I was in the psych hospital for severe, intractable (eight months running) depression a week ago or so and they recommended ECT. I went to have the procedure done and had a panic attack right before so opted out.

I just saw my own pdoc today, and he, too, recommends ECT. I guess I have to move forward because my depression is horrible and the meds just aren't cutting it. My life is a mess.

For those of you who have had it, any words to help me get over my extreme anxiety about the procedure? I guess the whole concept of current running through my brain and the seizure, etc. just freak me out. I'm kind of worried about the memory loss too. Thanks for any input.

I hope someone will comment to reassure me. I'm having my first ECT this Friday morning and scared to death.

You won't feel a thing. They will give you anesthesia and a muscle relaxer so you don't actually physically seize. When you wake up, you might have a headache, but personally I never even had that. It is a quick treatment. You'll be awake within minutes of the treatment. I was usually fine to function the rest of the day, perhaps needed a nap later in the day.

As far as memory loss goes, I had very little problem with that. The most I noticed was a loss of memory for the time surrounding the treatments. I had no long-term memory loss or lingering issues.

Everyone responds a bit differently to ECT, but usually it goes well for most patients. The type of treatment can make a difference. My treatments were unilateral which is less harsh on memory. My husband's were bilateral and he had a bit more disorientation and memory loss than I did, but he too recovered nicely with no lingering effects.

I hope all goes well for you.

Originally Posted by 1914sierra

You won't feel a thing. They will give you anesthesia and a muscle relaxer so you don't actually physically seize. When you wake up, you might have a headache, but personally I never even had that. It is a quick treatment. You'll be awake within minutes of the treatment. I was usually fine to function the rest of the day, perhaps needed a nap later in the day.

As far as memory loss goes, I had very little problem with that. The most I noticed was a loss of memory for the time surrounding the treatments. I had no long-term memory loss or lingering issues.

Everyone responds a bit differently to ECT, but usually it goes well for most patients. The type of treatment can make a difference. My treatments were unilateral which is less harsh on memory. My husband's were bilateral and he had a bit more disorientation and memory loss than I did, but he too recovered nicely with no lingering effects.

I hope all goes well for you.

Thanks for your response 1914sierra. I'm glad it went well for you. I think I'm having unilateral, so hopefully the memory loss won't be too bad.

Make sure you do your research, more so than just opinions on a forum. There are a whole lot of pros and cons.

Its been offered and pushed on me for years, but I have resisted and always managed to come out of the depressions with anti psychotics. Im not sure whats worse, but every single person I know who has had ECT has still had to remain on medication to function.

Im interested in learning more about electrical brain stimulation technology as I am not keen on full blown ECT but some of the machines that stimulate the brain to a lessor extent look hopeful.

Be sure you have exhausted all other options before going to such extremes. The potential side effects can be life changing. Its a matter of luck at the moment as to if it is a good or bad change.

Originally Posted by Supanova

Make sure you do your research, more so than just opinions on a forum. There are a whole lot of pros and cons.

Its been offered and pushed on me for years, but I have resisted and always managed to come out of the depressions with anti psychotics. Im not sure whats worse, but every single person I know who has had ECT has still had to remain on medication to function.

Im interested in learning more about electrical brain stimulation technology as I am not keen on full blown ECT but some of the machines that stimulate the brain to a lessor extent look hopeful.

Be sure you have exhausted all other options before going to such extremes. The potential side effects can be life changing. Its a matter of luck at the moment as to if it is a good or bad change.

As I said in my original post, I was looking for POSTIIVE feedback on ECT. I have done research and am aware of the risks. At this point, I feel it is the only viable option for me.

Are you feeling any better about it now? Less anxious? Been thinking about you.

Originally Posted by 1914sierra

Are you feeling any better about it now? Less anxious? Been thinking about you.

Thanks for thinking of me. I just want to get it over with. I'm committed to doing it. I'm worried about having another panic attack, though, right before it happens. Apparently they give you a med that unbinds any anti-anxiety meds that are bound to receptors. The nurse thinks that med caused my panic attack the fist time I was going to have it when I was inpatient, but they have to use the med (can't remember the name of it).

Yes, I'm surprised they don't have you stop the anti-anxiety meds the night before. They would have me stop several of my meds because they could interfere with the efficacy of the treatment. I think lamictal was one of them because it is technically an anti-convulsant.

Originally Posted by 1914sierra

Yes, I'm surprised they don't have you stop the anti-anxiety meds the night before. They would have me stop several of my meds because they could interfere with the efficacy of the treatment. I think lamictal was one of them because it is technically an anti-convulsant.

I'm not supposed to have any anti-anxiety meds after noon the day before. The pdoc supervising the treatments said it's ok to stay on the lamictal. Sounds kind of counter-intuitive about the lamictal, but that's what he says.

One thing I've discovered is that different pdocs handle ECT differently. When I was in the hospital last time, I met a man who had had ECT at a different hospital. He said he was amazed to see the people coming back from ECT be so alert and feeling so good just minutes after treatment at our hospital. Apparently where he had had it done, they must have used much more analgesia or something because he said they would be out for hours after treatment and have horrible headaches each and every time. That is not at all what goes on with my pdoc in my hospital. We're up and about right afterwards and rarely have headache issues. He said the hospital he was in was a teaching hospital and that the interns/residents were doing the treatments. He suspects they were not being supervised as well as they should have.

I wasn't able to go through with the ECT today. Could hardly sleep last night and was awake just terrified thinking of the procedure. Since I've backed out 3 times already, I don't think they'd ever book me again. Chances are even if they would, I still would be too fearful. Apparently I'm just not cut out for it. Here's hoping the meds will help.

Sorry I didnt realise my post was negative. I know this one will be. What AP's have you tried?

Every single person I know personally who had ect has memory problems, headaches and still need to be on heavy duty meds after. It was pushed on me last week after triggered depression, which left me once the AP's kicked in. Cant believe the hospital wanted me to do it when meds were sufficient, I just needed time for them to work. They told me I was beyond severe enough to be having it... yet APs still worked to get me out of it. Funny that, makes me wonder how much the insurance companies pay for ect treatment for them to push it.

Since this depression started in August, they've had me try viibryd, Prozac and now wellbutrin. Been on wellbutrin a couple of weeks but I think I was on it before for a short time during this period, and it didn't help. I guess I haven't exactly exhausted all meds. They thought my depression was severe enough and long-lasting enough to warrant ECT.