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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 11 to 35 of 73. Go back in thread:
Posted by weatherfreak on September 12, 2010, at 20:45:04
In reply to Re: My sister is having ECT, I'll be looking... » SLS, posted by weatherfreak on September 12, 2010, at 17:05:37
Well I just picked her up and aside from being a little groggy from the anaesthetic and having a slight headache, she's totally fine and hasn't lost any cognition at all.
They said the first is the worst and it gets better with each treatment, re pain and cognition. You wouldn't have a clue she just had ECT. She remembers everything, it's amazing. I'm so happy for her.
Posted by Maxime on September 12, 2010, at 21:15:57
In reply to WOW!, posted by weatherfreak on September 12, 2010, at 20:45:04
That is great news! With each treatment she might have more side effects from the ECT. But at the same time, signs of depression will/should go away so she will feel more "awake" which will be great.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you and your sister!
Posted by weatherfreak on September 12, 2010, at 21:58:52
In reply to Re: WOW! » weatherfreak, posted by Maxime on September 12, 2010, at 21:15:57
> That is great news! With each treatment she might have more side effects from the ECT. But at the same time, signs of depression will/should go away so she will feel more "awake" which will be great.
>
> Keeping my fingers crossed for you and your sister!Thanks so much Maxime! I'm just so happy for her because it might soon be my only option. One of my sisters refused it a few years back. This one didn't. Both parents and all 4 siblings suffer from one mental illness or another.
Have you had it? The doctors said this new ultra brief unilateral treatment gets better as it goes along not worse like it used to. They said this will be by far the worst and all other treatments will be better. If your cognition isn't messed up by this first one then you should be fine from here on in. Let's hope so!
Posted by Maxime on September 14, 2010, at 19:02:12
In reply to Re: WOW! » Maxime, posted by weatherfreak on September 12, 2010, at 21:58:52
I would be willing to have ECT if a doctor recommended it, none have. I guess I don't have the type of depression that would be helped by it. But how do THEY know. It could help me.
Will your sister have to go for booster treatments at all? Some people who go through ECT later on need a few treatments. That's the part that I don't like. But again, I would be willing to do it if it would help.
Do you think you will have ECT?
Posted by emmanuel98 on September 14, 2010, at 21:14:52
In reply to Re: WOW! » weatherfreak, posted by Maxime on September 14, 2010, at 19:02:12
Maxime - It's pretty hard to do ECT when you're working full time. You need to spend a few hours a day getting there, getting the treatment, getting home, then getting over the anathesia hangover.
Posted by weatherfreak on September 14, 2010, at 23:33:39
In reply to Re: WOW! » weatherfreak, posted by Maxime on September 14, 2010, at 19:02:12
> I would be willing to have ECT if a doctor recommended it, none have. I guess I don't have the type of depression that would be helped by it. But how do THEY know. It could help me.
>
> Will your sister have to go for booster treatments at all? Some people who go through ECT later on need a few treatments. That's the part that I don't like. But again, I would be willing to do it if it would help.
>
> Do you think you will have ECT?I don't know if she will need to go back after her 6 treatments. Two a week for three weeks.
I don't know if I'll ever get offered it. I might one day. If it works for her I'd consider it. My oldest sister was offered it a few years back but she declined.
Posted by Phillipa on September 15, 2010, at 12:34:23
In reply to Re: WOW! » Maxime, posted by weatherfreak on September 14, 2010, at 23:33:39
Is it really expensive and will she have to continue on meds? Phillipa
Posted by weatherfreak on September 15, 2010, at 18:07:51
In reply to Re: WOW! » weatherfreak, posted by Phillipa on September 15, 2010, at 12:34:23
It's free here in Australia, and yes she will continue on meds, for how long? Her and her pdoc haven't decided.
Posted by Phillipa on September 15, 2010, at 21:40:33
In reply to Re: WOW!, posted by weatherfreak on September 15, 2010, at 18:07:51
That's fabulous sounds like Australia has the best health care to me. Phillipa
Posted by weatherfreak on September 16, 2010, at 6:22:33
In reply to Re: WOW! » weatherfreak, posted by Phillipa on September 15, 2010, at 21:40:33
I'm actually stunned at how good she is memory wise and physically, her muscles are way less sore this time around. She is a bit edgy and though, which is understandable. She described it as being almost like akathisia in nature.
Posted by Maxime on September 16, 2010, at 20:07:44
In reply to Re: WOW! » Maxime, posted by weatherfreak on September 14, 2010, at 23:33:39
Well they say sibblings often do well on the same AD. Maybe it is the same for her ECT. I'm glad she is doing well.
Posted by weatherfreak on September 16, 2010, at 20:43:44
In reply to Re: WOW! » weatherfreak, posted by Maxime on September 16, 2010, at 20:07:44
> Well they say sibblings often do well on the same AD. Maybe it is the same for her ECT. I'm glad she is doing well.
Yeah Maxime, that's very true with one of my sisters RE: AD's but unfortunately not this one.
I'm so happy for her, I'm just so glad it hasn't messed with her like I thought it was going to. I really hope it works for her.
Posted by SLS on September 17, 2010, at 5:37:15
In reply to Re: WOW! » Maxime, posted by weatherfreak on September 16, 2010, at 20:43:44
> > Well they say sibblings often do well on the same AD. Maybe it is the same for her ECT. I'm glad she is doing well.
> Yeah Maxime, that's very true with one of my sisters RE: AD's but unfortunately not this one.
> I'm so happy for her, I'm just so glad it hasn't messed with her like I thought it was going to. I really hope it works for her.Very encouraging. I'll say a prayer.
- Scott
Posted by Maxime on September 19, 2010, at 17:57:37
In reply to Re: WOW! » Maxime, posted by weatherfreak on September 16, 2010, at 20:43:44
Hey there, how has the treatment been going with your sister. Do you see any improvement yet? Is she coping well with the treatments? Update please! :)
Posted by weatherfreak on September 21, 2010, at 6:58:27
In reply to Re: WOW!, posted by Maxime on September 19, 2010, at 17:57:37
Well she's doing fine memory wise, but no improvement so far. If anything she's actually got a touch of akathisia but it could be nerves. She still has 3 more to go so it's still early days. It's amazing how little she is affected by it. She has it done at 8AM and is home by 11ish, you'd have no idea she just had ECT. If anything she's a little chattier than normal for a couple of hours.
She's actually going to ask to go in as an inpatient for the next week and a half.
Posted by Maxime on September 21, 2010, at 19:48:57
In reply to 3rd treatment » Maxime, posted by weatherfreak on September 21, 2010, at 6:58:27
It's early yet. She may not show improvement until the next or the one after that. That's a good idea for her to go inpatient.
I wish her luck!
Posted by Ruby on September 22, 2010, at 8:56:05
In reply to Re: 3rd treatment » weatherfreak, posted by Maxime on September 21, 2010, at 19:48:57
Hi there--
Its been exactly a year since I finished 6 ECT treatments...and yes it didn't seem to help until the 5th or 6th...and even then it seemed to continue help improve my mood for a few weeks after that and I've remained pretty stable since then. I didn't seem to have many memory problems while I was getting the treatments, but after it was all over I realized I had strange holes in my memory...and those holes continued to reveal themselves for about 4 months afterward. I think while I was getting the treatments I seemed pretty normal, though each treatment gave me a migraine (not fun).
Anyway, all this to say it worked for me--there wasn't a sudden change but a progressive one. I'm happy I made the very difficult decision to get the treatments. Also, FYI, one of the reasons I got the treatments is I know a woman who got treatments when she was in her 80s, after a lifetime of depression--and they really changed her life.
Good luck!
Posted by weatherfreak on September 22, 2010, at 19:23:07
In reply to Re: 3rd treatment, posted by Ruby on September 22, 2010, at 8:56:05
Thanks so much for that feedback Ruby, it's really appreciated. She's actually off having her 4th one right now. Her pdoc is away so her stand in wanted to discuss her options for going in as an inpatient today. I personally don't think she needs to anymore but it's her choice as it's almost over and as you said, she seems fine.
I hope she doesn't start to develop memory loss as time progresses, I'm grateful for your words and personal story. So far it sounds quite similar. I'll keep you all posted
Posted by Ruby on September 22, 2010, at 21:57:43
In reply to Re: 3rd treatment » Ruby, posted by weatherfreak on September 22, 2010, at 19:23:07
Also wanted to add that my sister came and took care of me for a couple weeks after I had the treatments (I was an inpatient). It was good to have her around to help me remember to take my meds, to encourage me to rest, and just generally make sure I was okay.
The memory stuff was weird and unexpected---like forgetting how to get to the grocery store--but I just needed a little prompting and then it would come back. A couple months after the treatment, I realized I remember very little of my time in the hospital--couldn't remember who visited me or how I got to the hospital or how I got home. Things like that. I'd mention it to a friend who knew the answers and then I'd start to remember.
Anyway...feel free to ask any questions. I do wish both you and your sister well; I do hope this will be the start of a better period for you. My sister also suffers from treatment-resistant depression, so we have that in common too.
Posted by weatherfreak on September 22, 2010, at 23:16:57
In reply to Re: 3rd treatment, posted by Ruby on September 22, 2010, at 21:57:43
Well, thanks again Ruby. It's terrible for both of us too, to suffer from treatment resistant depression. I couldn't take her today because I had a dental appt.
I hadn't noticed a difference in her until today, when I got home she looked terrible. Really pale and quite scattered. She had to pop off to see her GP afterwards for other stuff and grab some grocery's on her own. She wrote a list for 4 items, I've never ever seen her do that before but insisted she was OK to go alone. It's not far and she has her phone with her. She is very independent.
I think this treatment has started the change. I just hope this works for her. She had wanted to start cutting again this week. Let's hope this passes.
Posted by Phillipa on September 23, 2010, at 19:21:20
In reply to 4th treatment *small trigger* » Ruby, posted by weatherfreak on September 22, 2010, at 23:16:57
Well how is she today? Any better? Phillipa
Posted by weatherfreak on September 24, 2010, at 1:23:07
In reply to 4th treatment *small trigger* » Ruby, posted by weatherfreak on September 22, 2010, at 23:16:57
She's not doing so well today. I'm keeping an eye on her. I'll call the hospital if need be but she has bombed herself out on seroquel. She's going to spend the afternoon in bed and bomb herself out again tonight.
Posted by Ruby on September 24, 2010, at 12:00:20
In reply to Re: 4th treatment, posted by weatherfreak on September 24, 2010, at 1:23:07
Might be just fine that she is in bed--the treatments are hard on your body, really hard. I was in the hospital the whole time and each day of the treatment they released me from other activities and encouraged me to have a quiet day. Since I would have a migraine, that wasn't too hard. Do keep an eye on her, but hopefully this is part of the process and nothing else.
I didn't work for 3 months after the treatments and had a difficult time when I did go back (the little memory blips showed up most when i was at work and forget about simple things...computer password, a colleague's name...oy...it was weird where/when it showed up).
Posted by weatherfreak on September 27, 2010, at 22:12:35
In reply to Re: 4th treatment, posted by Ruby on September 24, 2010, at 12:00:20
Since there didn't seem to be any improvement to date, yesterday her pdoc raised her ECT level to normal, she was having a lower than usual dose.
I noticed a huge difference when I picked her up. She was white as a sheet and looked terrible. For the first time she was quite scattered too, she has her final one on Thursday and meets straight with her pdoc because he want her to have another 6 straight away. I don't want her too. I want her to wait at least 6 months minimum to see how she goes. Do you think that's a fair enough time period?
I think it's too soon for another 6 straight away, making it 12 treatments in 6 weeks. It's making her anxiety go through the roof.
Posted by ruby on September 28, 2010, at 7:34:27
In reply to 5th treatment, more electricity, posted by weatherfreak on September 27, 2010, at 22:12:35
I know how incredibly difficult this is for you and your sister; I keep you in my thoughts and prayers. And what a hard decision to make. I would hold off making a decision until you can talk it over with the doctor--can you go with your sister to this next session, as her caregiver? My sister came with me to my first session after all the treatments were done and it was a great help because she had a better bead on how I was doing. Ask all the questions you need to ask, listen carefully and then make the decision that seems right to you and your sister. What does she want to do?
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