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Re: ECT failure? » jerrympls

Posted by Bob on May 12, 2005, at 9:44:51

In reply to Re: ECT failure? » Bob, posted by jerrympls on May 11, 2005, at 19:23:09


> Hi Bob
> Good questions you raise. I don't think my ECT treatment was considered an "emergency" treatment - it was more of a last resort becuase I wasn't responding to traditional meds. After ECT my depression got much worse and I started having panic attacks - which I had NOT had prior to treatment. I've had more "suicidal ideation" since my ECT - much much more so than prior to the treatments. I also have been in the hospital more (in psych wards) than before my ECT too. I've never attempted suicide - but have come very close. Currently I'm on a med cocktail that has kept me pretty stable and out of deep periods of severe depression. I currently take Lexapro, Klonopin, Dexedrine and hydrocodone. Yes, an opiate. My doc finally agreed to prescribe it for me and it's worked wonders - no miracle cure - but very close to "normal" and I'm able to work. I've been on opiate therapy for my depression for about 5-6 months now? and have had no problems with tolerance or abuse.
>
> Jerry
>


Wow Jerry. That's kind of scary. Your description looks like something I could have written about myself.

I could swear that after my last treatment (13th, I think?) it precipitated anxiety and panic attacks, along with suicidal ideation. I can't say I've never experienced anything like this before, as I went through something vaguely similar with Topomax, but I'm now quite leery about continuing with the treatments. There is one other possibility, and that is that a slight amount of Clonazepam that I was taking for the first 10 or 11 treatments was slowly withdrawn by the last session. Maybe that precipitated the "breakdown" and the ECT was merely a catalyst? It was a very small amount of Clono, though, like .25mg tid, at the most. There was concern that I was having a reaction to it, with a skin rash and muscle problems.

My psychiatrist and the ECT doc both say I should continue with the treatments on a once-per-week basis. I just don't know. My body hates meds anymore, and I don't even know what I'd do if I went back to them alone.

 

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