Posted by Chloe on October 25, 2002, at 20:23:42
In reply to Chloe, how is your ect maintainence going?, posted by Dave1 on October 23, 2002, at 0:10:26
> Haven't heard from you in a while.
>
> DaveHi Dave,
I am doing quite well. I am having bilateral ECT just once a week now. It has made such a radical improvement in my mood. I am much more social and gregarious. I want to participate in things I haven't done for months or years. I have taken my job back for a few hours on Saturdays, even though I am technically not supposed to be working yet. But I feel fine, and I am not having trouble talking or interacting with people, or carrying on my job.I unfortunately have flopped into a pattern of rapid cycling(bp2). I am investigating t3 to try and put a lid on the cycles. But this is my "bad" time of year, when it gets dark so early...A treatment can make me feel absolutely wonderful. I go home from the treatment having a terrific sense of well-being and lightness. It usually lasts a few days. But lately I have been crashing about 4 or 5 days post treatment. So the last 2 or 3 days can be pretty dark and gloomy. I almost can't wait for the next session...Must seem amazing that someone would actually pine for an ECT treatment! But it's the only things that has really worked for me. AD's in normal doses, either make me cycle, agitated, edgy or don't work, antipsychotics have given me permanent TD tongue movements, and mood stabilizers give me such amazingly bad side effects! I am managing on a low dose of lithium at the moment, 450mgs. I hope my edoc and pdoc can find a way to even my mood out a bit better...
My memory is not too badly affected. I definitely don't remember some things, but if I am prompted, I quickly remember things in vivid detail. And I am sure when I am done with this round of treatments, my memory with return to normal. But I also want to go on record that pre-ECT, when I was so suicidal, depressed and with distorted thinking, my memory wasn't very good then either.
Well, thanks for asking Dave. How's that for the long answer! Are managing ok?
Chloe
poster:Chloe
thread:124806
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021025/msgs/125238.html