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  #1  
Old Jul 24, 2004, 09:48 AM
nervousnellie nervousnellie is offline
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I wasn't sure where what topic to post this under. Does anyone here have or know someone who went through ECT? My aunt is in the hospital and for her fourth time for severe clinical depression and the hospital said that this might be the only thing left for her to try. She has tried to commit suicide twice in the last 20 years. And thats where she was headed for this time also.
My poor mother and cousins have to make up their mind in two days, or the hospital might send her home.

I am just looking to hear from someone who knows anything about it through personal experience. Its sounds soo scary and I read thats its very misunderstood alot the times.

Thanks in advance..Right now all I can do is pray......

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  #2  
Old Jul 24, 2004, 12:28 PM
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dexter dexter is offline
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I think there are some people here who can give you some first hand experience...

I know that the thought of ECT IS scary but a lot of that is from the past... ECT has changed quite a lot and people still associate it with stories and opinions from many years ago. Now ECT is much better understood and is much much more controlled.

I know there can be some memory loss with ECT (which scares me) but most of the time the loss is temporary. If that is a concern talk to the doctor about what to expect. I also know that it can indeed be very very effective. It might not be the first thing to try but when other things have failed and the depression is very severe I think it is something worth considering. The possibility of memory loss is scary to me but I would consider it as an option if I got to that point.

I suppose it must be a very difficult decision to make with your aunt but talk to the doctor and hopefully some people here, and don't base that decision on stories (that may not even be accurate) from many years ago when ECT was not nearly as controlled or understood a proceedure.

Good luck.

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  #3  
Old Jul 24, 2004, 10:59 PM
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(JD) (JD) is offline
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I am sorry that you feel such time constraints to deciding this.

Have all the current medications been honestly tried? The new SSRIs are wonderful... well one of them would certainly have worked???

Maybe not. Only 2 x in 20 years (did I read that right?) sorry, but that is not very often...

Ok now to your question. ECT is still quite controversial. There are some doctors who are adamantly against it, and then some of the newer doctors (maybe who aren't of the old school?) who support it whole heartedly.

It isn't the old ECT, and that's a good thing. But it is still quite a shock to the system pardon the terrible pun. It can work wonders, and has, for some ppl, I am sure.

I return to why are you being pressured for such a quick decision? Can you find a different doctor, and thus a different hospital to put her into to try a round of new medication first? This sounds like the insurance companies playing doctor again.

Do your best... and go with it. No one can fault you for that.

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  #4  
Old Jul 25, 2004, 12:01 AM
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cleomaru cleomaru is offline
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i do know someone who gets it regularly, it works great, theres memory loss around the treatment, but............. thats kinda hard to get around, it's not a huge thing anymore, it's very controlled, it's very ......... well, i wont' say very, but it is safe.

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  #5  
Old Jul 25, 2004, 03:10 AM
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dexter dexter is offline
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>>This sounds like the insurance companies playing doctor again.

That is a good point... a lot of my research on ECT was because the insurance company recommended it when I was only a few weeks out of the hospital and still on my first try of meds for relief. My T told me about it without expressing his opinion... I told him that whether I was afraid of it or not, I thought it was way too early in the process for me to be considering it. My T agreed wholeheartedly but was obligated to mention the possiblity to me. He said the insurance company decided I wasn't getting well fast enough and therefore wanted to push ECT. Stupid insurance. I'm glad my T and my pdoc were supportive of me.

This is not to say that ECT is bad... as I said before it is worth looking into, but when getting advice make sure the advice is coming from a medical perspective and not a financial one.

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  #6  
Old Jul 25, 2004, 09:10 AM
nervousnellie nervousnellie is offline
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Thank you for all the replies. While the decision is in the hands of my cousins and uncle, I wanted to be more educated from people who know.

I totally think its the insurance company that is rushing this. If she is chosing not to have ECT then, the hospital says they have to send her home..as there is not much more they can do right now. The meds have been changed quite a bit in the last few years...but after time, she slips back into her depression.

I hate insurance companies. And in my opinion, her doctor is not that aggressive in helping her. Thanks for all the opinions. I think they are going to try it, but it really looks like they are giving them no choice. This is a very well respected phsyc. hospital by the way. Its so confusing.


ECT??

"This too shall pass"
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ECT??

"This too shall pass"
  #7  
Old Jul 25, 2004, 02:30 PM
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(JD) (JD) is offline
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Yeah that is what will probably happen

most anti depressants have to be dosed checked and increased and often the medication itself has to be changed... the drug companies themselves have admitted that this happens (in fact they said that their drugs don't help most ppl 70%! but only helps 30% on average)<font color=green>

it takes quite a bit of concentrated effort and a lot of patience to keep medicated to be functional. guess that's why most of us aren't! lol

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  #8  
Old Aug 05, 2004, 03:01 AM
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somebody somebody is offline
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Nervousnellie,... ECT can be a good thing.... I had 5 sessions of it about two years ago... it lasted for a while...you ten to forget a few things here and there and that is what it is designed for. To hopefully help you forget the reasons why you were trying to commit suicide and put that in the past enough to hope not deal with it again .... I also had it in May-June of this year... you have to really be on your toes because she is going to need someone that is going to look out for her well being... if she starts to lose to much of the memory... phone number her address... then it's time to stop.... that is what happened to me... make sure all suicide stuff is out of the house and out of her though. I found my suicide note not long after and put me right back in the hospital for the weekend...If you want to know any more feel free to ask.... you can PM me too if you would like .... Good luck with the decission... I made the choice the second time all by myself... just thought it was going to be another 5 but they were going to try 10 this time.... so be careful... start small and see how the change is.... it does help... just I found the suicide not that put me in the hospital in the first place.... not a good thing to find.... Take Care Somebody

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