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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dave1 on October 23, 2002, at 0:10:26
Haven't heard from you in a while.
Dave
Posted by jaby on October 24, 2002, at 10:45:40
In reply to Chloe, how is your ect maintainence going?, posted by Dave1 on October 23, 2002, at 0:10:26
Dave,
Although it would be great to hear Chloe's experiences, I find it encouraging that she hasn't been here for some time. I had about a month were I was doing very well and my visits were few and far between during that time. It is my theory that post on people's ECT experiences are a little slim here because of the rate of positive response. Just my 2 cents
Posted by Dave1 on October 24, 2002, at 18:59:46
In reply to Re: Chloe, how is your ect maintainence goiDave, posted by jaby on October 24, 2002, at 10:45:40
HI,
It sounds like you are indicating that you've
had ECT. If so, do you mind briefly sharing
your experiences. If it helped. How long it helped. What kind of maintainence you had.Curious,
Dave
Posted by jaby on October 25, 2002, at 13:10:36
In reply to Re: Chloe, how is your ect maintainence goiDave, posted by Dave1 on October 24, 2002, at 18:59:46
Haven't had it, but my sister and my grandmother did. My sister went catatonic from a depressive episode and had a parkinsonian rection to haldol that put her in the ICU. She was literally near death. Once they were able to reverse the effects of the haldol she was still quite unresponsive. The decided that ECT was their only option and after the very first treatment she called me on the phone! I had left Sacramento with her in the worst shape I have ever seen anyone in and then for her to call was amazing! She continued to receive treatments while going on Lithobid and Neurontin. She is now almost 2 years away from that ordeal and is studying abroad in Mexico!
The whole experience was very positive, yes some memory loss, but nothing she wantedto remember. My dr. and I are considering it, but he wants to try a few more things before taking that on. I would do bifrontal 2x's/wk for three weeks and then do a tapering schedule while added the meds back in.
ECT literally saved my sister and has saved many others too!
Posted by Dave1 on October 25, 2002, at 18:13:44
In reply to Re: Chloe, how is your ect maintainence goiDave, posted by jaby on October 25, 2002, at 13:10:36
Hi,
When I was younger I had a bad experience on stelyzine. I was given too much as my initial dosage, and all my muscles started cramping up. I was screaming in pain as my mother took me the hospital. They quickly gave me an IV muscle relaxant and my systems quickly subsided. Needless to say I stopped seeing that quack and never paid him for about 10 office visits.
bye,
dave
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
Posted by Dave1 on October 28, 2002, at 9:16:06
In reply to Re: Chloe, how is your ect maintainence going? » Dave1, posted by Chloe on October 25, 2002, at 20:23:42
HI CHLOE
I'm glad things are going so well. I'm still not sure what to do with my situation. I tried ECT about five years ago, but they weren't done in succession and I had no follow up. All the positive effects were gone in about 1 month. I was hoping this new drug combo. of PAMELAR and LITHIUM would work if I tried the treatments again. They originally found that this was much better at preventing relapse than any other combo, even other TCA'S. at study at Columbia. Now when I looked up CLINICALTRIALs.COM I found they are testing it more thoroughly at four universitys around the country. They are also testing long term maintenance ECT. I know your thing sounds good but I don't think that I could get maintenance treatments every week for the rest of my life.
Also, when I did the bilaterals I good a weird bad feeling along with the lifting of the depression. It seems like the shocks were hitting some of the right areas to make me feel better, but also some of the wrong areas to give that bad feeling. I think if I did it again I would try the bifrontals which they are starting to do alot around here.
Today, I go to my shrink to get a combo of PAXIL and PINDOLOL - a beta blocker - which is supposed to enhance the effects of the PAXIL. Maybe that will work. I had some success with a TCA and lithium but it didn't work to long. They say this is called augmentation therapy, which I havent tried to much.
I hope your meds starting kicking in soon so that you can taper off the maintenance ECTS.
Bye,
Dave
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