[Slowbrains]

Have you had memory loss probelms during ECT? How bad it is? Does it recover? Can you go to job normally? Social life?

My Pdoc keeps dropping me hints to go to ECT, how good and safe treatment it is nowadays etc... I'm just scared how it would affect to my work escpecially. I'm an engineer and need my brain (or what is left of those).

I'm very curious to give a try. I'm BPII, quite depression dominant. So far it seems not to be responding to meds...

During the course of ECT, my short term memory was very much affected, but once I was finished with the treatments, my short term memory recovered. I would have had trouble working while in the midst of treatments, but returning once I was finished was not a problem.

Some people report having bigger issues with memory. Unfortunately there is no way to predict how you might respond.

I just had my 51th and last treatment a week and a half ago. A lot of my memories of this past year (first treatment was in November) are fuzzy. Half my past is fuzzy. But it doesn't really bother me or affect my thinking.

[vital]

Originally Posted by Slowbrains

Have you had memory loss probelms during ECT? How bad it is? Does it recover? Can you go to job normally? Social life?

My Pdoc keeps dropping me hints to go to ECT, how good and safe treatment it is nowadays etc... I'm just scared how it would affect to my work escpecially. I'm an engineer and need my brain (or what is left of those).

I'm very curious to give a try. I'm BPII, quite depression dominant. So far it seems not to be responding to meds...

Dear Slowbrains,

From what I understand, unrecoverable memory loss with ECT is quite likely. I don't know the statistics, but you can look this up. I also hear that you tend to feel better for a while, but then have to keep going back again and again or you get worse. I do know of one case where someone says that only ECT helped them

Sherwin Nuland: How electroshock therapy changed me | TED Talk | TED.com

The thing is, slowbrains, meds for depression have a terrible track record of actually working better than placebo, so it's not surprising and I don't think that you should be alarmed if you're not getting any benefit. pdocs will often not tell you this, but things like exercise and meditation have quite a good chance of working. They are safe and are therefore better treatment attempts than meds or ECT. If you can manage it, why not try all the safe, healthy things first? Doesn't that make sense? Also, I think it's really worth double checking for purely medical problems. These are often missed. Here's what I think is the best overall plan:

http://forums.psychcentral.com/4262681-post105.html

- vital

[Slowbrains]

Vital, i just consider how common it really is. What i believe is that you can't say it's quite likely. I've read hmm... paranoind concerns about Lamical causing rash, and the truth is that it's about 1/1000. It just gets too much attention. I took a risk with that and don't regret.

I take, beside Lamictal, fish oil like triple dose, it has notable effect. Also do trail running, snowboarding and free weights at gym. I feel those absolute helpful (all training requiring good balance has been scientifically proved to relieve depression)

But still when depression crawls in to me... I can usually keep doing those but just like technically performing those routines... Not enjoying.

I'm bipolar, so it is brain chemistry problem. I know sometimes depression can be cured with pretty natural means, but in those cases it would be rather psychological.

I'll study your post you linked...

[vital]

Originally Posted by Slowbrains

Vital, i just consider how common it really is. What i believe is that you can't say it's quite likely. I've read hmm... paranoind concerns about Lamical causing rash, and the truth is that it's about 1/1000. It just gets too much attention. I took a risk with that and don't regret.

I take, beside Lamictal, fish oil like triple dose, it has notable effect. Also do trail running, snowboarding and free weights at gym. I feel those absolute helpful (all training requiring good balance has been scientifically proved to relieve depression)

But still when depression crawls in to me... I can usually keep doing those but just like technically performing those routines... Not enjoying.

I'm bipolar, so it is brain chemistry problem. I know sometimes depression can be cured with pretty natural means, but in those cases it would be rather psychological.

I'll study your post you linked...

Hi Slow,

It sounds like you're doing lots of great stuff already and are already trying the safe healthy things first. I only had depression rather than bi-polar, but I might have been similar to you in that exercise was a big help, but couldn't resolve the whole thing. It sounds kind of crazy, but what really worked for me for depression was this:

http://egg.bu.edu/~youssef/SNAP_CLUB...0164151576.pdf

My own main reference for antidepressant risks is this paper

Negative Effects of Antidepressants | Mad in America

I don't know that much about ECT, but it's clear that at least some people consider it to be very dangerous. If it was me, I'd be researching that carefully before going in for it. You can find posts right in this forum that would be giving me pause

http://forums.psychcentral.com/other...er-normal.html

- vital

[Bird Feeder]

Hi Slowbrains, I am someone who has had no bad effects from ECT. I have had ECT for the past 2 years and have never had a problem with memory....well maybe from events that occurred years before but that comes back when someone jogs my memory. I have had no trouble with short term memory. I have ECT in the early morning and am able to leave by 8:45-9:00. I go right back to work after my treatments and am able to function and do my job with no one the wiser.

My depression is strong and includes a lot of suicidal ideation. The ECT has helped more than any med, although I do continue to take meds. It won't hurt to try at least a few, you should know whether you are going to have trouble with your memory early on in the treatments, I would think.

Take care.

[Nobodyandnothing]

I have long term memory loss from multiple courses of ECT. I also have short term memory loss, most likely from meds. I am 59 years old. I cannot remember college, advanced degree, wedding, births and childhood of my children. I look at photos trying to jog my memory and sometimes it works. Most of the time though I have no recollection of the event pictured. Awful way to live... "mommy, remember when we...". "no, honey, I don't remember". Makes me want to cry.

I'll be resuming my ECT treatment this week after having to stop due to unexpected surgery. I have ultra brief, unilateral ECT. I have has no memory loss at all. I've had 4 treatments so far and anticipate up to 12.
If you are concerned about memory loss ask for the ultra brief pulse, unilateral. I think it has been the only thing that's worked for me in years.
BTW You might want to read the book called Shocked by Kitty Dukakis. It's honest and very helpful.

[passionfruit3]

I go to nami and there was a guy there going through ect and said he woke up before the procedure was done very traumatic. This is very rare but it is still possible.

Sent from my SM-T210R using Tapatalk

[Sabrina]

I suffered short term memory loss from about 2 weeks prior to treatment and about a month after. I lost the ability to do basic things like boil an egg and even add 2 and 2. The abilities all came back in time but not so much the memories.

I've had two sessions of 8 treatments each. I noticed no longterm memory loss. SHort term was minimal and returned within weeks.

I find that I already experience being 'word dumb' owing to my meds. this was a bit more of a problem after the treatments.

[Bird Feeder]

I really think the ultra brief ECT is the best. It definitely helps with the minimal memory loss and quick recovery. IMO

Good luck to everyone pursuing this line of treatment.

[Donarrival]

Bilateral, or high-level unilateral, ECT are known to significantly increase the risks of permanent memory loss. I had a course of 22 ECT treatments (7 unilateral, the rest bilateral) over 15 years ago. I experienced permanent and extensive memory loss. I was unable to remember friends, family, significant events, and could not remember enough of my education and training to be able to return to my professional career. It helped treat the depression but came at a very, very high price.