I have had severe treatment resistant depression for years. After trying and failing to gain benefit from at least 8 different antidepressants, which either didn't work or caused intolerable side effects, my doctor encouraged me to consider ECT. The doctors told me the only side effect would be possible short term memory problems limited to the duration of the treatments. I had to have 16 treatments before I felt any positive effect, and that positive effect only lasted about three months. My treatments lasted about a month and caused the most crippling headaches I've ever experienced. All I could do after a treatment was take Percocet and sleep for the rest of the day. But my memory problems were much worse. Despite what they'd told me, I lost huge chunks of memory prior to the treatments, which I've never recovered, and my ability to remember things did not return to normal after treatments as promised. Instead, I became totally dependent on writing everything I needed to remember down on a little notebook I still carry with me everywhere to this day. I flunked out of college because I could not retain information long enough to pass my exams. I can't believe they say "It’s better than medication probably and it’s better than no treatment at all." If anyone is even considering getting these "treatments", I encourage you to do some research, because it absolutely ruined my life. It permanently damaged my brain. It should be illegal. And it's sickening that so-called experts are still touting it as "safe and effective".
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I have had severe treatment resistant depression for years. After trying and failing to gain benefit from at least 8 different antidepressants, which either didn't work or caused intolerable side effects, my doctor encouraged me to consider ECT. The doctors told me the only side effect would be possible short term memory problems limited to the duration of the treatments. I had to have 16 treatments before I felt any positive effect, and that positive effect only lasted about three months. My treatments lasted about a month and caused the most crippling headaches I've ever experienced. All I could do after a treatment was take Percocet and sleep for the rest of the day. But my memory problems were much worse. Despite what they'd told me, I lost huge chunks of memory prior to the treatments, which I've never recovered, and my ability to remember things did not return to normal after treatments as promised. Instead, I became totally dependent on writing everything I needed to remember down on a little notebook I still carry with me everywhere to this day. I flunked out of college because I could not retain information long enough to pass my exams. I can't believe they say "It’s better than medication probably and it’s better than no treatment at all." If anyone is even considering getting these "treatments", I encourage you to do some research, because it absolutely ruined my life. It permanently damaged my brain. It should be illegal. And it's sickening that so-called experts are still touting it as "safe and effective".
July 15, 2016 - 11:34pmThis Comment
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