Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 234769

Shown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

more ECT for treatment resistant depression?

Posted by Merci on June 18, 2003, at 10:10:12

Hello all,

I posted a few weeks ago after an unsuccessful series of ECT treatments (11 total: 3 unilateral and 8 bilateral). There was nothing positive about my experience; in my opinion it was a complete waste of time. My pdoc wants me to see a psychopharmacologist, which seems logical to me. However, it is going to take several months to get an appointment.

In the meantime, I'm working pretty hard to keep things together. It doesn't feel like I'm too successful. I'm sleeping terribly, having crying spells that just won't stop, feeling sadder than I ever thought possible and hating myself in general.

This post does have a point: my pdoc has suggested that I consider further ECT treatments. He says that some people with treatment resistant depression need MORE than the "average" amount of ECT. My gut reaction is that if 11 treatments were absolutely worthless, is it really worth it to try MORE treatments? I haven't researched this yet, so maybe I'm wrong. As awful as I feel right now, my intinct is to say no to more ECT.

Does anyone have personal experience or knowledge about this? I do plan on doing some research, but I'd appreciate any input that anyone has. I know this is a big decision, but I'm having just as hard a time making small decisions. When will this sadness end?

Merci

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?

Posted by Maxime on June 18, 2003, at 11:24:09

In reply to more ECT for treatment resistant depression?, posted by Merci on June 18, 2003, at 10:10:12

http://www.ect.org/news.shtml

Hi Merci - the above is an excellent link where you might be able to talk to more people re. ECT. There is tons of information and a "let's talk forum".

By the way, have you ever been on an MAOI (i feel like an MAOI pusher)? I am currently on Parnate. When I started reseaching the medication it seemed that it was often used after someone has gone through ECT.

I have spent years and years and years in deep depression. Even doctors would give up on me. Then I learned about MAOIs. I went to 5 different doctors until someone would prescribe it for me. And something magical happened - my depression went away. I still suffer from really bad mood swings and mixed states, but that is because I am still trying to find a mood stabiliser that works. My point is, the sadness will not last forever. I know it's hard to have hope when you feel so depressed. But you won't always feel this way.

I hear you about having trouble with decisions etc. Hopefully you can find a friend or family member who can help you with decisions.

HANG IN THERE!

Maxime

Max

> Hello all,
>
> I posted a few weeks ago after an unsuccessful series of ECT treatments (11 total: 3 unilateral and 8 bilateral). There was nothing positive about my experience; in my opinion it was a complete waste of time. My pdoc wants me to see a psychopharmacologist, which seems logical to me. However, it is going to take several months to get an appointment.
>
> In the meantime, I'm working pretty hard to keep things together. It doesn't feel like I'm too successful. I'm sleeping terribly, having crying spells that just won't stop, feeling sadder than I ever thought possible and hating myself in general.
>
> This post does have a point: my pdoc has suggested that I consider further ECT treatments. He says that some people with treatment resistant depression need MORE than the "average" amount of ECT. My gut reaction is that if 11 treatments were absolutely worthless, is it really worth it to try MORE treatments? I haven't researched this yet, so maybe I'm wrong. As awful as I feel right now, my intinct is to say no to more ECT.
>
> Does anyone have personal experience or knowledge about this? I do plan on doing some research, but I'd appreciate any input that anyone has. I know this is a big decision, but I'm having just as hard a time making small decisions. When will this sadness end?
>
> Merci

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression? » Merci

Posted by Squiggles on June 19, 2003, at 9:42:29

In reply to more ECT for treatment resistant depression?, posted by Merci on June 18, 2003, at 10:10:12

Hi Merci,

Back again -- excuse me for not following your
case as we have some household chores keeping
us occupied.

I would not have more ECT sessions if they
are bothering. You are presenting with adverse
effects it seems. I would be surprised that
your doctors would recommend more of them.

Infact, perhaps a lawsuit might be in order,
though i know that once you become very ill
that is not a winning proposition.

Squiggles

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression? » Merci

Posted by dave1 on June 19, 2003, at 14:23:10

In reply to more ECT for treatment resistant depression?, posted by Merci on June 18, 2003, at 10:10:12

Merci,

Have you tried adding a lithium to a TCA. That helped me when other meds. failed.

Also, waiting several months for an appt. seems like an awfully long time. I can usually get an appt. with a doctor within 2 weeks.

Dave

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?

Posted by HenryO on June 21, 2003, at 15:22:44

In reply to more ECT for treatment resistant depression?, posted by Merci on June 18, 2003, at 10:10:12

I wish you would try Lamictal. I was getting desperate and starting to consider more extreme measures. This stuff is working better than I ever expected. I am definitely treatment resistant. It can't hurt.

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression? » HenryO

Posted by Geezer on June 21, 2003, at 21:26:20

In reply to Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?, posted by HenryO on June 21, 2003, at 15:22:44

> I wish you would try Lamictal. I was getting desperate and starting to consider more extreme measures. This stuff is working better than I ever expected. I am definitely treatment resistant. It can't hurt.

Ditto on the Lamictal. I had 11 ECT treatments that did absolutly nothing but the Lamictal does help. I read somewhere that the chance of ECT working for Bipolar II was 50%, not real impressive.

Geezer

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?

Posted by dave1 on June 23, 2003, at 8:20:09

In reply to Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression? » HenryO, posted by Geezer on June 21, 2003, at 21:26:20

Hi,

My doctor was going to try me on lamictal and then he started saying there was a rare chance I could get a deadly rash. He's really paranoid. I'm going to go to this other doctor. He'll give me anything. I think I'll try a TCA + li + thyroid hormone first. I had some temporary success with anafranil + li last summer. Thanks for the tips on lamictal. I really didn't know much about it.

Dave

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?

Posted by noa on June 23, 2003, at 20:17:10

In reply to Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression? » Merci, posted by Squiggles on June 19, 2003, at 9:42:29

Interesting--both ECT and Lamictal are in the news. yesterday, on CBS Sunday Morning, they did a feature on severe depression and ECT, as well as Transcranial Magnetic stimulation. They interviewed Kitty Dukakis who had taken ADs for years after her admission of alcoholism and depression, but the meds pooped out and then she had ECT, with success.

Today, it was announced that Lamictal has received official approval for treatment of bipolar disorder. The funny thing about it for me was that the newscaster said it is the first breakthrough in years,etc. etc. for treatment of bipolar, while we know that pdocs have been prescribing it for years for this purpose anyway. The other thing they said on the news that puzzled me was that Lamictal is the first med that treats bipolar long term and not just addressing short term symptoms. That doesn't sound correct to me, as lithium and other meds have been long term treatments in use for a long time.

 

Re: dave1 Lamictal rash

Posted by HenryO on June 24, 2003, at 1:59:04

In reply to Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?, posted by dave1 on June 23, 2003, at 8:20:09

The chance of rash is the whole reason for building up your dose 25mg per week. Apparently in days gone by, people just started right in at 200-300mg and a few had a nasty reaction, so they junked the drug for years. Don't worry too much about it. Go slow like they tell you to, if you get any rashes stop taking it. It doesn't take a P.H.D.

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?

Posted by starlight on June 24, 2003, at 13:44:05

In reply to Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression? » Merci, posted by Squiggles on June 19, 2003, at 9:42:29

Why would a lawsuit be in order?

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression? » starlight

Posted by Squiggles on June 24, 2003, at 13:50:31

In reply to Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?, posted by starlight on June 24, 2003, at 13:44:05

It's been a while since i have been
following this discussion, and we are
in the midst of house renovations -
please excuse my brevity -- as i recall
you have suffered unpredicted and
unexpected disability from this treatment.
If this is the case, you have a right to sue,
unless you waved this in a contract beforehand.

Squiggles

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?

Posted by starlight on June 24, 2003, at 17:12:44

In reply to Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression? » starlight, posted by Squiggles on June 24, 2003, at 13:50:31

I can't stand when people jump on the litigation bandwagon as soon as they suspect something. She may have experienced those symptoms regardless of the ECT treatment, and I would be really, really surprised if they didn't have her sign a release form and expain all the risks associated with the treatment. Treatment resistant depression is pretty self explanatory and it may just take some time to find the right combo of therapies and drugs.

starlight

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?

Posted by Merci on June 25, 2003, at 9:25:31

In reply to Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?, posted by noa on June 23, 2003, at 20:17:10

I don't think that a lawsuit is in order. I was absolutely devastated that the ECT didn't work, and for the first few weeks after the ECT I was dizzy, had headaches, my balance was off, I couldn't put together an eloquent sentence to save my life...and some other quirky things. Those things have mostly cleared up, although I do have some memory loss of events in the week before and during ECT. Believe me, I did lots and lots of research before I decided to go ahead with it - and in terms of side effects, there were no surprises.
I'm still researching, and I just cannot find anything that suggests that going back for more ECT, when the first series did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, is a good idea. It seems as though when ECT works for someone, they start feeling better towards the beginning of their treatment and get progressively better. That didn't happen with me, and I just find it hard to believe that if 3 unilateral and 8 bilateral treatments had no effect, that more treatments would help. I may be naive, or just plain scared. My gut feeling is that if I were to get more treatments and those didn't work either, it would devastate me all over again.
I'm all for holding doctors accountable for their actions, but in this case, it's not anyone's fault that I happen to fall into the 10% of the depressed population who doesn't respond positively to ECT (that's the latest statistic I read, it's accuracy is certainly up for debate). I was fully aware of what I was getting into, based on my own research as well as what the doctors told me. I am feeling a lot more like my old, depressed self now - the side effects have mostly subsided. I still believe that ECT is a great treatment for a lot of people. It just didn't work for me.

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression? » Merci

Posted by Squiggles on June 25, 2003, at 9:33:22

In reply to Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?, posted by Merci on June 25, 2003, at 9:25:31

Hi Merci,

I am glad you are in control of the situation.
As you describe it, it is a risk laden treatement
which just doesn't have 100% results.

I heard yesterday, for example, that a new cancer
treatment is being approved for prostate, which
has 25% success. The drug has considerable
side effects, but that does not prevent the
medical community and to-be-consumers from
expressing their optimism.

Squiggles

 

Re: more ECT for treatment resistant depression?

Posted by denise528 on July 13, 2003, at 10:24:48

In reply to more ECT for treatment resistant depression?, posted by Merci on June 18, 2003, at 10:10:12

Hi Merci,

Maybe they're going to try doing the ECT in a different way. Have you asked them if they'll be any difference and what makes them think the ECT might work the second time round?

Also, I was just wondering what medications you have tried so far and at what doses?


Denise


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