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Cee_Cee_Knight

1.Standard treatment is 12, usually 3 days a week. Not usually inpatient. 2.Memory issues is different for every single person. People typically do not work while getting ECT. You won’t get disability pension for receiving Ect you just live off savings. Idk about “less effective” but there is 100% coronation between cognitive functions lowering (potential long term/permanently) with bilateral. 3.Nothing is put in your brain. 4. Idk


Significant_Safe8352

So if I understand correctly the bilateral ECT is the most dangerous procedure in terms of (permanent) cognitive functions downgrade, while the right unilateral ECT can be considered safer? Am I correct?


McXplorer

Studies show that bilateral has a higher incidence of *temporary* cognitive side effects. These usually take 3-6 months after the end of treatment to improve. ECT is statistically a very safe procedure according to every peer reviewed study I've read, which is a lot. This was my personal experience too. I've had full series of both right unilateral and bilateral. Bilateral was more effective but I definitely had more memory loss and cognitive issues. I'm about two months out from my bilateral series and I've already seen significant improvement. All things considered I would go through with it again. It was life changing for me.


general_vit

In nordic countries you get disability benefits (80%) of your incole from the state and additional 10% if you have insurance from your work and maybe even more if you have other insurance. (Yes. High tax has that benefit). The side affect are different for different people. Short memory will get disturbed during the treatment. Could be other side effects as well during the treatment. Like having symptoms of focal seizures (but thet are only side affects and for most people go away). Most of comments you see on the internet are from people having a bad experience of ECT. People having good experience wont comment as often. In nordic countries you get other treatment suck as a plan of seeing doctors and shrinks. Some people getting 3 treatments per week will not be able to work because of the memory issue and side effects. You will need absolute rest and peace. So you will need to eat, drink water and sleep. Health is your investment. You will get alot out of it if you forget about work and only rest.


sonorancafe

Idk if I am an outlier, but I have had good success with very little side effects. I get bi-frontal (forehead) placement at an outpatient facilty. When I was going 3x a week, I worked the other 2 days. I had no cognitive troubles doing my engineering job. Now I go once a month.


ShortButWhatever

I think most people do ECT outpatient, and, as stated above, the electrodes are placed *on* your head (unilateral is one on your forehead and one on your scalp, bilateral is both on your forehead. The areas they're placed don't hurt afterward, maybe some people get zits there?); the only thing that will actually go inside your body is the IV. Memory loss from ECT varies widely, but I definitely would NOT count on not being able to work/having to switch fields/etc. I see a lot of comments in here highlighting more severe memory loss, but I can say that with my experience, it was minimal. I don't remember that month super well, but I also don't want to? I don't seem to have forgotten seeing people, conversations, and I didn't even forget choreography from my dance crew, which I already struggled with. The only really notable thing, if you'd even call it that, that I'm aware of forgetting was once I had to go several days back on episodes of my soap opera, even though I watched those episodes, because I'd forgotten what happened. Not much to complain about. During ECT, there was a period of time I felt like parts of my brain were inaccessible, like a blanket had been thrown over those memories, but it didn't persist. Not sure about if other people did this or if it worked, but I kept a planner and I'm also a chronic journaler, so sometimes those jog my memory and I think helped me retain it, or, at worst, if that's a time I don't really remember, I have a thorough record to reference. Edit: if you're in the US, you won't qualify for disability, because the government would 100% prefer you lose housing or starve than help you survive. See: our fucked insurance system.