HAS ANYONE EVER HAD ECT??

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-31-2006
HAS ANYONE EVER HAD ECT??
2
Tue, 01-31-2006 - 11:24pm
I have been suffering from a Bi-polar Disorder for 14 years now and its been doctor after doctor and med change after med change!!!! But yet I havent found the proper "cocktail" of medication to help me... My present doctor says my only other choice NOW is to have ECT---electroconvulsive therapy... because I have tried just about every medicine out there and my big problem is that I become immune to the meds a short time after taking them...... HELP................ Anyone out there know of someone that has had ECT or has had it themselves-----please respond.......THANK YOU!!!
Avatar for suziq_3
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 02-03-2006 - 12:11pm
i actually know quite a few.
most report very positive results tho a few have had to go back after a few years for some repeat treatments.
as for bad reports (in my experience)some people had a negative response to the anethesia so they chose not to go for anymore treatments after the first.
one person i knew,i suppose you could say it didn't help at all,BUT i think he had made up his mind before he even went for treatment..that nothing was going to help him.
this is only my experiences w/ people who have had it.my roomate in the hospital had told me that she had wonderful results from it(she was back in the hospital for anxiety attacks this time).i was actually scheduled for it,but a lamictal rash in the hospital held up my treatment & my hospitalization ran out,so it became an outpatient option.at that point my depression had already begun to ease on my new meds so my dr. didn't want me to flip into mania.personally..i would've done it in a heartbeat.
do you have a good relationship w/ your doctor?
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-31-2006
Sat, 02-04-2006 - 1:12am
THANKS so much for the reply....I do trust my Dr exclusively....he is wonderful and did tell me to keep a positive attitude going into the sessions. Right now he said that is my only alternative left!!! BUT...I have chosen to seek out the help of a Homeopath Dr to try some herbal remedies before I HAVE to go thru with the shocks... So far, Ive tried one remedy that helped alittle with the anxiety but not the bi-polar....Monday Im to receive a new remedy, and although Im keeping a positive attitude....Im also keeping my fingers crossed too!!!! Thanks again for the great input and Ill keep you posted...