advertisement
Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Comokc
New Member
Comokc has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jun 2020
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2
3 yr Member
Default Jun 02, 2020 at 06:26 PM
  #1
Im being referred to a specialist for ect therapy for bipolar 1. Pretty much this is a last resort. But it sounds wonderful and after suffering for 20 years the minimal side effect risk is worth the pay off. I've heard it can be life changing. Has anyone had any experience with this? I'd love to hear some first hand accounts from those that have had it. Trying to gather as much info as I can before I make the decision to do it or not. Thank you!
Comokc is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
*Beth*, Anonymous46341, bpcyclist
 
Thanks for this!
*Beth*, bpcyclist

advertisement
CANDC
Super Moderator
Community Support Team
Community Liaison
Chat Leader
 
CANDC's Avatar
CANDC has no updates.
 
Member Since: May 2014
Location: Northeast USA New England
Posts: 17,324 (SuperPoster!)
8 yr Member
2,307 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 02, 2020 at 07:29 PM
  #2
Hi Comokc. Welcome to Psych Central. A friend of mine has treatment resistant bipolar disorder. ECT has brought them back to a normal life style after a number of treatments. You may find this of interest An Overview of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

One thing my friend has done is started to feel better and then quit the ECT and then relapse soon. Talk to your doctors and they may have a program where once you are feeling better, they may suggest less frequent treatments gradually getting less often. When my friend did this they had a better longer range time of feeling good. One thing you might ask your providers about is how often they would consider doing refresher treatments once you are back to a good place.

Memory loss is annoying but many times forgetting the traumas they went through was a relief. I cannot say what your experience would be but over time my friend has had memory ability improve from where it was. For them it is a matter of suffering the symptoms and disruptions of life of bipolar or doing ECT. When they have chosen to follow full ECT program, they have had good rebound.

@CANDC

__________________
Super Moderator
Community Support Team

"Things Take Time"
CANDC is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
bpcyclist
 
Thanks for this!
bpcyclist
bpcyclist
Legendary
 
bpcyclist's Avatar
bpcyclist has no updates.
 
Member Since: Sep 2019
Location: Portland
Posts: 12,681 (SuperPoster!)
3 yr Member
40.2k hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 02, 2020 at 07:44 PM
  #3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Comokc View Post
Im being referred to a specialist for ect therapy for bipolar 1. Pretty much this is a last resort. But it sounds wonderful and after suffering for 20 years the minimal side effect risk is worth the pay off. I've heard it can be life changing. Has anyone had any experience with this? I'd love to hear some first hand accounts from those that have had it. Trying to gather as much info as I can before I make the decision to do it or not. Thank you!
Welcome, Comokc. I have not had it, but have considered it. What are you rmost persistent symptoms?

__________________
When I was a kid, my parents moved a lot, but I always found them--Rodney Dangerfield
bpcyclist is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Anonymous46341
Anonymous46341
Guest
Anonymous46341 has no updates. Edit
 
Posts: n/a
Default Jun 03, 2020 at 11:21 AM
  #4
Hi Comokc. I had a series of 7 or 8 ECT treatments almost 9 years ago. In my case, they were unilateral types. Many have bilateral. For me, I considered it a last resort, too. I had rejected recommendations a year before that when I was having mixed manic episodes with psychosis. When I accepted the idea, I had had an almost 6 month long severe pure depression.

The ECT did lift my depression. They recommended maintenance treatments to follow, as CANDC referred to, but I refused them, and was put back on the medications mix I had been on before the ECT. I quickly became depressed again. I guess I could have accepted the maintenance ECT at that point, but I preferred to try a medication overhaul. Luckily for me, with a little tinkering with the new cocktail, I came out of the depression again after a few months.

I did experience memory issues even from my unilateral treatments. They weren't noticeable until maybe my 3rd of 7/8 treatments. From that point, I don't remember the rest of the treatments. nor do I remember being in the hospital from that point on. That might sound scary, but being in the hospital was nothing most people would want to remember, anyway. When I returned home, I was remembering the days again, but had little memory issues. For example, I forgot how my husband took his coffee. I also forget where the Quest Diagnostics office was, even though I had been there dozens of times and it is only about 6 mins drive from my home (5 turns max). I also forgot that I had stopped drinking and ordered a beer at a restaurant, though I stopped after that. That's about it. I, personally, had no loss of memories from my past. Perhaps my depression days are gone from my memory, but that was a result of the depression, not the ECT. I wasn't doing much then, anyway.

I had no other side effects from ECT other than the mentioned above. Perhaps a sore throat after the first treatment, but that's it.

If I had to do ECT again, I would likely try some maintenance treatments.
  Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
HALLIEBETH87
Legendary
 
HALLIEBETH87's Avatar
HALLIEBETH87 Tired
 
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: usa
Posts: 11,175
15 yr Member
2,739 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 03, 2020 at 07:44 PM
  #5
I got them twice during an inpatient stay. So 15 treatments total. My cousin says it did help but I don’t remember anything really about those weeks

__________________
Bipolar 1 w/psychotic features or schizoaffective bipolar type
PTSD
generalized anxiety
OCD

celexa, prazosin, Lybalvi and prn zyprexa and klonopin
HALLIEBETH87 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Anonymous46341, bpcyclist
 
Thanks for this!
bpcyclist
Anonymous43918
Guest
Anonymous43918 has no updates. Edit
 
Posts: n/a
Default Jun 04, 2020 at 12:57 PM
  #6
I had around 20 treatments and then stopped. The only side effect is memory loss. My doctor said that the memory loss would get better over time, but my memory still sucks (which could be due to other things: concussions, meds, the disorder itself, etc). It did help my depression. I've also noticed that before the ECT, I was pretty much nonresponsive to medications, but now a lot more meds work for me. The process is kind of a pain because you have to go so often at first and you need a ride since you're not allowed to drive that day, but if you can work out the details for that, I'd say give it a try.
  Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
Anonymous46341
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:11 PM.
Powered by vBulletin® — Copyright © 2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.



 

My Support Forums

My Support Forums is the online community that was originally begun as the Psych Central Forums in 2001. It now runs as an independent self-help support group community for mental health, personality, and psychological issues and is overseen by a group of dedicated, caring volunteers from around the world.

 

Helplines and Lifelines

The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.

Always consult your doctor or mental health professional before trying anything you read here.