Any adult experience with deep depression and EST ?

DDD

Well-Known Member
I think EST is electro schock therapy. My friends husband is unable to go to work, has lost way too many pounds, sleeps excessively, rarely will go outside, has lost all interest in his two hobbies etc. Yes, he is seeing a psychiatrist and did, in fact, change from his first psychiatrist hoping it would be better.

On the internet it indicates that EST is around 70% successful. I have an antiquated concept from old movies so it scares me. Just wondering if there is any first hand knowledge in the family. There does not seem to be any identifiable trigger (in my ignorance I thought "maybe" a specific trauma might have brought it about). Anybody have any input? DDD
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
I'd be asking a bunch of other questions first...
Not sure how old this fellow is, but...
Has he had a full medical work-up? are they sure it's really depression and not... thyroid, or testosterone, or other hormonal/chemical issues at work?
Have they tried AD medications?
 

buddy

New Member
A dear friend used it several times, loss of some memory was frustrating because its not like forgetting totally but rather it's on the tip of your tongue kind of thing she said.
It saved her though. She finally went into a research program, thru Chicago somewhere and got a deep brain stimulation unit with a pace maker like unit connected under her skin....much like the vaso-stimulant units for seizures and Parkinson's.
This has changed her life. She has had no more relapse and also fully functions as a lead teacher. It's amazing.

Any the est held her over sometimes when nothing else works.
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
No personal experience (that's really interesting, Buddy). I'm with Insane ... keep up the testing, if you can get him out of bed, and use est as a very last resort. It does cause memory loss, and it's usually short term and temporary, but I wouldn't want to risk it unless there are no other options available.
Is his employer waiting for him to come back? Or did he just quit altogether?
I'm so sorry. {{hugs}}
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I would use it for myself if I had another relapse. It's a lot different than it used to be and I'd rather have a temporary short-term memory problem than deep depression any day of the week. Deep depression is like a living death. I can't think of anything that feels as bad as dark black clinical depression. I used to think, "It's like a broken leg that won't heal." And sometimes medications just can't do the trick or can only help somewhat. Hypo-mania is FUN, but depression...it is hard to open your eyes. It is hard to concentrate or to eat or to sleep or to enjoy ANYTHING, if it is very bad depression. Depression upsets the body rhythms...this is soemthing a lot of people don't know.
When I went to my last psychiatrist, I had gone there to beg for EST because I had felt so horrible for so long and none of the medications worked more than 50% and 50% depressed is pretty bad. He gave me Paroxatene, the only medication that has ever helped me close to 100% and I have tried a lot. If it ever stopped working, I would not want to do the medications mobile again. Their side effects are also very horrible.
I don't think it should ever be ruled out for a person who does not respond to anything else. I think these days most psychiatrists take medical tests to make sure the depression isn't caused by anything physical...I know they did this for me and it was some thirty years ago.
EST has a higher success rate than antidepressants.
 

flutterby

Fly away!
When I was hospitalized 11 years ago with severe depression and medications weren't helping, I was begging for it. My insurance wouldn't pay for it. Then, at least, it was done inpatient over several days.
 

cubsgirl

Well-Known Member
I went through a rigorous course of ECT in 2009 and 2010 - for me it works like a charm....but it's different for everyone. I now have it every six months as a "maintenance" of sorts. I recommend it if all other options (including a full medical workup) have been exhausted.
 

1905

Well-Known Member
My parents have friends whose daughter was so deeply depressed, she couldn't work or have any sort of life for herself despite being well educated. She is a new woman and enjoys her life after having this done. She said it didn't hurt. I don't know anything more than that, I don't know if you have to keep doing it or what. I think your friend should think about quality of life and maybe talk to people who have had it done.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
All the physical tests have been done and medications for almost half a year. There is no hidden physical cause evidently. They are educated and sophisticated people. I feel better reading about your experiences. Obviously I am not the decision maker and I sure am glad about that. Ultimately, I assume, the decision will be her husbands to make. It makes me sad. DDD
 
This post couldn't have come at a better time for me. My 43 yr old brother, had his first treatment last Friday. I was sooooooo freaked out about it, but have done some research, and feel much better about it now.

He has been depressed, and addicted for 20 yrs. He has tried every drug on the market, and nothing has ever helped for very long. He feels this is his last shot at ever climbing out of the dark hole he has been living in for all these years. Cubsgirl, your first hand experience has given me hope. Thanks ladies for this post.

Blessings to All.
 
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