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Ect


Roses

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I have had ECT before, 17 years ago in fact. had it because i was resistant to anti depressant tablets or refused to take them,

It was sucessful in getting me out of a very dark place and apart from a bad headache afterwards and a very small amount of recent memory loss, ( i forgot a whole week of a holiday but then i was pretty depressed at the time) I have had no other adverse reactions.

some people I met in hospital had had lots of courses over a number of years and seemed to me to be fine re memory etc.

I am not recommending it and would not agree to it unless i had tried evrything else or was forced to have it ( as I was then under a section 3 ) but well it wasnt so bad.

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thank you eclipse. This has been suggested for me in the past but lithium helped. But I came off lithium as it's horrid all the time and so thirsty and have cysts on thyroid etc.... didn't know if it was worse to stay on lithium all your life or have this ECT? Anyone any idea?

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I am dont think ect has a long term action, it gets you out of a severe depression but that doesnt mean you cant get depressed again. I met someone in the hospital 6 months ago who seemed to have 2 courses a year when she got severely depressed. but to me that means a lot of suffering between treatments. but if you need to get out of a severe depression quickly then I think its ok. in fact when in hospital if i hadnt improved after the 8 weeks I was there I was going to discuss it with them.

currently I take an anti d and a mood stabaliser as a way of staying out of a severe depression, velaflaxin and eplim, cant stand lithium either and have tried this too,

its sickening how much we have to try to get it right and then after a while try a new combination. doesnt much help with bpd mood swings what ever.

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Have you tried other mood stabilisers?

I would be inclined to give ECT a try, but only because they say it is so much better now.

That woman off Coronation St recently had it and I think she wrote a biography about it, I haven't read it but you might want to see if your library has it or something? Or try to get other biograhies of people who have had it to give you some idea from a patient's point of view. Think the Coronation St woman is called Beverly Callard?

I only know one person who's had it and she hated it because of the effect on her memory, but she had it a long time ago, and I don't think she'd be alive otherwise.

Hard decision to make xx

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Thank you so much. I currently take lofepramine 280, propranolol 120 sleeper 10 zolpidem, 50 quetiapine at night recently went back on. Used to be on 200 a day, 800 lithium and 500 tryptofan when I was last "stable". It's a fucking joke! It's too much meds meds meds all the damn time and I become someone else. I don't want to be that person again, I want to not be here but I am sorry and I know I'm wrong right now, can't stop crying all the damn time and just don't want to try no more. Hubbie got meds, got car keys got my back but I wish he didn't love me cos then I could just disappear. I'm so confused and I don't know what to do but thank you all so much. I'm just failing and forgetting and I can't stop the thud thud thud in my chest and the pain, the fuckign pain. sorry um shit rambling now. I'll talk to hubbie tonight. Thank you all so much.

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hun, i would talk to the drs about ect, reaaly i would, i would have it again if only for a few months of respite from the pain you are so clearly going through and have tried so much meds to no avail. it might help you get on the right track as it did me. xxx

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thank you unlucky, but at same time I'm sorry that you understand if that makes sense. I must of got bad cos he gave me meds and then I was up all night as forgot night meds and the people were all in my room again. Why can't they just fuck off and the buzzing the constant buzzing. I tell myself no but it still happens.

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thank you eclipse. This has been suggested for me in the past but lithium helped. But I came off lithium as it's horrid all the time and so thirsty and have cysts on thyroid etc.... didn't know if it was worse to stay on lithium all your life or have this ECT? Anyone any idea?

Hi, I have had a few courses of ECT and personally I would not recommend it to anyone it is the most horrendous thing.I have also been on lithium for quite a few years now along with other medications too, i don't like that either especially as it has messed up my thyroid so I now have to take more pills to keep that properly but it does keep me more stable than being off it and I would rather be on that than ever have any more ECT. This probarly hasnt helped everyone has to make up there own mind about treatment I just wanted to give you my experience of both ECT and lithium. take care.

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Thank you Pat, I really appreciate your input. It's good to hear all the experiences good or bad as you say. Thank you and I'm sorry it was horrid and that the lithium has messed up your thyroid it's exaclty why I don't want to go back on it.

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This might sound really dumb, but my CPN is always on about making a list of positives and negatives for both options, it sometimes helps, even when you already know which option you're going to choose.

If I were you I'd get as many opinions from as many people as possible, but only do that if it will help you rather than confuse you or overwhelm you. And try not to place too much emphasis on one person's opinion.

You've got to take your meds if it gets rid of other symptoms, set an alarm on your mobile to take them. I wish I had meds to get rid of hallucinations or whatever they are. <3

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Thank you Unlucky and thank you all. Meeting went well but am due to start sodium valporate tonight. Am scared shitless and really don't want to become someone else. He didn't mention ECT and hubbie and I did a lot of research and re-read this information and we didn't mention it either. I guess just see how it goes *sigh* goodbye me and hello someone else *weeps*

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My friend was on sodium valporate because she couldn't take lithium and my sister is on it too (more for epilepsy but also mood related too). They both seem to do ok on it, so fingers crossed for you.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have been googling information. Can anyone help me to make sense of the pros and cons please? It would be much appreciated. x

Hi Angelus, I had ECT throughout the summer last year, my advice would be - don't watch ANY videos about ECT and talk directly to your psychiatrist about it. I had a positive experience in the end but at the time it was hard work.

Good luck

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Thank you Unlucky and thank you all. Meeting went well but am due to start sodium valporate tonight. Am scared shitless and really don't want to become someone else. He didn't mention ECT and hubbie and I did a lot of research and re-read this information and we didn't mention it either. I guess just see how it goes *sigh* goodbye me and hello someone else *weeps*

I am sorry that it is so bad at the moement.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

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