Posted by Chloe on January 1, 2002, at 19:20:51
In reply to Re: Cam:antipsychotic question, posted by OldSchool on January 1, 2002, at 18:26:30
> You can avoid neuroleptics by going back to the basics of psychiatry and having ECT instead.
>
> Bilateral ECT has powerful dual antidepressant/anti-psychotic effects, which can come in handy with mood disordered folks who have psychotic features such as "distorted thinking." ECT does not carry with it the danger of inducing movement disorders like EPS and TD.
>
> Bilateral ECT is the single most effective treatment for mood disorders with psychotic features and all the literature you will read will back that up.
>Old School,
You seem to be a real advocate for ECT. Have you ever had any treatments? Do you have any first hand knowlegde of this or seen any patients truly respond to ECT in the LONG TERM?ECT, though it has come a long way since it's inception, is still a "risky" treatment. Many people have had several rounds of ECT and had no benefit and had a major loss of memory and ability to think and process information. I think you offer this treatment as some kind of miracle cure for distorted thinging and mood disorders. When there is no assurance that it's going to help, and just may cause PERMANENT impairment cognitively (versus physically-TD and EPS).
I also must add, that ECT is expensive and may even require hospitalization for the duration...Not to mention the social stigma...And I don't know that this is a long term solution. The instigation of some maintaince medication will inevitably be needed post ECT, hence the side effect problem again.
I have read much about ECT being a good LAST RESORT therapy for people who are stuck in a deep resistant depression, or who are flagrantly psychotic, ie. completely in their own world and out of touch with reality. BUT for the average patient, who may have distorted thinking as part of a bipolar 2, rapid cycling and paraniod tendencies, I am not sure a series of zaps to the brain is worth the gamble.
Do you know of any bipolar patients who have benefited from ECT? I am not aware of it being used for this with any success. Depression, yes, but not for bipolar, cycling, rage and paranoia. Could you point me to studies if you know of any.
Thanks
Chloe
poster:Chloe
thread:87920
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/88481.html