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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dave1 on November 19, 2002, at 23:50:26
Hi,
I tried ECT a few times but never got through it.
For some reason the waking up disoriented really terrifies me. My pdoc says I have an unnatural phobia of the awaking process. He says most people don't get bothered by the the awakening process too much.Does anyone else have this problem or does waking up not bother you or scare you that much?
Thanks,
Dave
Posted by joy on November 20, 2002, at 10:24:54
In reply to ECT FEAR, posted by Dave1 on November 19, 2002, at 23:50:26
I would be afraid too. ECT is a total last resort. It's easy for your Psych to say to have an 'unnatural phobia' to waking up disoriented. This is a NORMAL feeling. I think your shrink needs to work on his own abnormal feelings [he doesn't seem to have any].
Joy
Posted by Squiggles on November 20, 2002, at 10:26:14
In reply to ECT FEAR, posted by Dave1 on November 19, 2002, at 23:50:26
Unless an operation or medical treatment
*must* be done for life-threatening reasons,
i don't see why you have to go something
that you consider dangerous or frightening;
after all there are risks and you will notice
that in elective surgery there is a form
of consent. So, i would not feel bad about
your fear, and would ask for an alternative
treatment to ECT - there must be a thousand
drug and a million drug combinations out there,
not to mention chicken entrail therapy.Squiggles
Posted by Pfinstegg on November 20, 2002, at 13:16:18
In reply to ECT FEAR, posted by Dave1 on November 19, 2002, at 23:50:26
I can understand about the waking-up fear, especially associated with confusion- I would feel the same way. Because of those fears, and also the fear of being one of the people who might get longer than temporary memory loss with ECT, I am due to start a trial of TMS in early January. TMS is not approved by the FDA, although it is approved in Canada and Europe. Here, there are presently studies going on at NIH, and Seattle (right-handed people only), and it is also possible to get it privately, although the big drawback there is that insurance will not pay for it. In part, my decision was based on an article I read noting a correlation between high cortisol levels (which I have) and memory loss with ECT. TMS has been shown to be slightly less effective than ECT- 58% vs. 64% for TRD., but memory loss has not been a problem, and, as there is no anesthesia, and at most a slight headache afterwards, it is safe and uncomplicated to undergo.
Pfinstegg
Posted by phoebes on November 20, 2002, at 15:39:11
In reply to Re: ECT FEAR » Dave1, posted by Pfinstegg on November 20, 2002, at 13:16:18
I've heard that which anesthetic they use can make a big difference to one's wake-up experience. I'm planning on ECT, and it is a bit scary, but the prospect is (so far) not as scary as being as depressed as I am.
Pfinstegg, be sure to let us know how your trial with TMS goes.
Posted by Pfinstegg on November 20, 2002, at 23:00:05
In reply to Re: ECT FEAR, posted by phoebes on November 20, 2002, at 15:39:11
Thanks, I will. Let us know how the ECT goes too, will you?
Pfinstegg
This is the end of the thread.
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