Posted by mr.scott on June 24, 2005, at 18:43:10
In reply to Re: To Mr Scott, posted by Denise1966 on June 24, 2005, at 6:20:04
Hello!
I have never not worked because of my depression or anxiety. I've made some poor choices possibly, and took a lot of my paid days off however. Also, ECT has never interfered with my work which has always involved working in a fast paced business environment. The first time I got it I received 6 treatments. Mon Wed Fri for two weeks. At that point I obviously needed to take 2 weeks off. Now with maintenance I go in late once a month, or take a planned sick day.
My psychologist could not believe at first that I would actually have ECT! She said that the people she has seen get it are usually in awful shape (I've had several docs tell me this), and I am without trying to brag...a high functioning nutcase (with true gratitude!) I could live in this world as my father does and be perfectly fine except very unhappy most of the time. I make jokes with the anesthesiologists before they knock me out, because I get it once a month. If I go more than 4 weeks I tend to slip into a depression that is as I mentioned probably workable, but totally unnecessary. I benefited from SSRI's for years until I developed 'odd' side effects from zoloft to say the least. I basically dealt with my depression for 4 years trying every cocktail you ever dreamed of, with only minor results and always yucky side effects.
I get ECT once a month usually on a Friday at a University hospital that has a department specializing in ECT. I go in at 630am. By 7:00am I'm out cold. By 11:00am I take 600mg of Advil for a headache and go to work. The only side effects I have are muscle aches and a headache of which ibuprofen readily takes care of. I experience no memory loss whatsoever. In fact I experienced more when I had my wisdom teeth out, and far more from many of the psychotropic drugs I been prescribed including SSRI's! I'm a touch foggy until the anesthesia wears off, but nothing time and coffee don't fix.
Keep in mind I receive right unilateral ECT, not bilateral of which I did receive one time. That was a different experience! Perhaps because my depression is not psychotic or so terrible that I want to kill myself impulsively I respond very well to the right unilateral.
ECT makes a huge difference in my life. I am a total self-absorbed *sshole when I'm depressed and I'm angry, and I misinterpret everything because I'm so sensitive and negative and anxious.
The ECT really works for me, and because it has such a bad rap from the past it is probably underutilized today. The experience is scarry at first, but I can't tell you enough that after so many years of pills and therapy and misery it seems to do the trick.
Obviously it doesn't cure my character defects, but it does allow me to work on them productively instead of complaining endlessly to my psychotherapist or arguing my rights to misery.
I finally have a life (pray it lasts) that is generally fulfilling, interesting, includes love, and ambition.
Feel free to ask any specifics and I'll be happy to answer! If you're depressed and have tried lots of meds or can't tolerate them, find out who is the best in the area with ECT (usually Universities in US). The results have been far better for me than was the misery.
Sincerely,
Scott
> Hi Scott,
>
> Can I ask you if you are working or have been working prior to having your ECT?
>
> I've been thinking about having ECT for a while now as Seroxat is no longer working very well and I have 0 sex drive which is a sign of my depression more than anything else. Was going to go on the sick from work to have it but have just been made redundant.
>
> Now I'm worried because I don't even have the motivation to apply for another job, the fact that I was made redundant didn't bother me too much but the fact that I'm depressed does and the fact that it was probably my depression and my consequential behaviour that played a part in my being made redundant.
>
> Thinking of having ECT still but just worried that it won't work, I'll have memory loss and will end up with neither the memory or the motivation to apply for a job.
>
> I guess it's just a chance you have to take though.
>
> Kind Regards........Denise
poster:mr.scott
thread:115827
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050622/msgs/518273.html