Posted by SLS on June 7, 2003, at 8:19:22
In reply to Re: Has anyone had ECT and not relapsed? » SLS, posted by dave1 on June 6, 2003, at 13:45:10
Hi Dave,
> I don't know if this would be helpful but some pdocs have told me that meds that didn't work before ECTs work afterwards. Maybe you should retry some meds and see if they work now.
Thanks for the suggestion. I didn't know that pdocs felt so strongly about that. I have gone back and retried the meds and med combinations that I had trialed before the ECT, but to no avail. However, that doesn't rule out that another course of ECT wouldn't make me responsive to the newer drugs that I have tried since. Effexor might work.
> Regarding the unilaterals, were you on high-dose (2.5-5 times the seizure threshold), low-dose (seizure threshold) or you don't know?
I'm not sure. Since I had my ECT treatments in 1991, I suppose the unilateral left treatments were low-dose. I read a paper a few years ago that indicated high-dose unilateral right treatments were almost as effective as bilateral and produced significantly fewer cognitive side effects. Max Fink, M.D., considered an expert in the field, told me that despite the lack of response to my initial trial of ECT, one could not rule out that the newer methods wouldn't be successful. He said that the application of ECT has progressed substantially since I had it. If I were to have treatments again, I'm not sure which protocol I would choose. One thing is certain, though. High-dose unilaterals are much more effective than low-dose unilaterals.
Have you made up your mind to have ECT? Which method are you leaning towards?
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:229813
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030604/msgs/232128.html