Has anyone had electroconvulsive therapy and how would you rate it?
Ive had around 80 ect treatments over the last 20 years and i dont recommend them. I have terrible memory loss from them. I also have had times when i couldn’t walk or even go pee. Of course everyone is different they might be good for you.
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I heard too many bad stories about it to even consider it
Omg 80? At what point did your drs stop and say hmm maybe this isnt working???
Whoa. That’s scary, @Natron. My pdoc suggested it, but I was and am very much against it.
I had four in a week and didn’t notice anything but a mild headache.
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I had 11 and very bad short term memory loss, but long time sideeffects. Unfortunately or luckily it didn’t help much for my depressive sides.
I think you have to be a texbook,typical example of a really bad depression before it helps.
I watched someone get ect with the door open. I was in a ward I saw a lot.
I am currently getting ECT every two weeks. I’ve been going since early-ish last year.
It has definitely helped me get some of my motivation and desire back (though I still battle the voices that tell me I’m bad, and that don’t let me do anything).
I plan on this week talking to them about weaning off of it, and I don’t know if I’m benefitting anymore. And the memory loss is AWFUL. I heard it comes back, though.
The combo of Cloaril + ECT is considered the gold standard for treatment-resistant SZ/SZA.
It’s not working on me as well as I would like, but my mood got so dark last year…
I had ECT. The doctor was very pleased with the results.
I do not think they are necessary for myself and I view them as a last ditch effort for relief. If you have exhausted pharmaceutical options I would look into other therapy practices before considering ECT. There are several things that you can do before going to that point, but if you are so unwell that you may see ECT as an option, you may not be able to proactively seek out alternatives, before coming upon ECT as an option.
My short term memory is bad enough. I better not get ect. I have seen ect do a lot of good, though.
My shrink is keeping me going for ECT every other week.
He’s planning on my doing this until I get the Clozaril up to a therapeutic dose. Then he’ll back off the ECT and put me back on Lamictal.
He said my memory would come back once I’d been off the ECT for awhile.
But it has helped. I’m wanting to do things, and that’s where my current frustration is – I have things I want to do, and then the negative noise in my head scares me out of it. Or talks me out of it.
But I’m wanting to again – I’m not just sitting on the couch and staring.
Would be nice if it helped me with the mindset needed to clean my house…
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ECT turned my schizophrenic father into a zombie. I have always been terrified of it. No way am I ever doing ECT no matter what kind of maaaaketing pitch they make.
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