Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 294065

Shown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

22 years old and undergoing ECT

Posted by bipolarspectrum on December 28, 2003, at 15:40:15

Hello all,
Just looking for some similar stories with happy endings. I'm 22 years old currently undergoing ECT. I've tried approximately 22 different psychoactive drugs and have been unable to tolerate the side-effects. I have major depression with melancholic features, and my pdoc believes i may have some bipolar as i had a hypomanic-like response to wellbutrin monotherapy. After 5 unilateral to no avail, I was switched to bilateral, of which I have had 3 so far. Although I do experience a slight mood improvement right after a treatment, it leaves in a day or two and I dip back into deep depression. I was wondering how many treatments others had had to feel a significant improvement???

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT » bipolarspectrum

Posted by leopard on December 28, 2003, at 18:53:08

In reply to 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by bipolarspectrum on December 28, 2003, at 15:40:15

ECT has supposedly come a long way from the scary Jack Nicholson days! ;) I recently read an article in Health magazine about ECT. It was written by a pdoc...she choose ECT and had pretty good results. Good luck with this. BTW, have you tried any of the atypicals? I am taking Geodon and it seems to be working for me. I am BPII.

~Shannon

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT

Posted by bipolarspectrum on December 28, 2003, at 18:57:58

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT » bipolarspectrum, posted by leopard on December 28, 2003, at 18:53:08

> ECT has supposedly come a long way from the scary Jack Nicholson days! ;) I recently read an article in Health magazine about ECT. It was written by a pdoc...she choose ECT and had pretty good results. Good luck with this. BTW, have you tried any of the atypicals? I am taking Geodon and it seems to be working for me. I am BPII.
>
> ~Shannon

Shannon,
thanx for the reply... Unfortunately, Geodon isnt available in canada where i live... I've tried risperidone and seroquel (olanzepine), both of which left me sedated and cloudy... Well, if ect doesn't work, i guess my pdoc will have to get extremely creative...

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT » bipolarspectrum

Posted by leopard on December 28, 2003, at 19:06:01

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by bipolarspectrum on December 28, 2003, at 18:57:58

Can you get Geodon off the Web? Geodon is so much different than other atypicals...what a shame if you cannot try it!!! My brother had the same experience with Risperdal. Sigh. Keep me posted as to your progress....and hang in there!!!

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT

Posted by dragonfly25 on December 28, 2003, at 19:10:07

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by bipolarspectrum on December 28, 2003, at 18:57:58

are u sure about geodon not being available in canada? i don't know much about it but i have a friend, in canada, who is bipolar and i could have sworn told me she takes it. is it possible it just was approved?
i would do some research on bilateral ect's- ect's have come a long way but they still are not sure how they work. bilateral ect has much more effect on memory.
good luck
dragonfly

> > ECT has supposedly come a long way from the scary Jack Nicholson days! ;) I recently read an article in Health magazine about ECT. It was written by a pdoc...she choose ECT and had pretty good results. Good luck with this. BTW, have you tried any of the atypicals? I am taking Geodon and it seems to be working for me. I am BPII.
> >
> > ~Shannon
>
> Shannon,
> thanx for the reply... Unfortunately, Geodon isnt available in canada where i live... I've tried risperidone and seroquel (olanzepine), both of which left me sedated and cloudy... Well, if ect doesn't work, i guess my pdoc will have to get extremely creative...
>

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT

Posted by dragonfly25 on December 28, 2003, at 19:21:58

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by dragonfly25 on December 28, 2003, at 19:10:07

i was wrong...geodon is not available in canada, she was prescribed it while living in the states. but there is another drug and i am sorry i don't have any solid info on it, but it is used to treat heart problems or something like that and i know someone else who tryed that (was very resistant to other drugs etc)and had success...your doctor may know what i am talking about- this was in canada. i am trying to find out what it is...no luck yet. sorry it is such scetchy info.
dragonfly


> are u sure about geodon not being available in canada? i don't know much about it but i have a friend, in canada, who is bipolar and i could have sworn told me she takes it. is it possible it just was approved?
> i would do some research on bilateral ect's- ect's have come a long way but they still are not sure how they work. bilateral ect has much more effect on memory.
> good luck
> dragonfly
>
> > > ECT has supposedly come a long way from the scary Jack Nicholson days! ;) I recently read an article in Health magazine about ECT. It was written by a pdoc...she choose ECT and had pretty good results. Good luck with this. BTW, have you tried any of the atypicals? I am taking Geodon and it seems to be working for me. I am BPII.
> > >
> > > ~Shannon
> >
> > Shannon,
> > thanx for the reply... Unfortunately, Geodon isnt available in canada where i live... I've tried risperidone and seroquel (olanzepine), both of which left me sedated and cloudy... Well, if ect doesn't work, i guess my pdoc will have to get extremely creative...
> >
>
>

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT

Posted by bipolarspectrum on December 28, 2003, at 19:31:54

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by dragonfly25 on December 28, 2003, at 19:21:58

Thanx for the reply,
I understand that people often respond much more positively to the same drugs they couldnt tolerate or didnt work POST-ect???? So, hopefully, if this ECT doesnt provide benefits in itself, I may possible respond better to a re-introduced antidepressant.... If not, I'm considering more alternative strategies, like PEA and selegiline or abilify (if i can get it in canada)...

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT

Posted by Bill LL on December 29, 2003, at 10:51:02

In reply to 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by bipolarspectrum on December 28, 2003, at 15:40:15

I feel really bad for you. It sounds like you are trying everything without success.

Do you think it might help to try a different doctor just to get a different point of view?

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT

Posted by bipolarspectrum on December 29, 2003, at 14:38:41

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by Bill LL on December 29, 2003, at 10:51:02

> I feel really bad for you. It sounds like you are trying everything without success.
>
> Do you think it might help to try a different doctor just to get a different point of view?

Well, I recently made the switch from a clinical pdoc to a prominent, academic psychopharmacologist... He is very liberal, compassionate and I doubt that theres anyone with more expertise in Canada... The only drug I could tolerate was prozac, but it interfered with my sleep and left me quite anxious... thanx for the support

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT » bipolarspectrum

Posted by Mimi on December 30, 2003, at 7:22:23

In reply to 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by bipolarspectrum on December 28, 2003, at 15:40:15

Nine treatments(unilateral) did the trick for me.

Mimi

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT

Posted by almondjoy on December 30, 2003, at 9:38:04

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT » bipolarspectrum, posted by Mimi on December 30, 2003, at 7:22:23

> Nine treatments(unilateral) did the trick for me.
>
> Mimi

So Mimi, Does that mean that the ECT successfully treated your depression?

bipolarspectrum, after ECT treatments for myself, I felt the same way you described...improvement only lasted for a few days after the treatment, and i was back to my suicidally obsessed nightmare four years ago. after 6 unilateral treatments, my depression was the same as before, and now i still don't anticipate recovery anytime in the near future. it's just the way the cookie crumbles i guess. after my brain cleared a bit...within a few months after the ects, i was able to realize i can't think as well, and my memory isn't as good as it was before. i have never met anyone who maintains ect was a success for them (and if its at this website it would not count for me...why are they here?) if you get past the advertisements, the doctors making fat cash, the hopeful and supportive peers...it doesn't help, it causes brain damage and i encourage you to atleast put a limit on how far you will go, and see another doctor. medications may not help everyone, but that doesn't mean frying your brain will either; there are some things in life that everyone has to deal with....some people have only one leg, some people have diabetes, and some people are mentally ill.

take care

d

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT » almondjoy

Posted by Mimi on December 30, 2003, at 10:29:46

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by almondjoy on December 30, 2003, at 9:38:04

> > d,

Yes, my depression was completely cured. I've been depression free for two years. I fell in love several months after my treatments and got engaged to be married for the first time in my life (I'm in my 40's). I feel and have told many people that my life did not begin until after my ECT treatments.

Of course I take maintenance meds.

Mimi

Nine treatments(unilateral) did the trick for me.
> >
> > Mimi
>
> So Mimi, Does that mean that the ECT successfully treated your depression?
>
> bipolarspectrum, after ECT treatments for myself, I felt the same way you described...improvement only lasted for a few days after the treatment, and i was back to my suicidally obsessed nightmare four years ago. after 6 unilateral treatments, my depression was the same as before, and now i still don't anticipate recovery anytime in the near future. it's just the way the cookie crumbles i guess. after my brain cleared a bit...within a few months after the ects, i was able to realize i can't think as well, and my memory isn't as good as it was before. i have never met anyone who maintains ect was a success for them (and if its at this website it would not count for me...why are they here?) if you get past the advertisements, the doctors making fat cash, the hopeful and supportive peers...it doesn't help, it causes brain damage and i encourage you to atleast put a limit on how far you will go, and see another doctor. medications may not help everyone, but that doesn't mean frying your brain will either; there are some things in life that everyone has to deal with....some people have only one leg, some people have diabetes, and some people are mentally ill.
>
> take care
>
> d
>

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT » bipolarspectrum

Posted by Sebastian on December 30, 2003, at 11:58:13

In reply to 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by bipolarspectrum on December 28, 2003, at 15:40:15

I took ECT about every day for atleast a month. This was to take me out of psychotic depression. After that the meds were enough. By the way I was about 22 at the time I did that.

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT

Posted by bipolarspectrum on December 30, 2003, at 12:44:10

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by almondjoy on December 30, 2003, at 9:38:04

Mimi,
I think we forget that people who have experienced substantial benefit from ECT and most likely not spending their free time on messages boards discussing it. Thus, psychobabble is a biased population. For me personally, I've tried over 22 psychoactive drugs and are unable to tolerate the side effects. I believe its a logical conclusion that ECT may provide a means around my med sensitivity. Anywayz, I've had 5 unilaterals and 4 bilaterals and still havent experienced any significant improvement. However, one of the ect administrating pdocs says that many people only respond to bilateral, and it takes 6-12 sessions. I'm just hoping that I'm part of this group.

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT » bipolarspectrum

Posted by Mimi on December 30, 2003, at 14:55:01

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by bipolarspectrum on December 30, 2003, at 12:44:10

>bipolarspectrum,

My, my, a bit hostile are we. When I am working I still use this board after hours. I like to help others here as they have helped me.

I, too, am extremely med sensitive and could not take most meds successfully pre-ECT. Also, I have one colleague who only recovered from depression after something like 36 ECT treatments. This person is a very high functioning professional now.

So don't give up just yet.

Mimi

Mimi,
> I think we forget that people who have experienced substantial benefit from ECT and most likely not spending their free time on messages boards discussing it. Thus, psychobabble is a biased population. For me personally, I've tried over 22 psychoactive drugs and are unable to tolerate the side effects. I believe its a logical conclusion that ECT may provide a means around my med sensitivity. Anywayz, I've had 5 unilaterals and 4 bilaterals and still havent experienced any significant improvement. However, one of the ect administrating pdocs says that many people only respond to bilateral, and it takes 6-12 sessions. I'm just hoping that I'm part of this group.

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT

Posted by bipolarspectrum on December 30, 2003, at 15:20:08

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT » bipolarspectrum, posted by Mimi on December 30, 2003, at 14:55:01

Mimi,
Yes my post was somewhat hostile, my apologies!! Out of curiousity, what was pharmacotherapy combination that 'worked' for you post-ect??

 

Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT » bipolarspectrum

Posted by Mimi on December 30, 2003, at 15:54:58

In reply to Re: 22 years old and undergoing ECT, posted by bipolarspectrum on December 30, 2003, at 15:20:08

>I've reduced my meds considerably in the past two years. Currently I take very low doses of Celexa, Buspar, Seroquel, Ambien & Strattera.

Right after ECT and for some time I took Lithium & Nortriptyline, which I no longer take. The lithium was to boost the effect of the antidepressants. Must have worked. Lithium side effects are not too great though.

Mimi


Mimi,
> Yes my post was somewhat hostile, my apologies!! Out of curiousity, what was pharmacotherapy combination that 'worked' for you post-ect??


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