Thursday, April 17, 2008
My psychiatrist keeps raising two questions - 'have you ever taken Lithium' and 'have we talked about ECT?'.
So, I have tried to do some research on ECT and Bipolar. Not much to read and nothing to tell me more than it probably wouldn't hurt. I suppose the reason for the line of questioning is because of the distinct lack of progress over the last few months. That he's trying to consider what else we can try that I haven't done for the last 15 years. But I really want to know from anyone who's experienced ECT just what it did for them. Yes it helped you, didn't help, made no difference, just what can it do for Bipolar depression.
If I do make a decision for treatment, I want to be informed.
Hey Jack,
ECT when it is found in bipolarism is usually associated with a deep depression that all the wonder drugs have been exhausted leaving it as a last ditch effort. It is not something to walk into lightly and even the success rate with the treatments is not a sure thing. Short-term memory loss is usually the biggest drawback you hear from patients that have gone through it.
Personally, even if I did not have that issue I would still play on it asking family members questions like “Who are you again?” or with the wife….”So you are saying you are my wife and not my girlfriend?” Do a search on depression and ECT because depression is depression even if you are bipolar.
I would also try lithium before going the route of ECT. What pdoc’s are now finding is that the older tried and true medications actually work better than their new counterparts do on hard to treat depressions and manias. Good luck either way.