ECT, anyone?

I'm sending possitve energy. Be well.

Good luck ohseedee, I will keep you in my thoughts. Please do try to stay in touch with us and keep us posted on your progress.

I have bipolar disorder and have been through two rounds of ECT (a total of 17 treatments) for sever bipolar depression. The ECT really did save my life, twice. I had some short term memory loss with the first round, but it was only for the time just prior to the ECT and through the ECT. With the second round I had no memory loss at all. All of my treatments were unilateral.

My husband has also had ECT for the same reason. He had some bilateral treatments so his memory loss was a little more troublesome, but he recovered nicely and has no residual effects.

I also work with someone who had ECT done. Her results were the same.

All three of us were able to return to our jobs and resume our lives without any cognitive or memory issues.

I have a strange story, not on e.c.t; but upon the electrical effects on the body.
I had an friend who was a violent/angry person (to the point where he was locked up by the police a lot and constantly in fights), he had an accident with elec. Since then his aggression has gone, he still has his memories, but the accident was big. He died twice and was in hosp for 6 months. The point is what change he went through because of this accident. He became a passive person, and had a total persona change (in a good way).
Personally I would not go through a "series" of e.c.t treatments.
Good Luck with your decision.

I had ECT about 2 or 3 years ago (can't really remember exactly..) I have some pretty bad long term and short term memory loss from it again. I hate to be negative, but it is something I will NEVER do again and would not recommend to anyone.

Hiya,

I saw this and it sparked a need to reply even though I don't have any experience. I have had suicidal depression for twenty years. I remember being ten/eleven years old and sitting in the sand pit at school writing I want to die. Sad for such a young kid. So initially the depression was about wanting to die but not by my own hands. Just wishing something would happen where I would end up dead. It has progressed over the years to extreme suicidality to the point where when I'm suicidal they say it is a psychotic suicidal. I've never heard of that before but it is what it is. My last tour through hell started in May this year. I was hospitalized for twenty-two days and attempted suicide twice while in the hospital. The doctors started talking to me of trying ECT. I refused point blank because I've seen some scary stuff with people who have had it. One lady lost her ability to recognize herself in the mirror. She couldn't recognize her visitors, have a conversation or even remember how to eat. There is no way in hell I would risk that for any sort of relief. You can read some of my other posts, it got morbid and extreme. I have been trying meds now for the past eleven years and have only through this last hospitalization been able to find a drug that works for me without removing my personality and core aspects of who I am by flattening my affect so much that I am unable to process thoughts. I didn't get help before I was eighteen partly because my mother was never around to witness what I was experiencing and even if she did notice she does not believe in mental illness or medication.

Please update us on what happened with your first round of treatment. I should think you would have had it by now. I'm eager to hear a positive response. Regardless of what happens please post so we can all support you. I truly hope this works for you!

Love and hugs,
Tara