Wednesday, December 16, 2009
OMG ECT
My doctor is wanting to refer me to check into see about ECT (electrical shock therapy). It scares the socks off me! My gut reaction is no way-not in this life time. Has anyone had any experience with this? My psychiatrist is worried about how rapid my bi-polar cycles and the severity of the cycles. Some side effect could be as follows."After receiving Electroshock Therapy, the patient may experience some confusion, nausea, short term memory loss, the inability to concentrate, back pain, muscle stiffness or headaches. There also may be a brief drop in blood pressure, an increase in heart rate or heart rhythm disturbances. Symptoms usually last for about 20-60 minutes following treatment and may be helped with aspirin. Some patients may experience longer-term memory problems." I am desperate for input!
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10 comments:
OMG is right. I don't know much about it in this day and age. I must assume the methods have been improved from times past.
I don't know. I hope you get the input you are looking for and need.
In the meantime, I will pray that God will guide you in the direction you need to go, that you will make the best decision.
PG
Just my gut says "NO." I really do not know enough about this, but I always get a negative feeling when it comes to having your system shocked to help you. Sure, they may have improved on the technique, but I would not do it regardless.
Again, I have never had it done. Hopefully, you will get a better side to this story from someone who has or knows someone who has.
Wanda, this should not be taken lightly. Prayers for you dear one for the right choice.
((((Wanda))))
Not really sure if it helps...I don't know how far in advance they are now in administering this type of treatment. I agree with JBR, will keep you in prayers...
Yikes, losing your memeory, how does that help you? Suggest you get a second opinion on this. Bless you and take care.
I would say NO. I have never had it done.
Knowing how bad the treatments effects can be. And knowing you in person .. I think it's worth considering. Talk to RS ... get his take on it.
If you do have it, I don't want you going it alone!!!!!! I'm serious chickadee! Call me, let me take you, be there with you. If you don't, I'll tell RS on you!!!
Something has to give, and it can't be you ... you're scaring me on a regular basis ... I know half of that fear is my own issues, but still.
I love you Rumblebuffin!
I once read a comment on someone else's post where ECT caused a woman to have a heart attack. I'm sure doctors don't think that's important, though. No biggie - they can just add a fistful of heart pills to all the stuff they already give you.
Of course ECT would 'help' temporarily. It causes memory loss so for a while you will not be able to connect to the real reason you have these symptoms in your life. The only way to 'get rid of it' is to damage the brain? That's pretty terrible. If I were you I would listen to my gut and listen good. Maybe the doctor who wants this for you should have it herself first. Then you could still refuse on the basis that you are being advised by someone who exercises poor judgement.
I hate to tell you this, Wanda, but it is becoming more and more clear to me that there is no way out other than to fully face the real problem. And yes, you know what the real problem is. And it's NEVER going to go away. All we can do is feel it, work through all the horrible memories and emotions as fully as possible and learn to live with it. NOTHING will erase the past. Not drug use, not ECT - nothing. There is no shortcut, there is only the postponement of the inevitable at a GREAT cost to health. If you do not have the proper support in your life to really, really stand up to the haunting and face it all, then I urge you to find that support. You are being advised to destroy your health and brain as a substitute for what you need from human beings in order to work it out. This says some very, VERY sick things about our society. You don't have to be sick right along with them, Wanda. Just say no to idiocy while you still have the cognitive ability to do so. The doctors will eventually dump you off in the barely drooling section of a nursing home some day. And then they will go home, have dinner with their families and never think about you again. It's the business they're in, Wanda. No one is going to protect you except you, so you'd better not abdicate responsibilty. You might live to regret it. Or worse - maybe you won't.
My brain is fried enough as it is. My thought is that I do not want anyone putting an electrical current through it. Even though it isn't like in the old days, it really doesn't sound like something I'd want to do.
Hello.
I am new to your site. I found you through Sarah. I have never had ECT before. However, I have friend who was VERY sick and the only thing that saved her was ECT. You should see how much better she is. I am not telling you to go out and try because I agree with you. It would scare my shocks of too. And I will tell you that my friend had short term memory lost and didn't remeber who I was and that really huit, but about two years after, I was in my bank and she was there and said, "Hi Amanda!" She suddenly remembered and we are right back where started from. However, she is SOOOO much healthier now. I hope that helps. I will pray for discernment for you. Stop by my blog and tell me what you think.
Merry Christmas,
Amanda
I had ECT and it did help. It didnt cure me, but I was able to wash and feed myself again. I lost alot of memory tho and much of it didnt come back. I had bi-lateral which is stronger than uni-lateral. I forgot most anything that wasnt at least 2 years old. If I hadnt known you for two years or more then I didnt know who you were. I couldnt remember where my doctors office was. I had to be retaught to use my computer like 4 times. I checked out the same books at the library and the same movies at the video store every week for about a month because I wouldnt remember that I had read/seen them. Its not a decision to be made lightly. I had been severely depressed for a very long time and was literally unwashed/unable to prepare a meal, unable to sleep more than an hour a night etc etc. Tho I am not cured I am better and I dont regret it, tho I wouldnt want to do it again now as I wouldnt want to forget my grandkids. I know there were terrible headaches also. You must have someone to take you and bring you back and be with you for a while because you can be very confused afterwards. If you have any questions I can answeror want to talk about it- feel free to email me. I also have two friends that have had it
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