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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Asian Girl on December 29, 2003, at 15:20:04
I have gone through the gammut of drugs for supposed bi-polar disorder and I am still plagued with extreme depression. Today my doctor, after 5+ years of drug therapy, recommended ECT treatments. Does anyone have personal experience with this? The doctor seems to be in a hurry for me to make a decision. Thank you for any information that you can provide.
Posted by bipolarspectrum on December 29, 2003, at 16:42:29
In reply to ECT Treatment?, posted by Asian Girl on December 29, 2003, at 15:20:04
I am currently undergoing ECT treatment in Toronto. I have undergone 5 unilateral and 4 bilaterals. My personal experience, and I understand everyone has a different experience, is that it relatively mild in terms of side-effects. I do experience some reduction in verbal capacities and overall intellectual skill, but I understand that this returns in a few weeks to a couple months. However, I have not found that significant loss of memory regarding events surrounding the treatment. Furthermore, if your depression is severe, and your pdoc agrees, I would recommend beginning with bilateral if you are under any time constraints. I began with unilateral and essential 'wasted' 5 treatments. Best of luck,
PS. I found the anasthetic propofal to be very comforting, although I understand it is more expensive than the barbituates
> I have gone through the gammut of drugs for supposed bi-polar disorder and I am still plagued with extreme depression. Today my doctor, after 5+ years of drug therapy, recommended ECT treatments. Does anyone have personal experience with this? The doctor seems to be in a hurry for me to make a decision. Thank you for any information that you can provide.
Posted by Asian Girl on December 30, 2003, at 7:05:54
In reply to Re: ECT Treatment?, posted by bipolarspectrum on December 29, 2003, at 16:42:29
Hello Bipolarspectrum :
Thank you very much for your kindly reply and detailed information about your personal experience. You helped me a lot to understand better about ECT. My Psy Doctor ( Midwest, USA) told me and my husband that: During the ECT, I need almost a month a adult superviser. which means, my husband has to take off the work about a month. That put us in a difficult situation, as his job is very hard to allow him to do so.
Also, my only concern is lost my intellectual level, You sounds still very sharp by your written. Hope to hear from you soon again.
Asian girl
Posted by Mimi on December 30, 2003, at 7:14:57
In reply to ECT Treatment?, posted by Asian Girl on December 29, 2003, at 15:20:04
Asian girl,
ECT worked wonders for me. I had treatment resistant depression for about 30 years. After 9 ECT treatments I have not been depressed for 2 whole years.
I did have severe side effects from ECT. I lost memory of that time period and I could not form new memories for about 1/2 year. That being said, I was already having memory troubles from chronic depression. Now, I feel I have recovered my full intellect with the addition of Strattera to my med cocktail. Of course, one must take meds after ECT, but I find they work now when previously they did not.
Keep posting,
Mimi
Posted by Asian Girl on December 30, 2003, at 7:38:23
In reply to Re: ECT Treatment? » Asian Girl, posted by Mimi on December 30, 2003, at 7:14:57
Hello Mimi
Thank you so much for your support. I'm glad you have a positive experience overall though you did go through tough time for about half year. My original diagnose is panic and anxiaty disorder, then roll to depression , and couldn't function, couldn't go out, sometimes couldn't get out the bed. I have been on Klonopin for about 5 years,in the mean time Doctor added veriety AD meds for my depression. Most of them are SSRIs, they are either not working , or either made my brain foggy. My current Psy Doctor said I have Bi-Polor. I'm not sure, as I don't remember I ever had high, I only had low ( depression). I'm still struggle about this ECT. I wake up mid of the night, and feel scared. I'm afraid I'll become a vegitable. Thank you for your positive support. I'm so glad I found some wonerful people here.
Asian girl (Midwest, USA)
P.S. I like your name "Mimi"
Posted by almondjoy on December 30, 2003, at 10:02:37
In reply to Re: ECT Treatment?, posted by Asian Girl on December 30, 2003, at 7:38:23
Hey asian girl,
i had ects a few years ago, and it didn't help, only left me feeling slow and stupid (basically). i can't remember much of 2000 after march and still have problems with verbal skills. not only that i'm still dealing with depression now.
don't let a doctor rush you, there's no reason to rush a decision that will affect you (positively you would hope) for the rest of your life.
the reason i decided to go ahead the the treatments was bcos of feeling rushed and desperate but if i had it to do over, i would not go through with it.
get lots of information and don't pay as much attention to advertisements (or biased "information" supplied by doctors, pharmaceutical, or medical supply companies), and uninformed nonexperienced though well meaning peers.
i believe ects cause permanent brain damage and if you do a google or search in any other engine about it there's no shortage of information supporting that view. even if you are desperate consider the possibility that you take an action that is NOT REVERSIBLE.
"What is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)?
During the ECT procedure, an electric current is passed through the brain to produce controlled convulsions (seizures). " does this simple explanation sound good or kind or helpful?
possible negative side effects:death, brain damage, epilepsy, memory loss...not as mild as from medication, which usually reverses once you stop taking it.
true, meds may not help for everyone, but as i told another poster, thats just the way the cookie crumbles i guess. almost everyone has to deal with some adversity...and medical problems make life difficult for people with diabetes, amputated limbs, and mental illness. this may just be something you have to aspire to live the best you can with...and that doesn't mean the end of the world.
so no matter where you are in the process with your doctor, maybe see another doc for new treatment ideas, and tell your doc to give you 3 months to get information and think it overtake care
d
http://www.ect.org/
http://www.medicinenet.com/Electroconvulsive_Therapy/article.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroconvulsive_therapy
Posted by Mimi on December 30, 2003, at 10:17:50
In reply to Re: ECT Treatment?, posted by Asian Girl on December 30, 2003, at 7:38:23
>Hi Asian girl,
While it is true that ECT poses risks, so does chronic depression. In fact, depression can kill you. It is thought to contribute to heart disease and in my experience it definitely caused me to have a weakened immune system for years. I always had bad colds and respiratory infections, which I have been free of as long as I've been free of depression. I had double depression, i.e. dysthymia with recurrent major depression along with an anxiety disorder. No mania in my history. I also have PTSD which had a later onset but which I was vulnerable to because of other conditions.
Yes, I was very afraid to opt for ECT and almost didn't. But I was at the end of the road.
Keep hope alive,
Mimi
Hello Mimi
> Thank you so much for your support. I'm glad you have a positive experience overall though you did go through tough time for about half year. My original diagnose is panic and anxiaty disorder, then roll to depression , and couldn't function, couldn't go out, sometimes couldn't get out the bed. I have been on Klonopin for about 5 years,in the mean time Doctor added veriety AD meds for my depression. Most of them are SSRIs, they are either not working , or either made my brain foggy. My current Psy Doctor said I have Bi-Polor. I'm not sure, as I don't remember I ever had high, I only had low ( depression). I'm still struggle about this ECT. I wake up mid of the night, and feel scared. I'm afraid I'll become a vegitable. Thank you for your positive support. I'm so glad I found some wonerful people here.
> Asian girl (Midwest, USA)
> P.S. I like your name "Mimi"
Posted by Mimi on December 30, 2003, at 10:25:02
In reply to Re: ECT Treatment? » Asian Girl, posted by almondjoy on December 30, 2003, at 10:02:37
Long-term severe depression, not to mention depressive breakdowns, causes permanent brain damage, too. There's plenty of literature to support that as well.
Any treatment that works will only work if one's lifestyle and circumstances are conducive to good mental well-being. That is, one should not tolerate abusive relationships, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, damaging work environments, lack of exercise and social isolation. One needs a complete toolbox for overall mental and physical well-being. ECT can work wonders if these other things are in place, although yes, there is still a risk.
I do think the serious and permanent health hazards of chronic depression are underreported.
Mimi
Posted by bipolarspectrum on December 30, 2003, at 12:31:34
In reply to Re: ECT Treatment?, posted by Asian Girl on December 30, 2003, at 7:38:23
Asian Girl,
Although I cannot speak for everyone else, I must put ECT into persective. There is only one country in the entire western world which has banned the procedure, I believe its Romania. Every Canadian, American, Western European Medical Association supports this procedure and has fought CONSIDERABLE anti-ECT sentiments to keep the procedure available for the general public. Although it hasn't provided substantial benefit for me (yet), ECT provides another benefit- drugs that didn't work pre-ect may begin to work post-ect.
This is just my opinion, best of luck asian girl
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