Is it true that the current that passes through you only lasts a second or two? I was under the impression that it ran through you for like a minute or so. It's the current that has me really freaked out, and maybe if I knew it only was a quick zap I could actually have it done, as my psychiatrist recommends.

Thanks for any input on time length of electric current.

Yes, the current only lasts a second or two. What you are probably confusing it with is the seizure that results. They are looking to produce a seizure of around 30 seconds or so for best results. During the seizure, you are still because they give a muscle relaxant to prevent physically injury. They place a blood pressure cuff around your ankle so the relaxant doesn't reach that one foot, and your big toe twitches during the seizure. That's pretty much it.

[artemis1978]

Yes, I've had it done and the current doesn't last for minutes.

Well, that makes me feel a little less apprehensive. Thanks. Still not sure whether I'll go through with it . . .

[shabur]

You're also under anesthesia during the treatment.

[(JD)]

I'm sorry to hear you are at this "last resort" effort.

If you truly have a choice, don't do it. It's still quite controversial and has lifelong results that may not be very good. (IMO it's similar to doing a lobotomy on someone...why on earth would that be good medicine? Causing the brain/body to seize? No way today!)

I'm praying you can find a doctor who can help you talk through and work out what is causing your depression, instead of a psychiatrist who zaps you. (Most psychiatrists no longer practice psychotherapy and only rely upon their MD studies to get rid of problem patients---my POV!)

JD, you clearly speak of that which you know nothing if you compare ECT to a lobotomy.

[Nobodyandnothing]

I am testament to ect having extremely bad results...
no memory of high school, college, grad school, children's births, childhoods and adolescence, vacations, jobs...

Feel free to pm me. I do talk from experience. Good luck.

I've heard of the horror stories. I've also heard of people who have no lingering side effects. I guess it's a crap shoot as to which camp a person will fall into.

[(JD)]

Originally Posted by 1914sierra

JD, you clearly speak of that which you know nothing if you compare ECT to a lobotomy.

I knew to say that more clearly... Not that it is the same but that imo it is just as unwarranted and controversial... They still do not know why it sometimes works and why people lose memories.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nicoleb2]

Originally Posted by Nobodyandnothing

I am testament to ect having extremely bad results...
no memory of high school, college, grad school, children's births, childhoods and adolescence, vacations, jobs...

Feel free to pm me. I do talk from experience. Good luck.

I am also a testament to the negatives.
Don't remember my wedding, my kids as babies, a good portion of my life is gone forever.

I've had ECT and have written about my results. I respect a person's decision to have it. I was told I had "treatment resistant" depression..not true. I lost treasured memories of my children's childhoods. That being said, that is my experience. Many people have different experiences. Feel free to PM me. It is not a lobotomy. My personality is the same.

The current is ultra brief. You don't feel a thing. It is not a lobotomy. I do believe it is a "crap shoot." My doctor told me I would forget brushing my teeth in the morning. My memory loss wasn't apparent until 9 months after the treatments two years ago.

That being said, many people have excellent results. Many also report the loss of memory is worth the risk. This is my experience. I ache for the loss of the treasured memories of my children's childhoods.

It did not work for me. I feel I awe it to you to share my personal experience. Feel free to PM me anytime.

[Taonuviel]

I didn't really care about anything when they wanted to try ECT. In about the last year I had been inpatient suicidal 12-14 times, maybe? I even tried to hang myself inpatient once, but I didn't know I had until they told me I had in my most recent stay, 2012. (I hadn't been in that hospital since March of 2006, and had one stay elsewhere in 2009) I agreed to it, and a couple more sets. My family say I seemed zombie-like. I lost almost all memory prior to 2006, and have trouble with short-term memory, too. My arts&crafts creativity grew after I returned home in March with Ritalin augmented to depression meds, which really lifted me. But I think I've had more trouble writing since then - not creative writing, which I had never done much. It seemed like it took me much longer than it should have to write papers, though they were still really good if I finished them. The "IF" being the problem... my mind felt dimmed.