Posted by Nickm on November 26, 2003, at 9:06:47
In reply to Re: ECT?, posted by Ruth on August 31, 1999, at 21:12:47
My wife was given five ECTs (was supposed to get 6-12) when her crisis state was misdiagnosed as Major Depression plus psychotic somatic symptoms. She had akathisia caused by Abilify, and yes she had Depression, but her crisis was not due to the Depression itself, although her doctor kept insisting it was. The ECTs have left her cognitively impaired, with problems of short memory loss, AND long term memory losses as well. None of this was explained to her well, since she was coerced into a hospital admission to do the first ECT by the doctor telling her "You're going to die unless you have the ECTs." Another doctor had suggested cymetol to alleviate memory loss, and unipolar treatments. The doctor that coerced my wife used bipolar, and no cymetol. Once she was admitted to the hospital her akathisia symptoms got worse when she was pumped full of thorazine (and other drugs). As the ECTs progressed from 1 to 5 her akathisia got worse and worse. The depression never went away. Three weeks after we fired the original ECT doctor (he should be in jail or not practicing) another doctor prescribed benadryl and her akathisia symptoms improved by 80%. she's now on Effexor, an option the original doctor never gave her, and feeling better.
Unfortunately, too many of these psychiatrists who declare people "refractive to medications" and go for ECTs are only feeding their pockets. That is what they do for a living, and they use deceptive tactics, and lies to prey on vulnerable, depressed, mostly women (my wife is 63).
Stay away from ECTs. They have to be complemented by antidepressants or relapse occurs (assuming they helped), and then, after a second course of 6-12, these quacks want maintenance once a month. It is all designed to feed pockets of ruthless people who don't mind experimenting on the minds of vulnerable clients.
There are other options.
Nickm
poster:Nickm
thread:10764
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031126/msgs/284009.html