Thanks doing ok - been in for nearly 2 months now and looking into ECT possibly. Feeling very worn out with the regime that the doctor has taken in respect of the track of trying to find the right medication for me. He has tried so many different drugs it seems at different dosages in such short spaces of time that I feel at times very worn out and confused by it all - should I go with ECT or not so many different reports on the net say so many conflicting things - and I have tried so many different drugs and some of the doctors now seem to have possibly different opinions I have yet to have a meeting but that is what it appears to be at the moment without going into detail too much - I am in a bit of a quandry - There should be someone to guide you through this sort of stuff and the guy I have is so quick and hurried not taking enough time I don't think for reasurrance because I AM NOT REASSURED and he thinks I and quote from his secretary - WORRY TOO MUCH. What do you have to do to get through to these people

Boxer

Hi Boxer I confess I didn't catch up on this thread - yet - but i just saw your last post (above mine).

I was appalled... he said "worry too much" .... eh?????? this guy needs to be tossed in hx, fed miscellaneous drugs which sorta kinda help (do i have the right picture?), and then offered to have his brain zapped a few times here and there, just a little bit, in case that helps more. Then let's see WHO would WORRY TOO MUCH!!! What a dufus! I am grateful that sensitivity, empathy, character etc (or lack thereof) need not imply anything about medical-clinical competence. I.e. he may be a jerk and still know what he's doing. But STILL!

GRRRR (I'm sorry that made me so mad). I also wish you could have a second opinion though i know to little of your medical system to know whether that is possible.

i actually dropped in here, because i wanted to let you know i'm thinking of you, and wishing in your perpetual recovery to a happiness and health.

((( Boxer )))



~ waves ~ from across the channel

Dear Boxer,
Here is what I know about ECT.

My work friend Jeff went on short term disability leave in Jan 05 due to depression and anxiety/ bipolar. His pdoc recommended ECT

In Feb 05 I drove Jeff to a 1 hour consultation with a pdoc who does ECT.
The pdoc recommended that Jeff receive 3 treatments a week for 4 weeks (12 treatments) and possibly have one treatment a month for maintenance thereafter.

Potential side effects included memory loss and headache. The pdoc told Jeff that he would not be allowed to drive during the time of the treatments because he could lose his way home as some of his patients have done. The pdoc told Jeff that he had a much much (he cited statistics) better chance of getting over his depression with ECT than with any more med trials.

In the US, there are two or three different techniques that the pdocs use for this. When I asked the pdoc which one he would be using, he explained which one and why -- it is most effective but can produce the most side effects (memory loss and headache).

Update on Jeff: he had the 12 treatments but did not persue follow up. He felt marginally better but has no plans to return to work and sounds horribly depressed and anxious on the phone. His memory loss was only involved with the time of the treatments and is not a problem as he reports to me. He told me that the headaches were not an issue either. He did have difficulty initially when he was told to reduce his Klonopin dose before the treatments started.

One thing caught my attention during our consultation: a certain percentage (very low number) of people get headaches that cannot be relieved with time or medication.

I would want the pdoc to
--guarantee that ECT works
--guarantee no lasting side effects like headaches (although rare, apparently)


And I can see someone agreeing to this is they suffer greatly.

ECT is like our meds in that there is a trade off. We take bets that the gains will be worth the losses (side effects).


My uneducated opinion on my work friend's situation was that his regular pdoc was useless and too quick to recommend ECT.
I don't know what I think anymore. I'm sad about the situation. And you remind me that I should call Jeff soon.
Mari

Dear Boxer,
That "worry too much" comment from your pdoc caught my attention as it did Waves'.

I think if I were in a hospital and for nearly 2 months and totally reliant on a pdoc I might worry and ask questions too. This worrying is probably a good sign. It means that you are functioning well congnitively and that you are concerned with self-preservation. Sorry to state obvious. ...just trying to tell you not to stop worrying if you don't feel that you should....and remind you that you seem to be holding up very well.

I wish you had a patient guide/advocate of some sort. Can you request a meeting (extra meeting?) with a person we call a social worker here -- some one who helps coordinates your care?

If this will settle you a bit, my old pdoc changed meds very quickly with me. He was aggressive about dropping meds, and picking up meds, and giving me high doses. (I think he practices more conservatively now.) I am grateful for it.

After two months behind closed doors in a hospital anyone would start to feel disoriented too.....
You have strength. May that strength be your guide.

Mari