADL and socializing. I've been on several several meds.

Any feedback on how well you have seen this working, or other kinds of treatment/therapy for those for whom meds aren't effective?

I truly appreciate your help.

BTW I am an RN as well as the hair club president LOL

I've been working one day a week for the past eighteen months helping administer ECT. ...Hope this helps and the best of luck to you.

I am so SHOCKED to see so much positive feedback!

Well I have had improvement since my initial post, I think the prospect of the treatment scared me out of my funk for a minute or two, LOL!

I have hx of a suicide attempt (razor blades) in 85, no attempts since, altho in the past few months I get this flash of anger at myself and then BOOM, see myself shooting myself in the head with a gun - definitely blame myself for my illness. Yes I am safe and no I don't have a plan and yada yada (LOL)

Borderline was ruled out in 85 - I am a recovering alcoholic and had many successful years as a nurse (although not always back to back!)

I do have bipolar illness, mostly the depressive side, at first they said it was bipolar II because it seemed the SSRI's were guilty for the mania. Now they have upgraded me to bipolar I, yipee!

I would do ok if I didn't have to leave the house, organize things, do housework, interact with people. Initially with this relapse (Oct 2003) it was mostly major anxiety with depression, now I am too depressed to be anxious...

ANY way, thank you all so much for helping me. I will play it by ear - I may just go back to Lithium and Prozac which helped for a while and see how it goes.

God bless!

Were I too depressed to function ECT would be my treatment of choice. The best results I have seen were with severe intractable depression. I'm not so sure about use with bipolar d/o and use of ECT to treat personality d/o borders on malpractce.