Has Anyone Else Had ECT

Jan 27, 2015 at 06:54 AM

Just got back from my twentieth treatment (I was mistaken in my last post). Still no real improvement.

Jan 27, 2015 at 09:05 AM

Sorry to hear that Breadfish. Have you considered (or maybe tried?) TMS?

Jan 27, 2015 at 11:08 AM

I haven't tried it. I think the psychiatrist had a reason why it wasn't a good idea, but I have forgotten what the reason was. But I'll certainly ask about it tomorrow.

Jan 27, 2015 at 03:28 PM

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Jan 28, 2015 at 11:38 AM

We decided not to continue ECT and instead continue with drugs (unless my symptoms worsen as a result of quitting).
I was wrong when I said I had seen no improvement at all from the ECT - before starting ECT I'd quit drinking, mostly quit eating, and I was more than a little psychotic (I believed there was an invisible hole in my chest). Nowadays I eat, drink, and though I still sense the hole in my chest, I know it isn't really there.
But no improvement in mood or activity levels, which sucks. The pdoc hopes that upon quitting the ECT some of the ECT's side effects will disappear and make me less zombie-like. (My dad is the one who compared me to a zombie, not me) And thereby improve my mood or something. I don't have all the facts straight in my head.

Jan 28, 2015 at 11:57 AM

Glad that you've seen some improvement with ECT. Sorry it didn't seem to help your mood or activity levels. I wish the initial huge improvement in my depression that I saw after ECT remained. I've been struggling with increased depression lately, mainly a change in my mood/attitude.

Jan 28, 2015 at 12:24 PM

That's too bad. The triweekly treatments, are those intended as maintenance treatments? And is it possible to increase their frequency?

Jan 28, 2015 at 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breadfish

That's too bad. The triweekly treatments, are those intended as maintenance treatments? And is it possible to increase their frequency?

We have actually reduced it now to once a month now. The increased depression has just been over the past few days so I'm going to wait a bit before asking to increase the frequency.

Feb 02, 2015 at 08:42 AM

My depression has been pretty bad over the past week, so I decided to ask my ECT pdoc if I can have a treatment ASAP and however often he then recommends to get me back to feeling good. As I've posted before, I really hate having the treatments but I'll bite the bullet since they seem to help me.

Feb 03, 2015 at 07:25 AM

I hope they'll get you back to feeling good. (hug)

I'm also starting ECT again, next Tuesday. My chest is gone - there's a big hole where it's supposed to be, I can see part of my lungs and stomach when I look down, my heart is gone in its entirety (it's rather disgusting to look at so I don't look down much) - and my mom conferred with the pdoc who conferred with the ECT-pdoc who conferred with his colleagues and they say the hole is there because we quit ECT too soon. I don't really understand how THAT works, but I don't need to, just as long as the hole goes away and I get my bodyparts back.

Feb 03, 2015 at 07:43 AM

I really hope the ECT helps you this time Breadfish.

Lucy Goosey · Feb 06, 2015 at 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newgal2

I have been having electroconvulsive therapy treatments since November and am curious to know if anyone else is having them and if they have helped.

I would have to say that they definitely helped my depression. They haven't eliminated the depression completely but have definitely made a considerable improvement.

How often do you have ect? As an inpatient? I'm an older woman and am scared to death of what'll it do for my memory and cognition.

Feb 07, 2015 at 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucy Goosey

How often do you have ect? As an inpatient? I'm an older woman and am scared to death of what'll it do for my memory and cognition.

I'm having maintenance treatments once a month now, on an outpatient basis. They have definitely affected my memory but helped my horrible depression considerably. The tradeoff with memory, while no desirable, is worth it to me. Good luck to you if you decide to try it.

artichack · Mar 01, 2015 at 02:39 AM

I received electric shock therapy when I was 27...25 years ago....suffered a severe mental breakdown...in the hospital for 2 months...don't remember anything...at all...had a beard when I came too....only received the therapy as a last resort...nothing else worked...yeah some 25 years later I do suffer from memory lapses...mostly before the treatments.....childhood thru my early teens...twenties...but not so much now...I can say that it probably saved my life.....I am at a loss for words for the time I was that psychotic...no recollection ....still scares me...so I think for those that suffer from the worst of the worst ....It could be a god send....Hope this helps....sorry its so broken up....best of luck..Artie

Mar 03, 2015 at 02:00 PM

My mom talked to someone at the hospital today whose husband had ECT now and 25 years ago. 25 years ago, he had 20 treatments before he started noticing any improvement at all. And even then the improvement was very, very gradual.

It gives me some hope that there may still be a chance in my case.

rjwpraise · Mar 23, 2015 at 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newgal2

I have been having electroconvulsive therapy treatments since November and am curious to know if anyone else is having them and if they have helped.

I would have to say that they definitely helped my depression. They haven't eliminated the depression completely but have definitely made a considerable improvement.

I did many years ago. It did help me. It was around 1994 and done while I was a inpt. It never took the depression away, I still struggle from time to time, right now I'm there again for a number of reasons. It did not affect my memories. Hope this helps

Mar 24, 2015 at 01:18 PM

After this week I'll go to having treatments once a week.

Mar 25, 2015 at 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breadfish

After this week I'll go to having treatments once a week.

Breadfish, do you feel like the treatments have helped you? As I think I've said, at one point I felt like they completely eliminated my depression but then it came back and I still struggle with it despite the treatments.

Mar 25, 2015 at 12:16 PM

Before ECT I'd quit eating and drinking because I couldn't be bothered and because I didn't feel hunger and thirst. Now I'm eating and drinking and actually eat more than absolutely required sometimes - chocolate or a cookie or something similar. Before ECT I didn't care about anything and just felt numb. Now I mostly feel guilty about everything and nothing. It's technically an improvement even if it's not something I enjoy. I exercise almost every day now, before I couldn't be bothered to do anything at all. So yeah, it's helped me in some small ways. But not as much as I'd hoped.

Mar 26, 2015 at 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breadfish

Before ECT I'd quit eating and drinking because I couldn't be bothered and because I didn't feel hunger and thirst. Now I'm eating and drinking and actually eat more than absolutely required sometimes - chocolate or a cookie or something similar. Before ECT I didn't care about anything and just felt numb. Now I mostly feel guilty about everything and nothing. It's technically an improvement even if it's not something I enjoy. I exercise almost every day now, before I couldn't be bothered to do anything at all. So yeah, it's helped me in some small ways. But not as much as I'd hoped.

Same here - - it's helped somewhat but not as much as I'd like. I'd like the depression to be gone!

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Anonymous40413 Guest Posts: n/a	Jan 27, 2015 at 06:54 AM #41 Just got back from my twentieth treatment (I was mistaken in my last post). Still no real improvement.
	Reply With Quote

Anonymous37807 Guest Posts: n/a	Jan 27, 2015 at 09:05 AM #42 Sorry to hear that Breadfish. Have you considered (or maybe tried?) TMS?
	Reply With Quote

Anonymous40413 Guest Posts: n/a	Jan 27, 2015 at 11:08 AM #43 I haven't tried it. I think the psychiatrist had a reason why it wasn't a good idea, but I have forgotten what the reason was. But I'll certainly ask about it tomorrow.
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Anonymous37807 Guest Posts: n/a	Jan 27, 2015 at 03:28 PM #44 Good luck with whatever you decide.
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Anonymous37807 Guest Posts: n/a	Jan 28, 2015 at 11:57 AM #46 Glad that you've seen some improvement with ECT. Sorry it didn't seem to help your mood or activity levels. I wish the initial huge improvement in my depression that I saw after ECT remained. I've been struggling with increased depression lately, mainly a change in my mood/attitude.
	Reply With Quote

Anonymous40413 Guest Posts: n/a	Jan 28, 2015 at 12:24 PM #47 That's too bad. The triweekly treatments, are those intended as maintenance treatments? And is it possible to increase their frequency?
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Anonymous37807 Guest Posts: n/a	Feb 02, 2015 at 08:42 AM #49 My depression has been pretty bad over the past week, so I decided to ask my ECT pdoc if I can have a treatment ASAP and however often he then recommends to get me back to feeling good. As I've posted before, I really hate having the treatments but I'll bite the bullet since they seem to help me.
	Reply With Quote

Anonymous37807 Guest Posts: n/a	Feb 03, 2015 at 07:43 AM #51 I really hope the ECT helps you this time Breadfish.
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Anonymous40413 Guest Posts: n/a	Mar 03, 2015 at 02:00 PM #55 My mom talked to someone at the hospital today whose husband had ECT now and 25 years ago. 25 years ago, he had 20 treatments before he started noticing any improvement at all. And even then the improvement was very, very gradual. It gives me some hope that there may still be a chance in my case.
	Reply With Quote

Anonymous40413 Guest Posts: n/a	Mar 24, 2015 at 01:18 PM #57 After this week I'll go to having treatments once a week.
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