Posted by jaby on July 21, 2002, at 12:45:51
In reply to ECT info needed!, posted by Chloe on July 20, 2002, at 11:31:12
My sister had a fully catatonic episode a few years back (no eating, talking, walking) w/ psychotic features. They perfomed ECT (I'm not certain what kind-my mom says unilateral, but I find that hard to believe). Anyhow, after her first treatment she called me on the phone. It was totally amazing! She continued to have treatments for several moths and now takes maintenance doses of lithium and neurontin. She is 100% perfect (better than myself).
I am doing pretty well now on lithium, provigil, and neurontin, but my dr. has hinted at unilateral ECT for me as a possibility. I have had some good responses to a number of meds only to have them poop out very quickly. He says he has a patient that they have performed unilateral on and she was not severely depressed, but meds didn't work out for her.
In a nutshell, I think ECT is amazing. It does so many things (changes ion channels, seizure threshhold, neurotramsmitter levels, receptor sites, etc.) I think it does even more than we think and I consider it kind of a catch-all. Probably the highest rate of efficacy also!
poster:jaby
thread:113035
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020718/msgs/113158.html