ECT

I thought I would include a page on ECT as this subject is often the cause of shock (pardon the pun) and controversy on bipolar forums. Perhaps an account of my real experience will dispel a few myths and help you weigh up the pros and cons.

I had 9 ECT treatments in 2006. All other medications and treatments had failed me. For months I was alternating between being suicidal and lying in bed virtually moribund. My life was intolerable, not just for me but even more so for my wife who had to care for me in that pathetic state. I could not continue like this. When my psychiatrist suggested ECT I readily agreed. 

I had the treatments almost as as an outpatient. I went into the psychiatric hospital the night before to be clerked in and fasted. I had my own single en-suite room. In the morning one of the nurses drove me down to the district general hospital where I was admitted to the day procedures unit just like other folks there who were having things like endoscopy and ingrown toenails removed. I was always taken in first. the nurses and anaesthetist could not have been kinder, reassuring and comforting me.

Unlike some old movie clips you may have seen, you are given a full general anaesthetic and are completely unconsciuos prior to the procedure. A muscle relaxant is given to prevent a full grand mal seizure. Before you know it you're wakening up, oblivious to what has happened and the nurses are giving you tea and toast. Later in the day I would return home (albeit a bit dazed and confused).

After about seven treatments my mood started to lift and I became more animated. Maybe it was conicidence, perhaps a placebo effect or maybe I just got better in spite of the treatments. Whatever the reason, I got better and this had been more effective than any of the medications I had taken. Unfortunately I had two problems with my ECTs...

i) Although I have no memory of the event, apparently I was very confused  when wakening up from my first treatment and aggressively challenged the staff, denying that I had consented to any such treatment. I was subsequently given Chlorpromazine as a pre-med for future treatments to keep me calm, which it did.

ii) My lower back was incredibly sore after my 9th treatment and the next day a large filling fell out my tooth. I had been given larger voltages for the last couple of ECTs and I don't think I was given adequate muscle relaxant. I presume I had a full blown grand mal seizure. I decided then not to proceed with any more, the shrink agreed and arranged physio for my back.

I also had marked short term memory loss around the times of the treatments but this is apparently fairly common and often transient. It's hard to tell as my memory has been crap since I first went mad.