Posted by SLS on May 25, 2000, at 6:33:37
In reply to ECT- Unilateral vs. Bilateral, Side effects ?, posted by Dave A on May 23, 2000, at 19:42:43
> Hi,
Hi.
> Not sure I'm doing this right, this is my
> first time on this site.You hit the target! Not bad for a first shot.
> I have had bilateral treatments in the
> past, but have trouble waking up all
> confused and disoriented immediately
> after a treatment.Why was bilateral chosen over unilateral?
> I was told unilateral was easier.
Unilateral treatments do not usually produce as great a degree of disturbances of memory and cognition (the experience of thinking) as do bilateral.
> Has anyone had both? If so, can you describe
> the differences in waking up? If anyone
> has had just unilateral can you describe
> what that is like. Confusion? Do you know
> where you are? Delirium? For how long
> after awaking?I had both. I guess there may be a bit of a paradox here, but I don't remember experiencing any great degree of the type of confusion you describe. I truly don't recall that the bilateral treatments were different from the unilateral treatments in this regard. That's just me.
Perhaps the anesthesia contributed do your experience. What was used?
Is what you describe so severe as to discourage you from being treated again? I was more concerned as to how the treatments would affect me afterward.
How do treatments affect you overall? How did you feel after each treatment, and how did you feel after the full series was completed?
For me, bilateral treatments produced significantly more memory problems and disturbances of cognition than did unilateral. I felt pretty weird for about a month after the last treatment. I often felt disoriented any time I left the house, especially in shopping malls, department stores, unfamiliar places, and crowds of people. Sometimes, while I was driving, places that I knew like the back of my hand seemed unfamiliar. I think I may have had some difficulty remembering how to get places. Again, these things disappeared within a month. Had I responded to treatment, it would have been well worth it.
Bilateral treatments have a greater statistical rate of success. This does not necessarily mean that the quality of the response to unilateral treatments is any less than that of bilateral. It depends on the individual. Unilateral treatments are definitely more forgiving. I guess you and your doctor must evaluate the desirability of using a particular treatment based on your individual case. The reason my treatments were switched from unilateral to bilateral was because of how refractory my depression has been and the lack of improvement seen after the first six treatments.
I'm sure you'll get a great many replies here. I hope you receive more descriptions of personal experiences given by reasonable people.
> Thanks,
>
> Dave AMy (our) pleasure.
Sincerely,
Scott
poster:SLS
thread:33082
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000517/msgs/34577.html