Posted by almondjoy on November 8, 2003, at 11:13:00
In reply to Re: Maintenance ECT Anyone?, posted by TooDeadForDreamin on November 6, 2003, at 8:43:21
"By the time my basic memory functions returned (a couple of weeks), I was more depressed than before. So the ECT itself was of no value to me, unless there was a brief period when I was a happy zombie."
This seems like your answer.
I got treatments (not maintenance though) almost four years ago, and my brain is still a bit fried. i doubt i'll ever return to the same level of functioning. Your statement mentions that it didn't help with your depression the first time so why would it now. The same reaction is likely to repeat, your depression returning by the time you remember up from down unless you continue treatments so you never remember up from down and never remember your depressed, until such a time that you stop and want to remember up from down and hope that your brain will still function enough to let you.
i understand wanting all this junk to stop and go away and the desperation that makes you feel like anything that has the possibility of helping might be worth it BUT step back and look at the whole picture first. you're not on a deadline make sure you understand your past experiences and future expectations.
also, your doctor, myself, and other posters on this board can't make up your mind for you though...doing some research from unbiased sources niether for or against ECTs might help you find whether maintenance ECTs are beneficial LONG TERM.
good luck, and i usually don't pray, but youre in my prayersDove
poster:almondjoy
thread:276855
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031105/msgs/277722.html