Posted by Ruth on February 6, 2000, at 13:22:58
In reply to ECT again, posted by judy1 on February 3, 2000, at 11:13:32
I had two rounds of ECT treatment a year apart. My experience was mixed. I tried it only after having failed a lot of medications and combinations. The first time I had a dramatic decrease in symptoms in a short period of time, but they began to recur within a few months. The second time my response was not as pronounced though I did have gradual improvement.
As for side effects. What you have been told about memory around the time of treatments is true. I have little memory for things that occurred around t he time of treatment. The other cognitive effects have been problematic. There is research out there that shows that there are no long term effects from ECT. That has not been my experience. I have what I've come to call "swiss cheese memory" where there are pieces of my past that are just lost to me. I also have troubling learning and remembering new information. My doctor feels this is still temporary (though it's been a y;ear and a half) and that it is just that cognitive function takes longer to resolve than the mood piece of the depression. I want to believe he is right.
LEt me know if you have more specific questions I can answer.
> I can't believe noone out there hasn't undergone ECT- is that a double negative? Anyway, having no responses is making me really nervous, like did you survive? Thanks.
poster:Ruth
thread:20450
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000128/msgs/20626.html