Depression Learning

ect

Question:

Here is a copy of something I wrote to another person considering ect a few months back. It is just *my* experience, take what you need and leave the rest! ok, I was having ect last year, right at this time!  The way it went (as far as I can recall, memory loss is a side effect)……you don’t eat anything after midnight the night before.  In the morning I took 2 pills with a sip of water.  I don’t remember what they were, I think one was Reglan, which is for your stomach, and Pepcid (antiacid). Then I’d be driven in (since you can’t drive yourself home, or at all the rest of that day) and I’d go in a room with one of the nurses. She would check my vital signs, and ask me questions relating to my depression symptoms, and any side effects I’d been haiving.  Then she gave me an injection, don’t recall the drug, of a medication that dries your secretions.  You then go into the waiting room till that takes effect, about 1/2 an hour.  I’d get called into the room, and a nurse and anesthesiologist would be there to hook me up.  I lay on the table, and had electrodes on my chest to observe my heart rhythm.  The doc came in to prep me, which involved using water to wash spots on my head, then putting electrode jelly on.  The nurse started an IV, using a very tiny butterfly needle.  The anesthesiologist injected a med that knocks you out, and I had an ozygen mask on.  I know they give you a relaxant, and one that "paralyzes" your muscles, but all I remember is the burn of the med going into my vein.  The next thing I knew, I’d be waking up in the recovery room.  There were up to 2 patients in there, and 2 nurses, so you were watched closely.  I would feel very woozy, and very dry, thirsty.  They’d check my blood pressure periodically,as well as my heart rhythm, and when I felt more alert, I’d be allowed to sit up, and they’d give me orange juice or coffee.  I’d have a slight headache, but I get worse ones normally, this was just a slight ache.  I’d be driven home after 30-40 minutes in recovery.  Afterwards, I remember being very dry, my mouth was so dry that I couldn’t taste food.  I was also VERY tired.  I usually went home to sleep.  Sometimes my thighs ached a little afterward, but no more than if I’d been on a long walk.  The day would be pretty much shot afterwards, sleeping a lot of the time. I stopped after a couple of weeks, because it didn’t seem to be working, and going through the procedure was hard for me, since I didn’t see results.  I hated the shot I’d get, it is a painful one, I hated the IV, and the med they put in burns…and I hated the dry feeling.  I had memory loss, but that never bothered me.  It was mild though….I know a couple people who had more severe memory loss.  One woman who usually had treatment right after me, every single time when she woke up, asked where she was, and when the nurse tells her, she’d say "What is ECT?".  I still have memory gaps, and sometimes it bugs me, but if the treatment had worked, any side effect would have been worth it.  One of the reasons it didn’t work for me, is because my depression was/is related to Borderline Personality disorder, which is a whole different animal, haha.  It’s taken many different meds and therapy to get over the worst part.  I’d do it all again though, if I thought it would work.  I was the one that asked my docs about it, cuz I was at the end of my rope!  I’ve been on all the SSRI’s, plus a bunch of others, including mood stabalizers and atypical antipsychotics.   The big side effect is memory loss, which is different for everybody. You have less loss if they use unilateral or bifrontal treatments.  I have to say also, that while it didn’t help me, I *do* know others whom it has helped, saved their lives in fact.  You really have to weigh your options, which of course is tough if you are very depressed! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been reading asd for about a year, and have made just a few posts during that time. I’ve been to three pdocs over the last 4+ years. Each one has suggested ect. Has anyone here had ect or know someone that has and if so let me know their experience. Thanks, Butch

Response:

I have been reading asd for about a year, and have made just a few posts during that time. I’ve been to three pdocs over the last 4+ years. Each one has suggested ect. Has anyone here had ect or know someone that has and if so let me know their experience. Thanks, Butch — It seems no one can help me now I’m in too deep There’s no way out This time I have really led myself astray ~Soul Asylum Runaway Train

Response:

has anyone out there had ect and or is now on lithium or do you know of a support group for the above

Response:

has anyone out there had ect and or is now on lithium or do you know of a support group for the above

First, let me answer your question. (Un)fortunately, I don’t know, but I *do* know that posts to this group *are* read and you’ll likely find the answer you’re looking for here. Second, as one of Irish heritage, allow me to say how wonderful it is to see someone from Ireland on the list! Great Horned Owl USA Ignorance breeds fear. Depression is not "the blues." Education is essential to tearing down the walls of indifference and realizing depression is a serious health threat. – aapl4ever, 10/18/99

Response:

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