I really want to have ECT for my severe, chronic depression. Problem is I'm very scared. Can someone who's had this done help to ease my fears? I guess the fear comes in when I think of what's actually happening to the body: electric shock to the brain followed by seizure. This is what scares me, just the thought of what's going on. Thanks for any help.

[shabur]

I've had several sessions of ECT. Try not to worry. You are under general anesthesia for the short period of time the procedure is performed. When you wake up you may have a headache or nausea, but those are generally due to the anesthesia and can be treated with over the counter medications.

[vans1974]

Originally Posted by newgal2

I really want to have ECT for my severe, chronic depression. Problem is I'm very scared. Can someone who's had this done help to ease my fears? I guess the fear comes in when I think of what's actually happening to the body: electric shock to the brain followed by seizure. This is what scares me, just the thought of what's going on. Thanks for any help.

I had ECT for my treatment resistant bipolar depression, and there's nothing to be worried about, except it can effect your memory and cognitive skills negatively like it did for me. Best of luck though and I hope it works for you!

Originally Posted by vans1974

I had ECT for my treatment resistant bipolar depression, and there's nothing to be worried about, except it can effect your memory and cognitive skills negatively like it did for me. Best of luck though and I hope it works for you!

Thanks vans. How long did the effect on your memory and cognitive skills last? Overall it helped your depression though?

[Mundane Gryphon]

The ECT itself was sort of like a nice little vacation for me. I don't recall even being present in my life during the time I was undergoing the treatments and for a month or so afterward. My husband tells me I was very cheerful and laughed a lot. I smoked at the time, and I burned a lot of holes in my couch , but I didn't have any negative sensations associated with the treatments. Have you ever been placed under general anesthesia before? For a small number of people, the drugs they use to put you under can cause some minor discomfort, maybe even nausea and vomiting, but that's true for any type of procedure performed under anesthesia.

The memory loss and cognitive issues that vans1974 mentioned are a major issue for me even now, 20 years after I had the treatments. My father had the old-fashioned ECT (no medications, full seizures), and he had similar problems to mine for the rest of his life. You need to be aware that this can sometimes be more of a problem than it's represented to be, especially if you have significant anxiety issues or OCD.

ECT can be an effective treatment, but be sure you've gotten enough information to make a truly informed choice.

Originally Posted by Mundane Gryphon

The ECT itself was sort of like a nice little vacation for me. I don't recall even being present in my life during the time I was undergoing the treatments and for a month or so afterward. My husband tells me I was very cheerful and laughed a lot. I smoked at the time, and I burned a lot of holes in my couch , but I didn't have any negative sensations associated with the treatments. Have you ever been placed under general anesthesia before? For a small number of people, the drugs they use to put you under can cause some minor discomfort, maybe even nausea and vomiting, but that's true for any type of procedure performed under anesthesia.

The memory loss and cognitive issues that vans1974 mentioned are a major issue for me even now, 20 years after I had the treatments. My father had the old-fashioned ECT (no medications, full seizures), and he had similar problems to mine for the rest of his life. You need to be aware that this can sometimes be more of a problem than it's represented to be, especially if you have significant anxiety issues or OCD.

ECT can be an effective treatment, but be sure you've gotten enough information to make a truly informed choice.

I've been under anesthesia before and had no problems with it. Your post doesn't help me feel less scared! I am aware of the risks and needed positive encouragement.

[Mundane Gryphon]

Originally Posted by newgal2

I've been under anesthesia before and had no problems with it. Your post doesn't help me feel less scared! I am aware of the risks and needed positive encouragement.

I'm sorry that you feel scared, and I apologize if my comments increased your fear. In my defense, I did offer positive thoughts about the procedure itself, which is not painful or uncomfortable at all, but because of my experience with ECT I don't feel comfortable giving only half the story. Unfortunately, the potential negative effects aren't always made clear prior to the treatments, as they weren't to me.

Since you are aware of the risks, the issues I mentioned wouldn't be a problem for you and shouldn't cause you any fear. Good luck to you. I hope you get a very good result!

I have had numerous treatments. My memory was affected a little bit in the beginning but its not worth complaining about. Ask lots of questions prior to the treatment. Voice your concerns. It is actually a very simple procedure that takes about 5 minutes. It is the prep and recovery from anesthesia that takes time.

These treatments have helped me incredibly. I can honestly say it is the only thing that has helped me with depression. I also have major anxiety so I understand your fear. I am no longer anxious when I go for a treatment. It is a very simple procedure.

I would be careful about what you read on the net about ECT. I just went to a site that I linked to from PsychCentral and was horrified at all the negativity. It was like they took the worst cases and posted them on this one site. I added my positive experience to the site, but I don't expect it to stay.

Good Luck and you will be okay. Just use your voice and get any concerns you may have taken care of. I'm sure having a good doctor is one of the reasons my experience was so positive.