|
Originally Posted by perl
 I don't really have much experience with ECT, but couldn't read and not respond. I know you and DP have been through so much - hopefully you will get all the information you need to make an informed choice. In my (very, very) limited knowledge of ECT, having seen some patients experience it, it CAN be very effective, esp for the depressive features of the illness. It seems like the psychiatrists that still perform ECT are by and large a very compassionate bunch who are still providing the treatment despite public backlash. That being said, it seems worthwhile to extensively interview these guys and even speak to the nurses that assist. I think they would give the information to you straight. I'm sure you know about the short-term memory loss. That's the main side effect IIRC. More problematic for some than for others. Hopefully someone else here will be able to give you some first-hand information. |
It has been really difficult to try and make this decision without being able to have information from people who have kind of seen the treatment in action, so to speak, so any information is helpful.|
Originally Posted by A&A
Shock therapy??????????
It did nothing for my brother except mess up his memory. |
|
Originally Posted by BellinghamCrunchie
It is my understanding that ECT is used for mood disorders (depression in particular that is resistant to other forms of treatment).
I cannot imagine that it would help schizoaffective disorder or any of the thought disorders, and would probably make them worse. |
|
Originally Posted by BellinghamCrunchie
Is it the affective component of schizoaffective disorder that is most problematic, or the thought disorder component? If its the affective component (mood) then although you've tried all kinds of meds, I think you should keep trying. That part is almost always treatable with meds; you just have to find the right meds. I know its scary and frustrating. ECT might help or it might make things worse.
If its the thought disorder component, well... occasionally some people reach a baseline and they just cannot be helped anymore, and have persistent delusions that are untreatable. The people I know like this aren't particularly distressed; they just make some very odd statements and do some very odd things now and then. Well, hourly. But they're still loveable and likeable, and can function kind of well. ECT won't help and would most likely make things worse in this case. |
|
Originally Posted by perl
Just wanted to give you guys a
I know this is hard. |
for some reason MDC won't let me quote more than one post right now. Strange 
|
Originally Posted by BellinghamCrunchie
It sounds like you have way more knowledge than I do regarding the use of ECT and schizoaffective disorder. I appreciated the links.
The only people I have known who have gone through ECT did it because of extremely resistant depression - depression complicated by personality disorder, which tends to be very challenging to treat because, in my layman's observation, it seems that the depression experienced by PDs is somehow organically different than the depression we think of when we think of mood disorders. Anyway. It sounds like you all and the doctor think this might be about the only choice left. Maybe she will respond well to it. Just one last question, not to second-guess you or her doctors or anything but just in case... it sure sounds like the affective component is very painful for her, and probably colors everything so you can't even get a clear picture of the thought disorder part of if. (Actually my experience is more with schizophrenia and schizoaffective - very little with paranoid schizophrenics because they tend to shy away from treatment). Has a medication specifically for mood stabilization (e.g. depakote, tegretol, etc) or depression been combined with an antipsychotic (abilify, geodon, seroquel, etc). Sometimes they prescribe something like zyprexa or seroquel, which can have a mood stabilizing affect but only for mania really and she doesn't sound manic so those meds would only count as antipsychotics not mood stabilizers in her case (hope that made sense). I'm sure you have probably tried this. But I have seen pretty good results when depakote is combined with an antipsychotic for schizoaffective, for example. Some elements of the thought disorder remain but its such a huge difference when a person is able to be calm and happy much of the time, even if they still have odd notions about their place in the world or why they are the way they are, or hear voices. |
:
|
Originally Posted by grass67hopper
Sussanah,
My heart goes out to you and your family! DF has Parkinsons disease and was treated with ECT for severe depression about 10 years ago. (His form of Parkinsons not only affects his motor-skills but seems to have a great psychiatric component). The first round was great! He really snapped back to his old self for a while (maybe 1yr+). Then he had to have another round and that had to be stopped because he could recall (word-for-word) what everyone had said while he was under anasthesia. This is probably a strange side-effect from the Parkinsons... While he was undergoing ECT, he stayed in a locked ward at a local hospital. Many of the patients seemed to respond quite well. About 2 years ago, DF decided that more meds (dopamine) helped him move better and be able to do more things. He overdosed himself and was acting like a paranoid scizophrenic. Just an FYI that many of the meds can have affects if they are not exactly right (whether it's the person taking them or the doc prescribing them). Hope you find some positive results soon! : |
|
Originally Posted by AnyMama
I've read some great things about ECT. It's so much more fine tuned now than "shock therapy". It can sometimes be miraculous for parkinsons and other tremor disorders. I guess I would see it as a last resort, and probably try other things first. And I would go to the best of the best. You are talking about disordered brain waves, though, so I think there's a good chance it can help if done perfectly.
Has the person in your life struggling with this been tested for Pyroluria? It's of course controversial, but in the Mood Cure, Julia Ross says that at least 40% of individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder have this. And the treatment is zinc and b-vitamins. It's very easy to test for as well, you can do it at home with a liquid zinc supplement. Your health food store would know which one, it's used to test for zinc deficiency. |
:
|
Originally Posted by AnyMama
Good luck, I do hope it's pyroluria, because that is so much easier to overcome that schizoaffective disorder, which is considered a life-long diagnosis, so once you have it, good luck getting rid of it!!
|
|
Originally Posted by DharmaDisciple
I had ECT recently.
I was diagnosed with psychotic depression and committed. I had 2 forced sessions a week for 6 weeks. It, along with medications certainly lifted my psychosis and depression, it is hard to say which helped the most. Due to being ill, I fought each treatment and 5 people pinned me down n the bed until they put the needle in my hand that sent me to sleep. They were all very caring people though I have to say. Minutes later I would be in the recovery room and often be very disorientated. This would wear off after a while, but my short term memory was wiped. I had people visit me in hospital and I cannot remember. I would often ask my sister to remind me of things when I came round. I hope you find something that works xxxxxx |
:
|
Originally Posted by DharmaDisciple
I had ECT recently.
I was diagnosed with psychotic depression and committed. I had 2 forced sessions a week for 6 weeks. Minutes later I would be in the recovery room and often be very disorientated. This would wear off after a while, but my short term memory was wiped. I had people visit me in hospital and I cannot remember. I would often ask my sister to remind me of things when I came round. I hope you find something that works xxxxxx |
|
Originally Posted by AnyMama
Just so you know, the short term memory loss could also be due to the psychosis. My DH doesn't remember some of his more severe psychotic moments. Hugs in any case.
|
Follow Mothering