Posted by Zana on April 13, 2009, at 20:37:48
In reply to Re: ECT, posted by Zyprexa on April 13, 2009, at 20:17:28
I was evaluated at both Mass General by the doc Kitty Dukakis was treated by in the book "Shock" (not just me, he evaluates any patient who comes to MGH) and at McLeans. I was told there was a 90% chance that I would have a complete recovery from my depression and a 100% chance that I would relapse without meds and continuing less and less frequent ECT for a year. The biggest predictors of relapse? Light, exercise and situational stress. Got lots of information about the different kinds of memory loss I could expect,I might forget where I parked the car or how to get to previously familiar placed. I would likely lose chunks of stored memories like a friends wedding and I would probably have trouble learning new information for a while. But what about the right hemisphere, the side where they place the electrodes to protect the left hemisphere where memory and language live. Ah well "a dancer might remember her correography but be unable to make her dance beautiful. A musican might remember his score but be unable to make his instrument sing." And would this be permanent? Might be. Might not be.
That's was soured me on the deal.
But I will tell you, if the current med changes are unsuccessful- the pristiq seems to be helping but I have been on lots of meds that helped for a while and then pooped out- if the depression returns I've got oral MAOIs to try and then we're down to ECT. And I think I would do just about anything to have a chance of killing the depression. Even risk ECT.Zana
poster:Zana
thread:890415
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090408/msgs/890471.html