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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on December 31, 2009, at 12:41:10
I'm starting ECT monday.
I hope someone has something positive to say about it. I don't want all the horror stories.
Posted by Phillipa on December 31, 2009, at 12:49:35
In reply to ECT, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on December 31, 2009, at 12:41:10
Best of luck I bet you do well. Will be thinking of you. Phillipa
Posted by atypical on December 31, 2009, at 12:50:55
In reply to ECT, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on December 31, 2009, at 12:41:10
May your treatment go well!
For me, yes, the side effects were troublesome. I stopped after 8 treatments. But there's not been any permanent harm going through the ECT. It may have helped my mood a bit, but not significantly.
So my positive comment on ECT is that it is worth a try, and if it doesn't help or gives unbearable side effects, you can stop treatment. No long-term damage done. If it works, that's FANTASTIC! It worked WONDERS for my roommate at the clinic I was at for 6 weeks. WONDERS.
> I'm starting ECT monday.
>
> I hope someone has something positive to say about it. I don't want all the horror stories.
Posted by janejane on December 31, 2009, at 13:00:02
In reply to ECT, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on December 31, 2009, at 12:41:10
I don't have any experience with it, but did want to wish you good luck. Let us know how it goes.
Posted by linkadge on December 31, 2009, at 13:17:49
In reply to Re: ECT » Alexanderfromdenmark, posted by janejane on December 31, 2009, at 13:00:02
No horror stories. Well, then I'll just shut my yap.
Linkadge
Posted by Justherself54 on December 31, 2009, at 13:55:07
In reply to ECT, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on December 31, 2009, at 12:41:10
I had ECT. At the time my pdoc didn't see any improvement and stopped them..but my daughter is ADAMANT that I started improving right after I had them. I was able to leave a month long hospital stay shortly after having them. I have some memory loss, but as far as I'm concerned I'd rather not remember much of that time. Severe depression causes memory loss for me anyway.
I hope your treatment goes well for you. Please let us know how you are doing. I wish you all the best and I hope the treatments give you relief. My thoughts and best wishes are with you.
Posted by morganator on December 31, 2009, at 15:41:58
In reply to Re: ECT » Alexanderfromdenmark, posted by Justherself54 on December 31, 2009, at 13:55:07
I really hope this works for you! I don't have any positive or negative stories just hope that is works.
I think if you have trouble with the bilateral treatments you can always move on to unilateral treatments and hope that they still help you. I'm sure your doctor has discussed this with you.
Good Luck!
Posted by RocketMan on December 31, 2009, at 15:51:37
In reply to Re: ECT, posted by morganator on December 31, 2009, at 15:41:58
I had 6 treatments in 1989. No long-term side effects. I remained stable for some 15 years after the treatments while taking clomipramine 150mg.
Best of luck,Rocket
Posted by SLS on December 31, 2009, at 15:55:04
In reply to ECT, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on December 31, 2009, at 12:41:10
> I'm starting ECT monday.
Good luck.
Someone mentioned the use if bilateral treatments. I read recently that bitemporal treatments may work as well as bilateral does, but with reduced cognitive side effects.
- Scott
Posted by bleauberry on December 31, 2009, at 19:31:53
In reply to ECT, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on December 31, 2009, at 12:41:10
I've said enough of my own horror stories and flawed statistics on ECT here, so I don't need to repeat. It deserves mention that ECT does work to bring stability and new hope following treatment to many people, even when it fails to eradicate the depression.
The positive side is this. No matter whether it works a little, a lot, or not at all, it will be closing an old chapter and opening a brand new one. Life is not the same after ECT. Not necessarily better or worse, just different. Which, when you've been through a long torturous ordeal of failed treatments, is a good thing.
Even the memory loss can be a good thing, in a strange kind of way. Most of the dreadful months leading up to my ECT, I have very few memories of them. That's a good thing. Those are memories I don't need in my daily life.
You've made your decision, and therefore I am stepping up to your side and rolling the dice with you, wishing for a win.
Posted by morganator on December 31, 2009, at 21:26:01
In reply to Re: ECT, posted by bleauberry on December 31, 2009, at 19:31:53
>Life is not the same after ECT
Can you elaborate on this? I'm just curious. I considered ECT once this past year when a psychiatrist I was seeing said that it may help with my bipolar depression and mixed episode. I'm glad I did not do it but I'm still interested in hearing more about it from people who have been through it.
Posted by RocketMan on January 1, 2010, at 17:37:28
In reply to Re: ECT » bleauberry, posted by morganator on December 31, 2009, at 21:26:01
> >Life is not the same after ECT
>
> Can you elaborate on this? I'm just curious. I considered ECT once this past year when a psychiatrist I was seeing said that it may help with my bipolar depression and mixed episode. I'm glad I did not do it but I'm still interested in hearing more about it from people who have been through it.Ya, for me life was never the same...thank God, it was much improved..... 2 sides to every story, sometimes 3??
Rocket
Posted by bleauberry on January 1, 2010, at 17:55:10
In reply to Re: ECT » bleauberry, posted by morganator on December 31, 2009, at 21:26:01
> >Life is not the same after ECT
>
> Can you elaborate on this? I'm just curious. I considered ECT once this past year when a psychiatrist I was seeing said that it may help with my bipolar depression and mixed episode. I'm glad I did not do it but I'm still interested in hearing more about it from people who have been through it.Well, how about start another post maybe? The author of this thread really didn't want anything negative in it. I have some positives to say, but also some negatives.
By saying life is not the same after ECT, I can't think of a better way to describe it. It's hard to elaborate. Not necessarily better...but hopefully, and not necessarily worse...just different. It is like a new chapter. For me, I suffered severe memory loss which is permanent. But in a strange way, that is a good thing. Most of the horrible days, weeks, months, hospitalizations, pre-ECT meetings, actual ECT sessions, car drives to and from the hospital...all that stuff...I have no memory of. That's good. I don't want to remember those things. I also don't remember a lot of the difficulties I was having with failed meds, so that is good. It is like a different chapter. The old is gone. For me it was kind of like wiping the slate clean and starting again. Maybe the journey I'm on now is a horrible journey, but it is the beginning of that journey. That's a lot better than being deep into a horrible journey, which is where I was pre-ECT.
The biggest benefit I see in ECT is it can give the one thing we all need more than anything else, win or lose.....hope. There is hope before ECT, hope that it will work. Even if it doesn't, there is now new hope that something else will, hope that had been totally exhausted prior to ECT, but somehow ECT restored it.
That was my experience.
Posted by Meltingpot on January 2, 2010, at 13:43:10
In reply to Re: ECT, posted by RocketMan on January 1, 2010, at 17:37:28
Hi Rocket,
Are you saying that you had ECT and that it helped you, if so for how long and did it help with the anxiety? Also, what have you been diagnosed with. I know you suffer with depression and anxiety but do you suffer from atypical depression, unipolar depression or bipolar depression?
Thanks.......Denise
Posted by RocketMan on January 2, 2010, at 14:34:22
In reply to To Rocketman, posted by Meltingpot on January 2, 2010, at 13:43:10
> Hi Rocket,
>
> Are you saying that you had ECT and that it helped you, if so for how long and did it help with the anxiety? Also, what have you been diagnosed with. I know you suffer with depression and anxiety but do you suffer from atypical depression, unipolar depression or bipolar depression?
>
> Thanks.......DeniseHi Denise, yes, I had a positive experience with ECT. I believe it helped with my depression and I remained stable for many years. I was on Clomipramine for 15 years post ECT and functioned very well career wise, family etc.
Keep in mind my treatment was in 1989 so my treatment options at the time were not what they are today with the newer A/D's, mood stabilisers etc.My diagnoses is atypical depression/anxiety disorder along with some mild OCD in the form of chronic ruminations when I am in a depressive state. I will have thoughts of terrible things happening to my kids etc.
At my last P/doc appointment(Dec.16) we discussed the possibility of revisiting ECT if I did not get a favorable response with my new cocktail. I was in a bad place, months of sitting on the couch, suicidal idealizations, ruminations, panic attacks and such. I was accepting of the fact that ECT would be my next step, but thankfully I have responded extremely well. I mentioned in one of my other posts that I had been on Effexor/Remeron 4 years ago but this time it seems to be working much better as I am also taking lamictal. I have also been taking clonazepam 0.5/3day as needed but I feel as though I can begin reducing the dose as the Effexor is beginning to take hold.
Take care.
Rocket
Posted by gibbons482 on January 3, 2010, at 15:24:18
In reply to ECT, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on December 31, 2009, at 12:41:10
I had ECT in the past. It worked for me. How many treatments are you going to have about?
Posted by Meltingpot on January 6, 2010, at 5:29:34
In reply to Re: To Rocketman » Meltingpot, posted by RocketMan on January 2, 2010, at 14:34:22
Hi Rocket,
I see, your depression is atypical unlike mine. I'm beginning to wonder if a lot of people with atypical depression respond well to ECT as I know somebody else who has atypical depression which also responded well to ECT.
I'm not sure anymore what type of depression I have all I know is there is a lot of emptiness, anxiety, despair and suicidal thoughts but I can still get out of bed in the morning, trouble is when I'm off medication all I seem to do is pace around.
I'm glad the Remeron/Effexor is working for you, I just wish I could find something that worked fully for me.
Denise
This is the end of the thread.
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