Posted by craig getty on September 22, 2004, at 19:14:46
In reply to Re: Dysthymia. What to do? ECT anyone? » craig getty, posted by Bob on September 22, 2004, at 18:51:39
Bob,
My heart goes out to you, and I wish you the best of luck. When I posted this morning it was out of frustration and anger. Today I have "caught a buzz" which has made me "happy" in a not necessarily healthy way. However, I was seriously considering ECT. I once asked my pdoc right before going on MAOIs: "So, I've tried all the new antidepressants, and I've tried many of the tricyclics - I'm ready to try these MAOIs. If these don't work, what next?" He answered, "ECT". I thought he was kidding (visions of Cuckoos Nest floating in my head). Since then, the MAOS weer not better than anything else (my apologies to that guy Ace who swears by them). Anyway, my research on ECT has shown that it is not the horror that the media might portray it to be. Though I am still suspect, but would still consider it. I'm only suicidal like 5% of them time, and then it is more out of hypothetical planning or mentioning it to a friend to try and get sympathy rather than a real plan to do it. Good luck with your challenges and please keep me posted whether or not you try ECT.
> I've been through a hellish litany of meds over the past 12 to 13 years. I am no better mentally, and am far, far, far worse physically. I've been through life threatening withdrawls with Anafranil, Effexor, and Topomax, to name a few. I respond quite poorly to drugs with high SSSRI action, and don't know if I can take any of them any longer. Currently, my meds are only Eskalith and Welbutrin - they keep me "functioning" at a very low level. I lost my job a few years ago, so when I say functioning, I mean not lying in bed thinking about suicide the entire day. So, I'm saying all this because I think I'm going to try ECT in November, even though I'm not actively suicidal 24/7. There just aren't a lot of options left. Drug trials are too brutal now, as the process of going on and off is too life threatening.
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> So there's an example of someone considering ECT even though the "final cut" is not currently nigh.
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poster:craig getty
thread:393737
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040921/msgs/393850.html