Has anyone tried ECT and what were the results....

chelle,

i was hoping that someone who has actually had experience with ecp would post an answer for you.  i don't have direct experience but i have read a lot ad seen others have ect while i was in the hospital.

as i understand it ect is used for severe mania that does not respond to drugs.  they may use electric shock or insulun shock.  they both aparently have the same result. 

reboot your brain?  not really.  there is often some memory loss from ect, but today this is minimal and usually goes away in a short time. 

i'm not sore what the reasons are for using ect, but personally i'd rather have my lithiuim and welbutrin.

hope this helps.

warren

hi seechell i had my last ect not long ago i got it for my severe depression i have bipolar 2 i had a course of 6 i started improving little high there perscibed anouther 6 but i was getting higher depression was going then i went manic and ended up i hospital just got out but severly depressed but from what ive read about ect it can be lifesaving just not in my case hope that helps

Hi Chelle,

ECT is normally something that's brought in when the options with meds seem to have been exhausted and when it seems worth the risk to try it -- and, yes, it is a risk because for all it works great for some people, for others it causes many difficulties. Because it's not been so long since your diagnosis I would say it's too early for you to be thinking of this option: there are so many meds, dosages and combinations out there that you may find great relief from.

I'm so glad you got feedback from Warren and Gaz (especially because Gaz has been through this process a couple of times) -- thanks guys!

Rosie x

ECT has changed a lot over the years and is considered "safe." I have had friends who have had ECT. They describe feeling as if their brains were fried. They can't think, can't work, memories are gone or rearranged and inaccessible.

The new thing on the horizon is targeted brain stimulation. Several weeks ago they had a report on 60 minutes. The results can vary from a complete depression reversal to only a significant improvement. The one woman was spending most of everyday in bed, to weak from depression to get up and do anything. Now, she does see to the kids, the house and to her husband, but is in bed by 8 o'clock and sound asleep. Her husband said it was not 100% perfect, but the improvement was enough to give her back some quality of life. You know, sleeping due to chronic illness, which includes depression, will cause one to be deconditioned. You lose your stamina and strength. I can see feeling better and wearing down quickly.

It is difficult and time consuming, but studies have shown that consistent therapy with a qualified therapist has an excellent outcome in treating depression. THe APA and the AMA both say that medications should be taken only in conjunction with therapy, but almost no one will make the effort.

A lot of us here talk about moods, triggers and negative thinking patterns. No medication in the world can fix this. ECT can't fix it. Working hard in therapy can help you learn to shift out of negative thought patterns and into more positive patterns. Negative thought patterns become a feedback loop which worsens depression, on or off medications. I am not saying that therapy will cure bipolar, but would you settle for 50% better, or 75% better? That was all I was after and therapy gave me 80% better, the other 20% was uncovering, diagnosing and treating a serious, chronic illness, lupus. What I learned in therapy has made it easier for me to cope with the whole lupus picture.

Therapy requires a time commitment and an effort commitment. I think that when one doesn't invest in therapy, financially AND emotionally, it is like saying "I am not worth making the effort" or "I don't deserve to feel better." These are part of the feedback loop too and just further the feelings of being down on yourself. Yes, in therapy you uncover things about yourself, some of them will be highly unpleasant. For them, the majority of what I uncovered was positive, and my confrontation with my emotions and thoughts was not frightening, not after the initially letting down of defenses. It was a dramatic and powerful life shift in therapy and I would not trade my time for anything.