Posted by Ritch on August 8, 2002, at 1:08:34
In reply to Re:Results of ECT consult... » jaby, posted by Chloe on August 7, 2002, at 17:38:46
> Thanks everyone for you kind words of support. I am not really afraid of ECT. I just wasn't sure I was "depressed enough."
Hi Chloe,
ECT has been used successfully for more stuff than just depression.>
> The doc was very evasive with most of my questions. I kept asking him, am I a good candidate for this???? He would hesitate and say well you have been depressed/agitated so long, over 25 years. So I am not sure you are going to have a great outcome. He said if I had this resistant depression for six months, then he thought we should rush ahead I would probably have great results. Now that is not really a great endorse me for my case NOW.It sounds like he just doesn't want to commit to any possible likely outcome, that's not unusual. However, OTOH, I would prefer that to someone that is promising all sorts of miraculous improvements.
>
> I can't take AP's which I really need, so he suggested a drug in canada that is supposed to help with TD. Has anyone heard of Cyclobenzine? He said it might stop my tongue movements enough so I could take an atypical AP...thoughts anyone??Are you sure it isn't cylobenzaprine? That is an anticholinergic med used for IBS symptoms. Anticholinergics are commonly used to control EPS symptoms.
>
> Lastly, he mentioned that I might want to add thyroid hormone to see if that helps. But again, he wasn't sure if that would help, since I have tried so many things without success.I think that may be one of the most benign options that haven't explored yet.
>
> I didn't get a really positive feeling about the whole thing. I feel so fragile, and unable to cope with stress and it was the LONGEST meeting. Because we were sitting outside the ECT suite and every 20 minutes or so, he got called alway to "shock" the next patient. While I waited for 10 minutes in this freezing, empty room with nothing to do but stare into the pasty walls intil he reemerged in 10 minutes or so. My appointment was at 11:30am, and I didn't get to leave til 1:45p. But the time was all chopped up and got confusing with him being needed in the other room frequently...
> So he was double billing. He was charging me for a session and getting paid to give each ECT at the same time. I just don't know. I am in alot of pain and keep cycling from agitated suicidal depression to pathetic depression to having hours or a day with no suicidal thoughts. Maybe this is not the way to go. I am more confused than ever. I really wish he would have answered my question if it helped people with agitated depression and cycling!!!
>
> Any input would be most appreciated.
> ChloeHe sounds more like a *technician* instead of a shrink. That may explain his vanilla response to all of your questions. He probably doesn't want to deal with any of the psycho-social variables in any of the cases he deals with day-to-day, just a hunch. But, that shouldn't diminish the potential for it being very effective for you.
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:115145
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020807/msgs/115632.html