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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 22 of 22. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by strugglingsteve on January 20, 2006, at 0:17:30
I am starting ECT on Wednesday and was wondering if there are any success stories out there that can encourage me as I enter this new therapy for my severe depression. I am going inpatient for the first one and then outpatient for the rest.
Posted by shasling on January 20, 2006, at 1:41:01
In reply to ECT Success Stories, posted by strugglingsteve on January 20, 2006, at 0:17:30
Steve, if you don't get enough responses to get a feel for it, do a Board search. There are lots of older threads with really good info about it.
Such as, unipolar doesn't affect memory as much as bipolar, useful stuff like that.Please be sure to let us know how it goes. It's next up on my list as well...
Hoping you get all the good and none of the bad,
Suzie
Posted by Declan on January 20, 2006, at 11:21:42
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories, posted by shasling on January 20, 2006, at 1:41:01
There was someone who had it regularly, weekly or monthly, and reckoned it worked, but I forget his name. It may have been 6 months ago now.
Declan
Posted by linkadge on January 20, 2006, at 12:23:54
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories, posted by Declan on January 20, 2006, at 11:21:42
Was that "Mr. Scott" or something like that ?
Linakdge
Posted by ace on January 20, 2006, at 12:30:57
In reply to ECT Success Stories, posted by strugglingsteve on January 20, 2006, at 0:17:30
> I am starting ECT on Wednesday and was wondering if there are any success stories out there that can encourage me as I enter this new therapy for my severe depression. I am going inpatient for the first one and then outpatient for the rest.
From what I've read from clinical and anecdotal reports (and I've read a lot and am going to be a shrink) ECT is THE most effective treatment for TRD. However, it may be a toss between that and THE MIGHTY MAOI's.....
Good Luck and I pray you find peace mate,
Ace
Posted by Declan on January 20, 2006, at 13:50:23
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories, posted by linkadge on January 20, 2006, at 12:23:54
That's right Link, I think it was Mr Scott
Posted by linkadge on January 20, 2006, at 16:29:52
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories » linkadge, posted by Declan on January 20, 2006, at 13:50:23
It is the most effective, but unfortunately it has a very high relapse rate. Have you talked to your doctor about what can be done to prevent relaspe.
The lithium/nortryptaline combination seems to be effective in preventing post ECT relapse.
In one study, 80% of drug free individuals relapsed, wherase lith-nortryp reduced it to about 30%, where either drug alone had a rate somewhere in-between.
Linkadge
Posted by strugglingsteve on January 20, 2006, at 18:30:23
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories, posted by linkadge on January 20, 2006, at 16:29:52
I am just really scared about doing it because I think its going to be bilateral. I tolerated lithium ok but didnt handle tca's very well at all. I am hoping to do maintenance ect monthly for as long as possible and stay off of drugs. My doc said some people that is how they live and I wouldnt mind going to the hospital one day a month and getting zapped. I just am unsure about the maintenance between bilateral or unilateral. One person I know has bilateral once every 6 weeks and it works great for her. The reason I am doing this is that either the meds dont work or I cannot tolerate them. I just tried nardil but it blew up my prostate and so that was the last drug in the medicine cabinet. Wellbutrin brings me up halfway but leaves me feeling terribly sick and not very optimistic.
> It is the most effective, but unfortunately it has a very high relapse rate. Have you talked to your doctor about what can be done to prevent relaspe.
>
> The lithium/nortryptaline combination seems to be effective in preventing post ECT relapse.
>
> In one study, 80% of drug free individuals relapsed, wherase lith-nortryp reduced it to about 30%, where either drug alone had a rate somewhere in-between.
>
> Linkadge
>
Posted by strugglingsteve on January 20, 2006, at 18:37:29
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories » strugglingsteve, posted by ace on January 20, 2006, at 12:30:57
I tried the magic ace pill Nardil and had limited side effects until about 5 weeks in when my prostate blew up and had major pain so I had to stop it. I was bummed I couldnt follow ace to the promised land, so here we go with ect I guess.
> > I am starting ECT on Wednesday and was wondering if there are any success stories out there that can encourage me as I enter this new therapy for my severe depression. I am going inpatient for the first one and then outpatient for the rest.
>
> From what I've read from clinical and anecdotal reports (and I've read a lot and am going to be a shrink) ECT is THE most effective treatment for TRD. However, it may be a toss between that and THE MIGHTY MAOI's.....
>
> Good Luck and I pray you find peace mate,
>
> Ace
>
>
Posted by Declan on January 20, 2006, at 18:42:08
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories » strugglingsteve, posted by strugglingsteve on January 20, 2006, at 18:37:29
I wonder why that happened? Anyone have any ideas?
Declan
Posted by Phillipa on January 20, 2006, at 19:26:58
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories » linkadge, posted by Declan on January 20, 2006, at 13:50:23
What happened to him? Anyone seen him? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Declan on January 20, 2006, at 19:56:44
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories » Declan, posted by Phillipa on January 20, 2006, at 19:26:58
No no Phillipa, I'm referring to someone's prostate, I've actually forgotten whose, which blew up in response to Nardil. See thread above.
love
Declan
Posted by Phillipa on January 20, 2006, at 21:55:50
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories » Declan, posted by Phillipa on January 20, 2006, at 19:26:58
Declan how can a protrate blow up? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by strugglingsteve on January 20, 2006, at 22:17:49
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories » Phillipa, posted by Phillipa on January 20, 2006, at 21:55:50
I will elaborate for you. When I first started the nardil I noticed that when I orgasmed, my prostate would not throb like it normally does for us guys. Then gradually I began to lose my orgasm entirely and my prostate would not do its thing and give me an erection which means it was starting to swell up. Then finally it was so enlarged that it caused groin pain and pain in my privates, and I couldnt sit down for too long on a hard chair as it would hurt even more. This has happened before with meds, most notable tca's. So there you have it and on to ECT...steve..
> Declan how can a protrate blow up? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Denise190466 on June 6, 2006, at 11:51:39
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories, posted by strugglingsteve on January 20, 2006, at 22:17:49
Hi Steve,
I just came across this thread. Did you ever have ECT and did it help you at all?
Denise
Posted by strugglingsteve on June 6, 2006, at 13:50:23
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories, posted by Denise190466 on June 6, 2006, at 11:51:39
It didnt help me at all and screwed up my memory.
Posted by pulse on June 8, 2006, at 6:39:38
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories, posted by strugglingsteve on June 6, 2006, at 13:50:23
that's really too bad, steve. we are all so different.
i'm a former ect success story, only because both of the only docs i'd allow to perform them on me have since retired.
i'm unipolar and did have them done bilaterally. no memory loss, no headaches, no other SEs, and complete remission each of those 3 times. (i'm VERY sure the remissions would have lasted longer had i not gone right back into abusive relationships.)
i'm a big advocate for bilateral ect, IF you can find a competent doctor.
pulse
Posted by Denise190466 on June 8, 2006, at 9:44:38
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories, posted by strugglingsteve on June 6, 2006, at 13:50:23
Hi Steve,
Sorry to hear about your memory problems are they permanent? and sorry it didn't work for you.
Did you have unilateral or bilateral and are you taking anything now that is helping?
Denise
Posted by Denise190466 on June 8, 2006, at 9:59:03
In reply to Re: ECT Success Stories, posted by pulse on June 8, 2006, at 6:39:38
Hi Pulse,
Glad it worked for you, how long did the remission last?
Also, how did you manage to find an ECT Doc who you knew would be good? Are you in the States? I'm in the UK and there is no way I would be able to find out which ECT Docs were any good. I'm having to try and persuade my psychiatrist to let me even try it.
Are you taking anything else now to help?
Denise
Posted by pulse on June 8, 2006, at 21:31:54
In reply to To Pulse, posted by Denise190466 on June 8, 2006, at 9:59:03
hi Denise.
somewhere in here or the archives i've talked a little more about my ect experiences. sorry, i have no idea when/ where, but seems one post was not very long ago. i could be wrong.
length of remissions: as i stressed above, i went right back into 2 very abusive relationships with men, so i'm certainly in NO position to give anyone an accurate picture of that one part of the overall (great) picture. also, it's been 9 -10 yrs, since my last series. i believe others have said 4 to 6 months remission - at the outside; then they do maintenance. you could try search here (select dr. bob in google and 'maintenance ect' ....with no quotes.)
i am so fortunate to have a therapist who is now a master of social science, but for 25 yrs. was, i believe, the head psych nurse at one of the hospitals that offered ects. all then were only done in-patient, where, now, almost all here are done out-patient. so, she was highly connected as to who the very best ect docs were, and , in fact, had worked in tandem with one of these two.
i'm currently finally having much success with ultra low dose and time left on ...of the new emsam ad patch - after 4 very short failed trials....due, prior, to unbearable side-effects....now all are 100% gone (or close to.)
sorry i can't be of more help.
pulse
Posted by Denise190466 on June 9, 2006, at 7:29:08
In reply to Re: To Pulse » Denise190466, posted by pulse on June 8, 2006, at 21:31:54
Thanks Pulse for the info. It's a shame the ECT didn't help you to ditch the abusive men.
I have done a lot of searches on ECT and I don't think I'm fortunate enough to have a psychiatrist who will know who the best ECT doctors are so I guess I'll have to do my own investigations.
Thanks Again....Denise
Posted by pulse on June 9, 2006, at 14:32:44
In reply to Re: To Pulse, posted by Denise190466 on June 9, 2006, at 7:29:08
ahhh...but i DID ditch both the abusive men, the last one within 5 1/2 months of that last too short (i now remember it was only 5 txs) ECT series. ECT had not a thing to do with it, though; that's when i got clean off drugs - and by then, the only one i had gone back to using was my drug of choice - cocaine. that will be 9 years this october 1st.
fortunately, i'm one of the few former 'addicts' who does not have a personality disorder or another disorder that causes very poor impulse control. that has made staying off cocaine/ others much easier for me than for so many, many other folks, even during the last 8 months before the emsam patch, when i was on NO antidepressant.
bottom line: i'm of the (old) psych school of thought (before the substance abuse treatment center folks got 'ahold' of psychiatrists), that believed that we all use street drugs or go to drug-dealer doctors to self-medicate our underlying psyhchiatric diagnosis/es...not because we just want to have fun, or because we're 'in' with the wrong crowd. whenever possible, i ALWAYS used alone.
i want to add to you re: finding a competent ECT doc, you're only other option may well be 'word of mouth'; - if you are open to that. i always have been, and continue to be to this day. in these 9 years, i've only encountered stigma once (i talk to ALOT of people from all walks of life, and ANYWHERE i feel like it), and since i'm a mental health advocate, and have run several groups, i do everything i can to educate and hopefuly eradicate stigma. after all, it IS now 2006, for heaven's sake.
good luck with your own investigations!
pulse
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