Posted by Crazy Horse on July 17, 2006, at 20:17:24
In reply to Anyone had ECT?, posted by Randy Walker on July 17, 2006, at 14:05:55
> I have had 2 ECT treatments, which is not enough to be effective--I am told it takes 3 to 5...but am worried about the effect on memory and just the general weird way was I was feeling afterward.... I am 45, have been on probably 25 different medications over the past 18 years. At the moment I am horrifically depressed and can't decided whether to continue with ECT...seems to be a crap shoot.... My docs took me off meds prior to ECT and hopefully I will feel at least somewhat better after I get back on them...
> Any feedback from ECT veterans will be appreciated.
> RandyHi Randy,
I had 24 ECT treatments in 1997. I have suffered from treatment resistant depression since age 22, i am 48 now. In '97 i got extremely bad..deeply depressed and suicidal. After multiple Medication failures including Marplan, Nardil and Parnate ( the so called Power house AD's) I was hospitalized in Seattle Wa. I ended up staying there for 2 1/2 months and had a total of 24 ECT treatments, and i did recover from that particular horrible deep depression. Thing is i don't no if i recovered from the ECT treatments, the rest(break from the stress of life) of 2 mos. in the hospital ( i was on the psych ward and had my own private room ) or because of the Zoloft they had put me on with many augmentation agents. My guess is it was a combination of all 3. So bottom line, it ( i assume all 3 things ) saved my life because i was seriously planning my suicide. I did have some short term memory loss, but nothing major or permanent. People ( my sisters, brother, wife and friends) are constantly commenting on my GOOD memory..which i really do have especially for age 48.
So my recommendation ( and i know a lot of people have bad feelings about ECT..fact is it's the most successful treatment for Major Depression ) it's most definitely the most controversial treatment in all of Psychiatry. If the patient is properly diagnosed with Major Depressive disorder their is approx. a 90% chance that it will help the patient. I would continue with it Randy..and don't believe every negative thing you hear and read about ECT. I wish you the very best Randy whatever you choose to do. God bless you.Monte - Plz. feel free to babblemail me if you have any further questions :)
poster:Crazy Horse
thread:667778
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060717/msgs/667861.html