Posted by Geezer on October 30, 2002, at 22:11:06
In reply to ECT opinions cordially invited, posted by Thrud on October 30, 2002, at 4:51:34
> Hi all.
>
> I've been on medication continuously for 12+ years for severe depression and anxiety...and I'm tired of it.
>
> Medications work for me but I am at breaking point with their side effects: insomnia, fatigue, mental fuzziness and impotence amongst many. How long can we put up with them before somethingsnaps? I am at that point.
I have just completed 7 bilateral ECT treatments and now go to a once per week maintainance, then once a month. I will be adding Parnate to my current meds.....0.5 Klonopin and 10mg of Ambien. So far I am having very good results......memory loss not to great and comes back with prompting. I suffered 30 years of off-and-on ADs, not surprizing with little success. The ECT has brought me out of a 14 month coma, things are not perfect yet but I don't know why I waited so long, its my present opinion this should be the treatrment of first choice for TRD.....not the last resort. I am not here to sell anything but will be happy to share progress as I go along. For me the treatments are completely painless and provide the best relief I have had in years. I don't know what your career entails but I would bet there is away to function normally. I am retired and just couldn't stand anymore pain. I am Unipolat Major Depression/Recurrent/Meluncholic....have had a treatment resistant history for the past 2 years.
If I can be of help from personal experience I will be happy to share, (I am 58 year old male).Wish you the very best,
Geezer
>
> I need a vacation from medication. My pdoc and I have been talking seriously about ECT. We are considering unilateral only in order to minimize cognitive side effects.
>
> At present I am researching all I can about unilateral ECT (I would consider bifrontal too but there dosen't seem to be much information on it). From what I have read, I consider the possibility of catastrophic memory disruption to be low but at least some mild to moderate amount to be high.
>
> I am very nervous about taking this huge step: I am afraid that memory problems will not allow me to remain in a professional career, or that I will be severely stigmatized if people find out.
> But I desperately need a vacation from medication. The last 12 years have been a twilight life: a joyless, (sub-optimal) functionality.
>
> Forgive my ramblings: I'm not quite sure what I want people to say in response to this but please feel free to say whatever comes to mind. I haven't decided yet to take this enormous (and disastrous?) step. Maybe you can swing me one way or the other...
>
> Yours in being sick of medication,
>
> Thrud
>
poster:Geezer
thread:125772
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021025/msgs/125875.html