Posted by LostBoyinNCReturns on March 17, 2012, at 9:55:05
In reply to Seeking insight on treatment resistant depression, posted by Amorphous on December 19, 2011, at 3:07:56
How was your response to ECT? They used to say ECT always cured depression no matter what. Now they (ECT experts) are claiming ECT is an extremely effective short term depression treatment.
Did you have monthly followup ECTs following that initial 10 to 12 round of ECTs? If not, that is probably why it did not work. I have read and been told by psychiatrists I was using you have to have monthly followup ECTs for it to hold. Indefinitely, for life basically.
Also, have you been to a sleep medicine physician? Have you been thoroughly screened for sleep apnea, even mild sleep apnea? Severe depression can be greatly helped by treating even mild apnea. Also, there are other sleep disorders to be screened out, RLS, PLMD.
I am a former TRD who actually got out of TRD via CPAP therapy. I was TRD from late 97 to mid 2008. I was put on CPAP in late summer 2007 and it took some time to adjust to CPAP and afterwards, I began feeling like I wanted to exercise more like I used to. I began exercising, lost some weight all while continuing to use CPAP gear and taking a mere 50 mg Zoloft. I found CPAP made my meds work better, I dont have a clue what the mechanism is all I know is my meds are more effective when I use CPAP.
Also, many "depression" symptoms I use to think were mental or depression went away completely to nearly completely from CPAP use.
I would think treatment of even mild sleep apnea, combined with a round of ECT followed by monthly maintenance ECTs, to be a very potent and effective treatment for TRD.
Eric
poster:LostBoyinNCReturns
thread:1005215
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/neuro/20110604/msgs/1013296.html