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Old 28-11-2008, 01:19 PM   #1
kijam76
 
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ECT anybody?

So I've been having a manic episode (which is fortunately going away) and met with my doc. She told me that when it begins to affect my physicological well being (I was running a fever), not eating, not sleeping, etc... that they might have to use electro convulsive therapy to bring me down quickly.... I didnt say anything to her, but left really worried! What would happen if I needed it? Is it bad?



Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.
-- A.E. Housman --


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Old 28-11-2008, 02:53 PM   #2
melda
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ECT isnt that bad, it sends electical shocks to your brain to reset the electric mesages and resets all the chemicals in your brain. Its not painful and has been effective in lots of people. It is mainly used in people with severe depression when meds arent working, but I guess it could be used for people with mania as it resets everything. There are a few downsides, it isnt usually longlasting, people who have it are likely to need it again in a few months. It can causes short term memory loss, but the techniques used these days are so advanced that it doesnt often happen. It can be effective, but if you want to find out more, ask your doctor exactly what would be involved, that is the best way. Make sure that you get as much information as you can before you make your decision. Hope this helps.



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Old 28-11-2008, 03:54 PM   #3
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You need to tell your doctor your concerns because this is something you need to think about very carefully before making a decision. You need to ask her exactly what it would entail and how many sessions you would need etc.



Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back, everything is different…

you once called your brain a hard drive, well say hello to the virus.


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Old 28-11-2008, 05:17 PM   #4
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I've never heard of ECT being used for mania, thought it was just for depression. I think you should tell the doc how worried them bringing that up has made you feel.
An anti manic medication would work, not as quickly but it would still work.
(hugs)



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Old 28-11-2008, 06:14 PM   #5
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Hey i have ECT twice, so two sets of 24 sessions. 3 times a week for two months at a time. I never had it for mania though, more for depression. It actually made me a little bit manic.

But yet if you want any info PM me. Overall would never have it again, although it is very effective the results dont last... you feel like **** on the days you have it due to the anathestic and i have really bad memory problems now, plus i felt ausume for maybe five weeks max after finishing my course.
There are large segments (especially from around the time i was having it) of memory that i just cannot remember.

PM me if you want to talk about it

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Old 28-11-2008, 06:24 PM   #6
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Not meaning to sound rude but people that read about ECT in brochures and stuff cant really explain it very well.... anyway thats my opinion.

I made the mistake (twice) of listening to people whom hadnt experienced it, or reading about it in brochures and perhaps had i been able to speak to someone whom had experienced it then i would not have gone through with it.

The memory loss sucks... big time had i not been sectioned and forced to have it the second time round then i never would have done it.

I hope that this doesnt sound harsh, i just dont want to candycoat an experience that in all honesty has prob traumatised me more.

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Old 28-11-2008, 08:29 PM   #7
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Isn't there a guy in America who had ECT for mania and became a success story? Electro boy?

Edit- the page on his website about ECT.



Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back, everything is different…

you once called your brain a hard drive, well say hello to the virus.


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Old 29-11-2008, 05:57 AM   #8
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I had five ECT treatments before they freaked me out too much to continue. However, I have seen others benefit tremendously from it, when continued. If you would like any more info, feel free to pm me.

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Old 30-11-2008, 12:47 AM   #9
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k... yeh im on anitpsychotics but they werent working at the time.... So the general consensus is they arent that bad and really effective, but are sorta freaky?

... Thanks I really appreciate the feedback



Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.
-- A.E. Housman --


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Old 30-11-2008, 06:15 AM   #10
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I don't know. Be careful. I haven't had it, but a friend of mine did, and all she got from it were erased memories surrounding that several months and not really any help. And my doctor is very against it. But get many different types of advice/viewpoints, like you're doing here. talk to a few doctors. Either way, it is very serious, and you really need to know that you have a good chance of benefiting and that you have no other option.

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Old 30-11-2008, 12:35 PM   #11
lostandalone3
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we cant really tell you exactly what to do.. but yeah it works but i dont know if the side effects and actual procedure is worth it since the effects dont last.

And to maintain those effects you need to keep having the treatments.... believe me i have had that offer before.

I think if you can get anti psychotics to work then go with them as they really arent going to traumatise you, like ECT will. It might not, but i know it did for me.

Are you on a mood stabiliser? I am not sure about Canada but where i live you actually have to have three psychiatrists prescribe it too you before they will do it, and one is a specialist ECT psych.
Then there is the assesment for the general anathestic etc etc. You prob have to go inpatient aswell

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Old 30-11-2008, 11:04 PM   #12
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Im on mood stabalizers, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and ocassionally anti anxiety and sleeping pills.... Im like a walking farmacy. My memory isnt that great when Im on a high or a low so im not too worried about that, but i guess I really should get a second opinion as it is a bit extreme. Plus i dont want to be an inpatient again, last time they sectioned me without my consent... Ill try and stay away from it unless there is no other choice I guess. thanks again.



Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.
-- A.E. Housman --


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Old 01-12-2008, 01:09 AM   #13
lostandalone3
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Hey dont worry i am a walking pharmacy too, i actually rattle when i walk....
Its not just memories of the present you lose but i found memories from the past like now i cant remember my childhood or even high school.

It works wonderfully, my main problem with it is that the effects dont last, so its like they give you this wonderful gift of feeling normal for maybe a month and then it is taken away... and now i really know what i am missing out on if that makes sense.

Its almost being given a trial dose of lithium only to find it helps with the racing thoughts, implulsiveness only to have it taken away a month later and they can give you no reason as to why it needs to be stopped.

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Old 01-12-2008, 01:57 AM   #14
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ECT is generally only used as a last resort treatment, so getting a second opinion is good idea. Your doc may have only brought it up as a "just in case we have a worst case scenario you should know we may consider this treatment".

Do you have a written care plan at all?



Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.




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Old 01-12-2008, 02:24 AM   #15
kijam76
 
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written care plan? Dont think I have one.... its mostly if I get really bad I schedule an emergency appointment with the doc and depending on how bad I am she helps me decide if I should go to the hospital or just increase meds



Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.
-- A.E. Housman --


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Old 01-12-2008, 06:47 AM   #16
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Just something to add...I got ECT as an outpatient. 3 times a week.

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Old 03-12-2008, 04:21 PM   #17
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Hi,

I don't have any personal experience, but I am right in the middle of writing up a report on ECT.

First off - don't trust everything that comes out of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Secondly, remember that NOBODY KNOWS HOW ECT WORKS. All this nonsense about "restoring chemical balances" is purely speculation. the RCP got a big slap a while a go for a factsheet where they said that, because that is PURE speculation.

And melda - I don't understand quite what you mean by "the methods used these days" - ECT is the same now as it always was, even back in Cerlettis' day. The only difference is people are anaethetised and paralyzed. The effects are the same. In fact Peter Breggin (a psychiatrist) has argued ECT is just the same as any other brain trauma - smash anybodys head against a wall for a repeated length of time and they will calm down/wake up.

A recent article by the British Medical Journal:
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/326/7403/1343

A Review in "The Psychologist"
http://www.thepsychologist.org.uk/ar...03johnston.pdf

And current guidelines on the use of ECT:
http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/FAD_ECT.pdf


It is very, very dangerous to mislead people into thinking that ECT is understood, sophisticated, or anything to do with "chemicals".

I can forward on my report too, if that would help. It's only a 2000 word essay, but it has all the most important/relevant studies in.

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