My side effects were extreme memory loss and loss of cognitive function. That was during the treatment and for about six months afterward. I forgot how to get places I'd been going for years and I forgot people'a names and sometimes even how I knew the I'm still really bad with names. That's probably going to be a permanent thing. But I don't respond to unilateral treatments so I have to get bilateral. Bilateral is much worse for memory. If you can get away with unilateral treatments it shouldn't be that bad.

I want to stress however that it is not a cure. I still cycle with bipolar. It's just not as severe. And as I mentioned in my first post, it did pull me out of severe depressions three times. This time I've been mostly stable for about nine months. I did experience some depression in November and December that seems to have been alleviated by upping MY AD.

I don't think it should be done unless your depression is so disabling you literally cannot function. I wouldn't risk the side effects for a mild to moderate depression. I also don't know personally how well it works for mixed episodes or mania, though it is used for that.