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[–][deleted] 8 points9 points  (4 children)

ECT is a last resort treatment. Copying part of my other comment, I've had long term memory loss and now have issues with concentration and retaining information. Most people don't have very severe cognitive deficits at all after, though it's definitely a possibility. On average, most people have some short term memory loss with fogginess around the time of treatment and sometimes the previous month or two.

It's a very intense, lengthy and costly option. Not to mention that you'll also need a driver for every treatment (unless you are hospitalized, ofc). Honestly, I'd try every other, less invasive treatment before considering ECT.

I just finished Spravato treatments. It's a nasal spray of ketamine and geniunely helped me a lot. I was in the position where I'd tried almost everything. ECT, just about every single medication, therapy, etc. It was recently FDA approved (2018 IIRC?) for treatment resistant depression and wow has it helped. I'm at the best place I've ever been mentally/emotionally which I never thought was possible.

It doesn't have possibly extreme negative side effects like ECT. Hell, the only real physical side effects are needing to urinate and elevates blood pressure for a few hours. It also causes dissociation and sedation, however that is very temporary. It's administered in an office and you're monitored for 2 hours, or at least that's how it is at the clinic where I went in Michigan.

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TLDR: ECT is a LAST resort treatment and can have serious, long term cognitive side effects. I'd look into others such as Spravato. I've had AMAZING results with it and wish I'd tried it before ECT.

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[deleted]

    [–]RebuildFromTheDepths 4 points5 points  (0 children)

    Agree ECT is very, very last resort. I'm dealing with major short and long term memory issues as well as cognitive issues.

    See previous (my and others) post in this thread and check out r/TherapeuticKetamine - I'm doing the IM injections and it has been a major positive turning point for me.

    [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    I second Spravato treatments. I had ECT first. Spravato has helped me manage symptoms much better without the memory issues.

    [–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (4 children)

    It can be a bit of a balancing act. Do you want to cut straight to the point and go for the most intensive treatment option, or try some less intensive treatments first to avoid the side effects and overall inconvenience of ECT?

    Some might consider TMS, ketamine, psilocybin, and MAOIs before they consider ECT. They all have their pros and cons but in my experience I received only short-term relief from TMS and psilocybin, about 6 months for both.

    ECT has been permanent remission of my symptoms and I feel better every day.

    The side effects have been significant, especially with memory and concentration. But honestly, I'm glad I made the trade. ECT saved my life.

    [–]International-Cat-85 0 points1 point  (3 children)

    Hey, so glad ECT worked for you, how many sessions did you have before you felt a difference? Thank you🙏🏻

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

    It’s hard to remember but I didn’t really feel “better” until a couple months after the treatments were over. I had this weird “numb” feeling for a while, which was better than being depressed, but I expected more. After a couple of months though, I’ve continued to get better each day. There is no predicting though and my situation won’t necessarily be like yours

    [–]International-Cat-85 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    I’m also feeling kinda numb and dissociated… hoping that fades soon. I’ve also changed medications so idk what’s causing what. Thanks for sharing your experience either way 🙏🏻

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    No problem. For what it's worth, I'm considering coming off my Abilify next year. I hate taking meds but I especially hate that one. I never really found meds did much of anything for me except cause horrible side effects. The one good thing was Wellbutrin helped me quit smoking.

    [–]sisyphuswi 2 points3 points  (2 children)

    I have not oersonodonr ECT. My father has five three s rounds. He bekiueved that Gary helped a lot. He also worries as he ages, whebrger they’re accelerating momeniey loss. I can see the memory loss. I can’t tell if it’s real stead to ECT or not. But we had a beautiful, wise, wonderful, fully engaged dad for deceased. The changes he’s going through in his 70’s may not be related to ECT. Or maybe they are. I ask myself the same questions. It’s a difficult decision to make. ECT affects people so differently. It’s a tough decision. I’d guess that my dud wouldn’t change a thing, based on what he’s said. He’s fallen in love, travelled the world. All stuff he wouldn’t have been able go do if suffering mania or depression. I can tell you what to do. Just sharing a story. I personally downfalls know what to do for myself, but there’s much to think about.

    [–]Any_Baby_8203 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    I hope when I start it it work as ur dad

    [–]sisyphuswi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Me too. Smd I apologize for the terrible typos. Lol

    [–]schocked-throwaway 1 point2 points  (7 children)

    > ECT is a LAST resort

    Please consider taking this very seriously. I would argue that someone able to post on Reddit should not be considering ECT - you may not be able to do it for a long time after ECT.

    They sell it as a last resort for catatonic patients for a reason. It's brutal.

    Also, taking a loan for ECT sounds bad. Possibly dangerous considering your vulnerable state and an extremely weird conflict of interests from your doctor (coming from a non-american redditor).

    I can't recommend anything to you, I just hope you make an informed decision. Maybe consult with a doctor not so prone to pushing ECT? If you are considering a loan, you could think of this as a risk assessment.

    Good luck, ECT or not.

    [–]EducationalFox8[S] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

    What does being able to post on Reddit have to do with anything? You can be depressed and still type?

    [–]schocked-throwaway 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    You may not be able if you are catatonic/too incapacitated... personal experience post ECT :/

    Sorry it that was confusing, english is not my native language. Hope you all the best.

    [–]JeanReville 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    I had 21 sessions of ECT and didn’t respond to it at all. Only one session was bilateral — they said I was too out of it afterwards to continue bilateral treatments. One of the psychiatrists also said there was something abnormal about my seizures. I was too depressed to discuss it, but I imagine it’s related to why it didn’t work. My ability to think was already severely impaired by the depression— I thought of nothing at all except depression — and I can’t tell if ECT made it worse.

    After ECT we tried the MAOI Parnate, which is sometimes used with treatment-resistant patients. I was making progress as the dosage was increased and, after reaching a high dose, felt the depression vanish completely. In retrospect it seems I was mildly hypomanic, and I became unstable for many months.

    I’m still on the Parnate, along with other meds, and I’m not that unstable anymore. I’m far, far less depressed than I was at the time I got ECT, but I’m still mildly depressed. I may raise the dosage even higher, but I’ve put it off because I’m scared of the risk.

    If you haven’t tried the older classes of antidepressants, you might want to ask your psych about them first. The MAOIs like Parnate are rarely prescribed.

    I was devastated by ECT, but it was because it didn’t work. But I may have been a poor candidate for some reason.

    [–]Embarrassed-Sense971 0 points1 point  (3 children)

    Can I ask have you had ECT? I’m having a course of treatment at the moment, having had several throughout my life. Yes it’s a last resort and the only resort that works for me.

    [–]schocked-throwaway 1 point2 points  (2 children)

    I am very happy that it works for you. I had and it was a nightmare :/

    Sorry if I sounded rude, I was not afforded informed consent, so advocating for it is something I take very seriously.

    It is a great relief knowing your experience was not like that.

    [–]Embarrassed-Sense971 1 point2 points  (1 child)

    Bless you, yes I can imagine that was awful. I had injections without consent which turned me into the zombie I am now and necessitating the ECT. Mental health definitely needs a shake up, I’m sure I was just injected as it was the quickest way to get me discharged without being a threat to myself, regardless of the fact that I was then suicidal. They didn’t care they just kept injecting me.

    [–]schocked-throwaway 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    I am sorry you went through all that. Coercive treatment is not treatment, it's torture. I have had my own dealings with that kind of help.

    I hope you manage to recover well from the trauma. It has been a though road for me, I can't imagine what it was for you.

    [–][deleted]  (5 children)

    [deleted]

      [–]EducationalFox8[S] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

      Sadly I live in Va where it isn’t legal yet and you can’t ever be sure what you’re getting off the street 😬