Psycho-Babble Medication | about biological treatments | Framed
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Re: Hey Blueberry1 AGAIN » blueberry1

Posted by Bob on December 27, 2006, at 13:44:09

In reply to Re: Hey Blueberry1 AGAIN » UgottaHaveHope, posted by blueberry1 on December 26, 2006, at 15:49:20

> > What is your diagnosis? Are you bipolar? Man, my heart goes out to you.
> >
> > What was the ECT like? Would you recommend?
>
> My diagnosis? Well, that depends on which doctor you ask. It has been everything from depression to bipolarII to depression with anxiety. Actually when I read about all the psychiatric things, I would say I have a bit of all of them combined. Depression, anxiety, hourly or daily fluctutations, unexplained fear, uncomfortable in a crowd, uncomfortable in closed in spaces, ADHD, and everything. Take a bit of them all and stir them up and there you go.
>
> What was ECT like? Bad. Very very bad. I would not even recommend it to an enemy. It was 3 weeks of worsened depression, increased fear and anxiety, then all of a sudden 2 days of perfect normalcy, followed by a week of psychotic agitated mania, followed by 6 police officers in my house and a ride in the ambulance to the emergency room for suicidal ideation. Not cool.
>
> I forgot to mention that I lost 3 months of memory. 3 months are gone. Whatever happened in those 3 months, whatever I did in that time, doesn't exist. The wood pile by my house that I went and got, I do not remember. Playing my guitar in church, I do not remember. I don't remember anything in that time period. I got a call from a new employer saying I was hired and got the job. The only thing is, I don't remember quitting my other job, I don't remember applying for a new job, I don't remember the interview. All I know is that now I am in a new job making less money and I don't know how or why I got there.
>
>

Hey Blueberry:

This is Bob again. I just wanted to state again how similar our experiences were with ECT. I too had increased panic and anxiety eventually. I was a complete mess eventually after treatments, and would change condition on an hourly basis. How I felt in the morning was not how I felt two hours later, which was not how I felt a few hours after that, etc. I was beyond extremely sensitive to all meds, and I thought I would not be able to find a safe place at all any longer. It's coming up on two years since I started treatments, and I am almost back to pre-treatment severe dysfunctionality. Not quite, though.

I can't recommend against ECT for anyone, though, as I am always told it helps most people, and that some can return to a normal life. Hey, who am I to argue?

I still think that ECT must be a Godsend to anyone who is not prone to anxiety, panic, or agitation, as it seems to be a very, very activating treatment. Of course, I'm only speaking from my experience, and apparently also yours. This seems to somewhat parallel medecines, as you often hear about agitation and restlesness from those treatments, and they seem to be often be more effective for unipolars. Unfortunately, meds designed to calm people down, if they work, eventually just numb everything out and put you to sleep.

One bright spot is that you seem to be able to work. I had to go on disablity over two years ago, and have never been close to employable since. I hate not having a job any longer.
I feel for you, Blueberry, as I had many of the same experiences, and know probably as well or better than anyone where you've been on this. Hang in there as best you can. That's what I'm trying to do.


 

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Psycho-Babble Medication | Framed

poster:Bob thread:716139
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061224/msgs/716698.html