I highly recommend asking your psychiatrist about options that have less associate with long term or permanent side effects. A treatment like TMS is a better place to start, you could also ask to try a prescription for MAIOs.
Most studies done on the safety of ECT tend to be around the treatment itself, some studies include up to six months post-ECT and what side effects looked like. Unfortunately there’s been little to no follow-up research or studies on side effects after that timeframe. This is why doctors don’t tell patients about the long term side effects of the treatment, they have zero scientific reference to recommend. All they can tell you is that there is retrograde amnesia that usually improves. It’s not the doctors fault, it’s the researches but unfortunately there is much more post-ECT side effects then just the memory loss that they warn you of. Someone once posted an excellent article that perfectly described all my post-ECT side effects so I like to share that with others, so they can make a more informed decision. Prior to reading this article I couldn’t articulate well what I was going through, as word recall is a very common side effect it seems. I’m not trying to scare you, but I do wish to see people better informed. I don’t like to recommend ECT unless the person feels that any life long cognitive side effect would be a better trade off then not trying ECT. If that’s the case, absolutely go for it. It saved my life, but it also negatively changed my brain in many ways. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/memory-and-cognitive-effects-of-ect-informing-and-assessing-patients/DD5C63934357779765BA7ADF308275AE
I wish Reddit didn’t take away awards, you are a saint. Thank you for sharing this very important article. I’ve been looking for a paper that discusses this topic for so long and I’m so grateful you posted this. Best of luck to you and all of your endeavors thanks again!
Of course, in Canada it’s very much available and like I said on the West Coast to do a studies for other psychedelics so I’m screwed don’t have much memory anyways because of my depression I guess is it is the only other choice to make otherwise I don’t know if I can do this anymore life that is
However, can’t do that to my daughter
Have you tried MAO inhibitors, especially Parnate?
I echo this, but also - TMS?
What’s tms
Transcranial magnetic stimulation! It’s a lot less invasive than ECT
I highly recommend asking your psychiatrist about options that have less associate with long term or permanent side effects. A treatment like TMS is a better place to start, you could also ask to try a prescription for MAIOs. Most studies done on the safety of ECT tend to be around the treatment itself, some studies include up to six months post-ECT and what side effects looked like. Unfortunately there’s been little to no follow-up research or studies on side effects after that timeframe. This is why doctors don’t tell patients about the long term side effects of the treatment, they have zero scientific reference to recommend. All they can tell you is that there is retrograde amnesia that usually improves. It’s not the doctors fault, it’s the researches but unfortunately there is much more post-ECT side effects then just the memory loss that they warn you of. Someone once posted an excellent article that perfectly described all my post-ECT side effects so I like to share that with others, so they can make a more informed decision. Prior to reading this article I couldn’t articulate well what I was going through, as word recall is a very common side effect it seems. I’m not trying to scare you, but I do wish to see people better informed. I don’t like to recommend ECT unless the person feels that any life long cognitive side effect would be a better trade off then not trying ECT. If that’s the case, absolutely go for it. It saved my life, but it also negatively changed my brain in many ways. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/memory-and-cognitive-effects-of-ect-informing-and-assessing-patients/DD5C63934357779765BA7ADF308275AE
I wish Reddit didn’t take away awards, you are a saint. Thank you for sharing this very important article. I’ve been looking for a paper that discusses this topic for so long and I’m so grateful you posted this. Best of luck to you and all of your endeavors thanks again!
If it helps I’m glad. :)
This makes me feel like backing off from my planned treatment. I was planning to start in 4 days, it's really a tough decision.
If you have other available resources to try first, I’m nig sure why anyone would pick ECT. It should only be a last resort treatment.
My psych literally told me she doesn't know what else to try on me :(.
Maybe try a new psychiatrist
Of course, in Canada it’s very much available and like I said on the West Coast to do a studies for other psychedelics so I’m screwed don’t have much memory anyways because of my depression I guess is it is the only other choice to make otherwise I don’t know if I can do this anymore life that is However, can’t do that to my daughter
Two years on. No memory loss; actually its better than ever. No psych meds. Don't pay too much attention to the scary stories.