e c t

Hi young grandma, what is ect?I've never heard of it before, but i'm glad its working well for you. And welcome to HW.

what happens during ECT. I know nothing about it.

Greetings all, this is my first post at Healing Well.com.   I have fought depression for eight years, moving to disability two months ago.  I was on effexor and ambien for eight years, and over the past few months have tried many others.  Was recently hospitalized for two weeks in a "Behavioral hospital", as my depression has become more and more severe.  Now on lexapro and wellbutrin without any positive effect.  I am exhausted and constantly on the edge of emotional breakdown.  It has been an extreme strain on my family.

I've had 10 ECT treatments.  The immediate effect (a few hours) seems postive, but then drops back to severe depression.  However, I will say that I have been in contact with many people who have had positive effects from ECT, and would encourage those contemplating such to get a basic check-up from you family physician, then try the treatments if prescribed.  Convulsions are induced but you are under anesthesia.  I wondered somewhat at the assembly line nature but I feel that the treatments are often worth the effort, based on my sampling of communication with those under similar cirumstances.

Keep up the hope!!!!!!

glad to see e c t working . for  some people. i just got my 59th one . and boy did i need it .feel great now. they do wear off just like pills .but at least with e c t you dont have that drugged up feeling.im tired the first day but feel great for about 2 weeks. i get my next one on my b day.i will be tired but at least happy on it. have a great day

hi wendy cat . i do the effexor too. but its the e c t s that keep me going . but with me they wear off. so over trying different times. the doctors and i feel every two weeks work for me. i have one doctor that does the meds and one doctor that does the e c t . they do keep in contact with each other . its the doctor that gives me the meds that oks the e c t . i think medicines are worse because your organs have to exsorbe all those meds.and most of the time you feel drugged up. ive ended up going to the hospital by ambulance because the meds i was on back then didnt agree with me if i took them at the same time i couldnt breath they thought i overdosed but i didnt . its just meds can really be hard on your system. i have a weak stomach.at least with the e c t its done with you feel great the next day. its because your tired from being put to sleep for it.you dont have to worry about taking a bunch of pills. ive had 61 e c t s and they still work as good as the first one.to where after awhile the pills dont. i have a neighbor thats on a bunch of pills . i live in az .so you know how hot it is out here.will she stays locked up in her house all day.no cooler or airconditioning at all .then stays up all night with the front door open . no screen door . watching tv anyone could just walk in . no one around here would because there scared of things shes done in the past. shes like in her seventys. but now the state has her all drugged up and she walks around like a zombie . thats another reason why i dont want to take too many meds i dont want to end up that way. ive added a email if anyone would like to write to me. ive been searching the internet to learn everything about e c t s for the last two years. i have a great doctor . he does like 50 to 100 of them a week. so i guess he knows what hes doing, and ive never had a problem. im just different the doctors say. most people only need a few and there ok .for the rest of there lives,

Something about ECT scares me, but if it could make me feel normal id be all for it. Though I already have a hell of a time remembering anything, so that would worry me.

hi how is everyone. i know e c t isnt perfect but its all that works for me right now. and i dont get the bad side affects. mine start to wear off after only 10 to 12 days. thats why i get one every 2 weeks. i go for my next one in about 6 hours . so im a little stressed right now and trying to keep myself busy. i dont go to sleep the night before my e c t . because i dont like waking up early. they do mine at 445 am . it is not as bad as when you first start doing them. its hard when they do them on mon,wends,and friday. for 3 or 4 weeks at a time.im on maintance and every 2 weeks works for me . i know 62 of them are alot that ive had in 2 years.i know i cant do them forever. its not the ect that is as bad for you as the drugs they use to put you to sleep .being put under so many is the bigger risk . since the shock works for me my doctor has talked to me about the v n s and having it put in. so it would not be as big a risk ..and the inplant last for 8 to 10 years . working 24 hrs aday and not wearing off .