Can ECT make you feel worse?
ECT can’t prevent future depression, or fix any ongoing stresses or problems that are contributing to how you’re feeling. Some people have very bad experiences of ECT, for example because they feel worse after treatment or are given it without consent.
How will I feel after ECT?
After the Procedure When you awaken, you may experience a period of disorientation lasting from a few minutes to several hours. Headaches, jaw pain, and muscle soreness may occur. ECT requires a series of treatments, often initiated two to three times a week for a few weeks and then the frequency is tapered down.
Can ECT make you worse before better?
Some people who had bipolar disorder described experiencing a ‘high’ after the ECT. John Z, who was catatonic when he had the treatment, went high and “off the scale” after his ECT treatment (see for more ‘How effective did people find ECT’). Sometimes this was short lived and left them feeling worse than before.
How long does it take to recover from ECT?
You can generally return to normal activities a few hours after the procedure. However, some people may be advised not to return to work, make important decisions, or drive until one to two weeks after the last ECT in a series, or for at least 24 hours after a single treatment during maintenance therapy.
Will ECT changed my personality?
ECT does not change a person’s personality, nor is it designed to treat those with just primary “personality disorders.” ECT can cause transient short-term memory — or new learning — impairment during a course of ECT, which fully reverses usually within one to four weeks after an acute course is stopped.
Can ECT change your personality?
What is the success rate of electroconvulsive therapy?
These sessions improve depression in 70 to 90 percent of patients, a response rate much higher than that of antidepressant drugs. Although ECT is effective, its benefits are short-lived.
Why shouldn’t ECT be used?
I don’t say ect shouldn’t be used. But people thinking of it should understand what can happen. The Information given about ECT side effects doesn’t go into details, they talk about memory problems. Actually it affects far more than that. It causes cognitive impairment. 10 years on I need 12 hours of home help a week to help me care for my 3 kids.
How do you get diagnosed with ECT?
If you have had ect or any other brain injury you can get it diagnosed by having tests that asess your ability to perform certain tasks. But those tests must be specific to what caused your brain damage. Head ways is a charity that supports people with brain injury.
How many ECT treatments can you have in a day?
A word of advice. Make sure you go to a facility that is set up for ECT and doesn’t do it as a “side” service. The facility I went to (Wesley Woods Geriatric Center – part of Emory Psychiatric) has an ECT suite set up just for ECT and is used solely for that purpose. They do approximately 20 to 30 treatments per day.
What are your ECT side effects?
The Information given about ECT side effects doesn’t go into details, they talk about memory problems. Actually it affects far more than that. It causes cognitive impairment. 10 years on I need 12 hours of home help a week to help me care for my 3 kids. I tire very easily and some days I am able and feel intelligent.