Is ECT good?

AshnPolly · ‎06-01-2016

Hi, my psych wants me to start ECT in a couple of weeks... Combined with new medications she is positive it will be a good thing but I'm quite scared. Is ECT ok? Is it an ok treatment?

Jacko777 · ‎07-01-2016

Welcome to the Beyond Blue forums AshnPolly.

I don't know a lot about ECT but I have a friend that had ECT and it was very successful, she never looked back. She had a serious mental health condition, a breakdown, and tried to suicide a few times, after a few sessions of ECT and some therapy it was like nothing was ever wrong with her. I can't vouch for it but it worked well for my friend.

Jack

geoff · ‎07-01-2016

dear AshnPolly, I was very close to having ECT but it didn't happen, and sorry I don't have any experience with anybody having this treatment, however if your psych believes that it might help plus taking new medications then if it was me I would access the situation and ask myself why nothing else has helped, therapy and medications, and other factors like your life style, where you are living and not coping with, whether a relationship has been a worry for you.

If you happen to see what happens if someone has ECT then this would put you off having it, however it's not what you see it's what the benefit for you that could help you to try and overcome this horrid illness. Geoff.

PatT · ‎07-01-2016

Hi Ashnpolly,

I had a stint in a psych hospital last year and met a young girl who was severely suicidal and was going through ECT. She ended up having about 40 sessions by the end of it all, but recently she's been the most stable she's ever been. Doctors don't really know why exactly ECT works except that it causes some sort of neural rewiring, often with great success for people with mental illness.

That being said, my friend does complain about having extremely poor short term memory and large blank periods of time surrounding the ECT. I'd make sure it's the right decision for you before undertaking ECT and be willing to make whatever sacrifices accompany the procedure. It's a pretty heavy undertaking from what I understand.

the_motorcycle_boy · ‎08-01-2016

Hi AshnPolly,

Welcome to Beyond Blue.

Jack's friend sounds much the same as me. I had 11 ECT treatments back in 1991. At that time I was severely suicidal and without the ECT I'm sure I would've succeeded. The ECT snapped me out of my depression, making me feel relatively normal, at least enough to feel alive again and experience positive feelings.

The only side effect for me was a significant memory loss that occured whilst having the treatments. The treatments themselves were quite simple and straightforward and painless. If someone was dangerously suicidal I would recommend ECT but I don't really know much about it's use with chronic depression.

In my experience, ECT doesn't work for everyone. However, if I was very depressed for a long period of time and had tried a lot of medications without success, I would probably think about giving it a go.

TMB

AshnPolly · ‎08-01-2016

Thank you. I have tried most medications over 10 years. Always ending up with issues or no effect. So I think it's my biggest hope yet. I am being admitted privately on Monday. And will go from there. Very scared though.

geoff · ‎09-01-2016

dear AshPolly, I am pleased that there have been some

Ladyhawke · ‎09-01-2016

Hi AshnPolly,

In 1997, I had a very bad bout of treatment-resistant depression. My doctor suggested I have ECT. I underwent 7 unilateral and 8 bilateral sessions over a period of 3 weeks in-hospital treatment. Unfortunately, the treatment was not successful for me. I also experienced some significant memory loss of about 6 months before and after the treatment.

However, I am aware that it can be a very positive experience for some people. While in hospital, I shared a room with a girl who had regular "maintenance" treatment i.e. she had a small number of treatments every few months and she was extremely positive about the benefits of ECT.

There is nothing scary about the treatment - you will be given a muscle relaxant and general anaesthetic. There is absolutely no pain involved; you will simply go to sleep and then wake up back in your room.

The only advice I would give is to be prepared for some memory loss. I would also suggest you take a notebook with you and if you can, record some incidents each day e.g. visitors who come to see you, any activity you participate in, what you ate etc., just little things that may prompt your memory when the treatment is finished.

As I said, it doesn't work for everyone, but I believe it can be very positive for some people.

Good luck,

LH

the_motorcycle_boy · ‎10-01-2016

Hi AshnPolly, Sorry you've had to struggle so long with your depression. Wishing you the best for Monday and onwards.

geoff · ‎10-01-2016

dear AshPolly, I don't know what happened to my reply, whether parts were forbidden but then why would they allow a reply saying nothing.

If by having ECT has improved the quality of your life then that's a bonus, because we all know depression is such a curse that locks ourselves into a hole which seems to be impossible to get out from, and that's exactly what it does.

What I am about to say is no reason for you not to think about having it, because it's something which may finally give you relief, however my only query is, does the doctor give you the full voltage or start you off with having a small voltage, just like when we start having AD, the doctor starts off by giving us a small dosage.

To the unknown this may seem to be a stupid question, however it's something which I would be asking, whether or not feeling the way you do now, it may not be a worry, and hoping that whatever is done will finally help you, I can well understand this, and if I actually went through by having it, then I wouldn't have even cared or it wouldn't have been a worry, just saying. Geoff.