![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 26. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 14:06:51
Looks like i'll be. having it done at Vanderbilt hospital. They're letting me finance it since they won't accept my Insurance . though its much more expensive there compared to hospitals. I guess that's the price you pay since its one of the top 15 hospitals in the nation. and I'm glad its a great hospital where I'm having it done. and I'm so glad I don't have to deal with all the BS hospitals closer to my home made me put up with. and I'll be staying in a hotel since the hospital is a couple hours from home.
I'm nervous as heck, but thankfully I'm closer to having it done.
Posted by SLS on May 13, 2014, at 14:29:13
In reply to finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 14:06:51
> Looks like i'll be. having it done at Vanderbilt hospital. They're letting me finance it since they won't accept my Insurance . though its much more expensive there compared to hospitals. I guess that's the price you pay since its one of the top 15 hospitals in the nation. and I'm glad its a great hospital where I'm having it done. and I'm so glad I don't have to deal with all the BS hospitals closer to my home made me put up with. and I'll be staying in a hotel since the hospital is a couple hours from home.
>
> I'm nervous as heck, but thankfully I'm closer to having it done.I really, REALLY, hope you respond well to treatment with minimal side effects.
Good luck.
- Scott
Posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 15:01:19
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT » poser938, posted by SLS on May 13, 2014, at 14:29:13
Thanks. just so glad to be close to having it done. the last doc wasted 2 months of my time because I was told she accepted my insurance, but then I found out just a few days before the appointment that the hospital she does ECT. at doesn't accept it.
its been rough just waiting and wondering how I'm going to respond to ECT. can't wait til the wait is over.
Posted by Phillipa on May 13, 2014, at 17:47:14
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 15:01:19
When a hospital allows you to finance a procedure like this do they charge interest? Or do you pay what you can? When are you having it done? Congrats are in order also. Phillipa
Posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 19:34:30
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT » poser938, posted by Phillipa on May 13, 2014, at 17:47:14
Good question Phillipa. I tried reading into this and found a lot of contradicting info. some say yes they do charge interest and some say no. one thing that might effect how your medical bills charged is what state you live in.
but, over the past few years I've been unable to work and unable to pay on an MRI I had a few years ago. there hasnt been a cent of interest charged on it. same with an ER visit from 2 years.
I don't know exactly how Dr. bills are charged. and my mom may be signing to have my ECT charged in her name. Since I'm not working. And swe if Vanderbilt will help with charity care to make the bill lower. Many hospitals do this for low income uninsured patients. I'm going to call the billing department about that tomorrow.
and tomorrow I'm having my psychiatrist send the referral for ECT to Vanderbilt, and then I schedule the consultation. They made it sound like they'd be able to be me in quickly.
Posted by Phillipa on May 13, 2014, at 21:18:09
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 19:34:30
That is great about getting in quickly. I did google the hospital so in MA? Phillipa
Posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 21:50:27
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT » poser938, posted by Phillipa on May 13, 2014, at 21:18:09
Are you asking the state Vanderbilt is in?. Its in Nashville Tennessee. It seems to be a pretty advanced hospital. they're also doing a Deep Brain Stimulation clinical trial for depression there. As well as having different psychiatrists that each specialize in a particular field of mental illness.
Posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 22:12:17
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 21:50:27
http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/psychiatrichospital/
there's a psychiatric hospital as well as a medical hospital.
Posted by Phillipa on May 13, 2014, at 22:42:39
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 22:12:17
Found the Nashville one first. Then on in Massachusetts for psych obviously not the same. Thanks for pointing this out!!! Phillipa
Posted by herpills on May 14, 2014, at 11:58:53
In reply to finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 14:06:51
I wish you all the best and hope this treatment will give you some results! herpills
Posted by poser938 on May 14, 2014, at 14:11:02
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT » poser938, posted by herpills on May 14, 2014, at 11:58:53
I appreciate that very much herpills
Posted by phidippus on May 14, 2014, at 15:11:37
In reply to finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 14:06:51
Are you in therapy?
Eric
Posted by poser938 on May 14, 2014, at 16:25:37
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT » poser938, posted by phidippus on May 14, 2014, at 15:11:37
Talk therapy? No.
talk therapy used be helpful. but the last few years I've had much more going on with me than just. getting utpset about prevents in my life. What I'm experiencing already resembles what people describe after they've had a course of EDT. just kinda feeling dazed. Terrible memory. and I just lack the ability to feel pleasure and all things good about life.
but I think if ECT. does make me a functional person again, then I will need therapy to help me make sense of things I've experienced the past couple of years. and to help me get back into living life again. therapy was all I had ever really needed in the beginning before I decided to try meds.
Posted by europerep on May 14, 2014, at 16:52:04
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 14, 2014, at 16:25:37
I would definitely give MAOIs a try before considering ECT.
That being said, I sincerely hope that you do benefit from the treatment!
ER
Posted by poser938 on May 14, 2014, at 17:06:30
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT » poser938, posted by europerep on May 14, 2014, at 16:52:04
> I would definitely give MAOIs a try before considering ECT.
>
> That being said, I sincerely hope that you do benefit from the treatment!
>
> ERI asked my proc for Nardil last week, she was in the process of prescribing it. reading me a list of precautions and foods to avoid. then she said I couldn't undergo anesthesia while on
I thought, damnit. And decided to just go with her idea for Fetzima instead. my faith in it is basically zero. and my faith in something like Nardil is a bit higher. and my faith in ECT benefiting me is even higher. and I can't just keep putting it off.
Posted by phidippus on May 15, 2014, at 12:19:45
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 14, 2014, at 16:25:37
>Terrible memory. and I just lack the ability to feel pleasure and all things good about life.
These are all things worth talking about in therapy.
>I will need therapy to help me make sense of things I've experienced the past couple of years.
I think this is a good idea.
Eric
Posted by Tomatheus on May 15, 2014, at 18:52:37
In reply to finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 13, 2014, at 14:06:51
Poser938,
Good luck with the ECT. I can't say that ECT would necessarily be the treatment I'd go for if I were in your position, but I do hope that you'll benefit from receiving ECT.
Tomatheus
Posted by poser938 on May 16, 2014, at 7:04:44
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by Tomatheus on May 15, 2014, at 18:52:37
You'd try an MAOI first? Or would you just not try ECT at all?
Posted by Tomatheus on May 16, 2014, at 11:36:18
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by poser938 on May 16, 2014, at 7:04:44
Well, I don't know for sure what I'd do, because I somehow don't think that I'm experiencing the exact same mental discomfort that you're experiencing, and I can't say that I know for sure what the mental discomfort that you're experiencing is like. So, I can't really say for sure whether I'd try ECT if I were in your position because I'm not really in your position and don't really know what it's like to be in your position. I would like to say that I'd probably try an MAOI before ECT (if I'd try ECT), but it's hard to say for sure what I'd do, exactly.
Tomatheus
Posted by Christ_empowered on May 18, 2014, at 12:30:28
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT » poser938, posted by Tomatheus on May 16, 2014, at 11:36:18
could you try...something else...before ect? Its your money, your life, your call. I just think ect is the work of the devil in a lot of cases, lol.
ECT has been around since the late 30s. Back then, they called it "Annihilation Therapy," for obvious reasons. Psych literature from the 30s and 40s, into the early 60s, talks openly about reducing people to "vegetables," "regressive est," shocking people until they urinated on themselves and acted like children, etc. Its bad for your brain, obviously.
Even before lobotomy was popular, they had ect. They would sometimes use it with lobotomy and other forms of "shock," such as insulin coma, to reduce patients to simpletons. I guess the idea was (is?) better a docile, easily managed simpleton than a complex, harder-to-manage crazy person.
Posted by poser938 on May 18, 2014, at 15:15:12
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by Christ_empowered on May 18, 2014, at 12:30:28
I know exactly what you're saying. At the beginning of this year I figured I'd never decide to do ECT. I was very much against it.
...but now here I am... swell to have it done..
I'm just not responding, good or bad, to any medications.
And I have an idea why. Basically I believe the fundamental functions of my neurotransmitter systems are basically nonfunctional, it seems. I think medications I'd me this way by chronically overstimulating these systems, and telling my brain it doesn't have to do so much work. (To put it in simple terms)
For a time I responded so well to Cyprobeptadine. I believe its 5ht2c antagonism disinhobited dopamine release, rather than forcing an increase in dopamine stimulaton like normal meds like Mirapex and Adderall do. It seemed to "nourish" dopamine functioning.
Ive already trief rTMS, and now I'm just out of ideas. I can't keep being like I've been and just watching life pass me by no matter how much I try to engage in it. I know ECT has harmed many people, but it has also helped many people. And I hope Vanderbilt is advanced enough in its ECT techniques to minimize side effects and maximize the benefits.
But thank you for your concern, Christ Empowered.
Posted by europerep on May 18, 2014, at 16:35:17
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by Christ_empowered on May 18, 2014, at 12:30:28
> Psych literature from the 30s and 40s, into the early 60s, talks openly about reducing people to "vegetables,"
Would you mind providing some sources for that? And by that I mean original sources.
Posted by poser938 on May 18, 2014, at 18:06:52
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT » Christ_empowered, posted by europerep on May 18, 2014, at 16:35:17
CE, I've read articles that were referring to classic articles from earlier days of ECT. I didn't read the original article. But it did say that back then, they were pretty open about ECT's therapeutic effects being derived from making the brain less functional. And basically making the person aware.
One article I read referred to a specific article, I think from a major journal in 1974 I think it was.
But do you gave any info to the original articles that described this? I wish I would have looked up the exact article when I knew what the name of it was.
Posted by Phillipa on May 18, 2014, at 19:55:59
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT » Christ_empowered, posted by europerep on May 18, 2014, at 16:35:17
I watched the ECT proceedure when RN and the patient did urinate on self. And I was the one to wheel him back in a wheelchair to his room. He didn't know anything at all. Phillipa
Posted by poser938 on May 18, 2014, at 20:07:06
In reply to Re: finally good news on ECT, posted by Phillipa on May 18, 2014, at 19:55:59
> I watched the ECT proceedure when RN and the patient did urinate on self. And I was the one to wheel him back in a wheelchair to his room. He didn't know anything at all. Phillipa
:(
Go forward in thread:
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.