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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by blueberry on October 24, 2006, at 16:15:01
So I'm on my 4th week of electroconvulsive treatment, down to just twice a week now, down from practically every day earlier. Anyway, I don't know how it works but it definitely seems to work. Electroconvulsive treatment seems to work a lot better than just medications. For medications I still like a little bit of prozac and a little bit of zyprexa, but the primary treatment is electroconvulsive.
Posted by iforgotmypassword on October 24, 2006, at 17:26:55
In reply to Electroconvulsive anyone?, posted by blueberry on October 24, 2006, at 16:15:01
awesome. hope things continue to work for you.
i hope they let me try it some day. i am not a severe case, but even maois didn't work for me. not even a confirmable flicker.
Posted by bigcat on October 24, 2006, at 17:39:27
In reply to Re: Electroconvulsive anyone?, posted by iforgotmypassword on October 24, 2006, at 17:26:55
awesome blueberry- great to hear you stuck with it and are sounding so positive. be well...
much love,
-matt-
Posted by Phillipa on October 24, 2006, at 18:42:15
In reply to Re: Electroconvulsive anyone?, posted by bigcat on October 24, 2006, at 17:39:27
Blueberry how's your memory now? And I know you are med sensitive too. So you're still on meds too? My pdoc mentions VNS. That requires meds too. I'm so happy for you. Do you have anxiety too? Or just depression. Love Phillipa
Posted by blueberry on October 24, 2006, at 19:05:16
In reply to Re: Electroconvulsive anyone?, posted by Phillipa on October 24, 2006, at 18:42:15
My memory seems pretty bad. I forget lots of common easy things that have no reason to be forgotton. This never happened prior to electroconvulsive treatment. My memory was picture perfect before.
I have a mix of depression and anxiety. I find that with the ECT I also like 10mg prozac and 2.5mg zyprexa. It's strange how these meds always did me a little bit of good by themselves, but that with ECT they work so much better.
I have always had a super good memory. It is unreal how poor it is now. But I don't mind. It's almost comical.
> Blueberry how's your memory now? And I know you are med sensitive too. So you're still on meds too? My pdoc mentions VNS. That requires meds too. I'm so happy for you. Do you have anxiety too? Or just depression. Love Phillipa
Posted by bigcat on October 25, 2006, at 16:07:34
In reply to Re: Electroconvulsive anyone?, posted by blueberry on October 24, 2006, at 19:05:16
trust me, the memory will come back. for me it was a very temporary side effect.
Posted by Crazy Horse on October 25, 2006, at 16:08:52
In reply to Electroconvulsive anyone?, posted by blueberry on October 24, 2006, at 16:15:01
> So I'm on my 4th week of electroconvulsive treatment, down to just twice a week now, down from practically every day earlier. Anyway, I don't know how it works but it definitely seems to work. Electroconvulsive treatment seems to work a lot better than just medications. For medications I still like a little bit of prozac and a little bit of zyprexa, but the primary treatment is electroconvulsive.
My memory is not so good (just kidding:) i had 22 treatments in 1997. Yes, they worked very well for me in combination with medication.
-Monte
Posted by pseudoname on October 26, 2006, at 11:15:47
In reply to Re: Electroconvulsive anyone?, posted by blueberry on October 24, 2006, at 19:05:16
Hi, blueberry. I'm really glad to read that things are going better for you. The last report from you that I read, you really weren't sure if ECT was going to have a good effect.
Can you be (sorry to ask) a little more detailed about what the benefits seem like to you? Like, if you were a "3" (out of 10) before, what would you say you are now? Or, has it lifted all aspects of your mood, are you more energetic, less anxious, etc?
Sorry to ask for details, but I'm considering ECT and I'm really wondering. (Or anyone else with good ECT outcomes: how did it help you?)
Thanks so much & congratulations.
Posted by deniseuk190466 on October 26, 2006, at 15:03:25
In reply to Electroconvulsive anyone?, posted by blueberry on October 24, 2006, at 16:15:01
Blueberry,
I'm really pleased it's helping you. Will you have maintenance therapy, I mean are you going have to have it once a month long term?
Denise
Posted by blueberry on October 27, 2006, at 15:26:49
In reply to How are you better? » blueberry, posted by pseudoname on October 26, 2006, at 11:15:47
ECT has actually helped all portions of mood, much better than any meds I ever took. I still take a 1/2 dose of zyprexa (2.5mg) and prozac (10mg) but the ECT is doing most of the work. If my depression was a "5" before starting ECT, then I would say it has improved to about a "9". It helps in a lot of different ways, with the only negative thing being some memory problems. Mood is so much better all around, much better than any drugs could ever do.
As just one example of the memory problems, I came here to pbabble right now to start a thread on ECT...I do not remember starting this thread and I was surprised to see it.
Anyway, of the many many years I've tried treating my depression, and with the many drugs I've tried, I must admit nothing has ever worked anywhere near as good as ECT. If anyone should ever get the option to try it, I say with gusto to go for it.
> Hi, blueberry. I'm really glad to read that things are going better for you. The last report from you that I read, you really weren't sure if ECT was going to have a good effect.
>
> Can you be (sorry to ask) a little more detailed about what the benefits seem like to you? Like, if you were a "3" (out of 10) before, what would you say you are now? Or, has it lifted all aspects of your mood, are you more energetic, less anxious, etc?
>
> Sorry to ask for details, but I'm considering ECT and I'm really wondering. (Or anyone else with good ECT outcomes: how did it help you?)
>
> Thanks so much & congratulations.
Posted by Karen44 on October 27, 2006, at 17:24:37
In reply to Re: How are you better?, posted by blueberry on October 27, 2006, at 15:26:49
Blueberry; I am glad ECT has worked for you. I opted not to try it a year ago when it was recommended. Main reason was that my work depends on having a very sharp memory. I testify a lot in court. So, I would have been toast so to speak and would likely have had to give up my job. And, then I would have had no insurance. Actually, as it turns out, the neurosurgery corrected much of my problem though not all of it, and so medications are helping.
Karen44
Posted by linkadge on October 28, 2006, at 7:11:42
In reply to Re: How are you better?, posted by Karen44 on October 27, 2006, at 17:24:37
What neurosugery did you have, if you don't mind me asking?
Linkadge
Posted by deniseuk190466 on October 30, 2006, at 13:52:55
In reply to Electroconvulsive anyone?, posted by blueberry on October 24, 2006, at 16:15:01
Hi Blueberry,
Glad to see that you are doing well on ECT. Can you remind me what type you are having, are you having bilateral or unilateral?
Also, after how many treatments did you notice feeling better?
Thanks....Denise
Posted by deniseuk190466 on October 30, 2006, at 13:54:09
In reply to Re: How are you better?, posted by blueberry on October 27, 2006, at 15:26:49
Another thing, I'm just wondering, if they Zyprexa has helped you in the past, why did you not try higher doses like 10mg?
Denise
Posted by pseudoname on October 31, 2006, at 11:13:56
In reply to Re: To Blueberry, posted by deniseuk190466 on October 30, 2006, at 13:52:55
Hi, Denise. I'm obviously not blueberry, but I've been following her threads and I'm not sure how often she's on Babble now, so I thought I'd try to answer.
She's having *bilateral* ECT. The clinic said they used to do unilateral, but it didn't get good results, so now they only do bilateral, I guess.
She reported mild, dubious improvement after 1 treatment, but zero benefit after 6 treatments, when she considered quitting because of the memory problems & feeling generally worse. They talked her into trying at least 8, after which she posted back here about the marked improvement in mood.
It's an encouraging report and I really appreciate her posting here about it. (If I got anything wrong, somebody correct me, please; but I'm pretty sure this is correct.)
Posted by deniseuk190466 on October 31, 2006, at 16:46:16
In reply to on Blueberry » deniseuk190466, posted by pseudoname on October 31, 2006, at 11:13:56
Hi Pseudoname,
Thanks so much for responding. I hope she continues to do well. It was very brave of her to keep going after the sixth treatment and no improvement.
I still have the question about the Zyprexa for her. I noticed from before she was only on a very low dose of Zyprexa and I'm just wondering why she never went higher.
Thanks....Denise
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