First hand experience w ECT?

Does anyone have any first hand experience with having ECT (shock therapy) done, for comorbid depression?

Thanks

A bit of second hand knowledge...my former girlfriends sister had it done.

Klrskies wrote:my former girlfriends sister had it done.

Did it go well for her?

Yes and no.
She was hospitalized for her first 6 treatments. She was sedated for the procedures, never remembered any of it. Was just very tired following a therapy. Her husband could not accept the procedure, never visited her in the hospital once. She felt less depressed after a few treatments. After the initial 6 sessions, she was to have the procedure done periodically for about six months...depending on her progress. I think it helped her...her husband divorced her and she was doing ok living by herself...something she would not have been able to do before the therapy.

I know 2 people who had it done. Both were helped short term. But one relapsed a year or so later, got arrested for driving drunk the wrong way in the interstate. I never found out what happened to her after that. The ECT does impair memory pretty badly. It did in her case anyway.

I've wondered if the memory impairment is supposed to be beneficial?

No, it's only a side effect and it can be pretty disruptive. It's hard to function when you can't remember well.

I guess I'll just bring this topic up once more to see if I get any other replies....

My PDoc is highly recommending this procedure...but I've read good, and bad...I'm just so depressed, I hardly get out of bed...I have no interests...I'm not living really at all

But, it seems like most ppl here are quite depressed...Is this just an inevitable part of AVPD? Can ECT help this at all?

I just don't know what to do...

any advice, info would be welcome.

I fantasize that ECT would change my life, and make it livable...but then another part of me is just hopeless, and thinks it will just cause memory/cognitive issues, and not do a damn thing positive-wise for me.

Thanks

How many docs have you been to? Get many opinions. Get a full physical and make sure there isn't some kind of medical condition causing your problems. Thyroid-related depression happens a lot. If no one has any better ideas then the ECT sounds like something worth trying.

loneman, I agree with Parador. If your life is unlivable anyhow, well, everything needs to be tried. I have an internet friend who has battled depression for years.. the ECT was the last-ditch effort after everything else failed. She did mention this at one time to a private board group, but I don't feel comfortable asking her if it helped. She's a really sweet person.

I do think that everything else that could be causing the problem should be tried first ESPECIALLY if it's from a physical problem. I sort of doubt you'd get a doctor to agree to do it on you unless that is the case though.