Yeah I was diagnosed depressed and they told me that I needed anti depressants. So they put me on prozac and effexor and buspar and all that crap that gave me mania real bad. This year I was finally diagnosed properly thank good ness

thank you so much!

Thank you everyone. I think I am going to be ok now that I have a better understanding of what is going on. I feel it is less scary now and I also believe there are ways to help prevent certain manic episodes from happening in the first place. Like I can sort of control it better since I am more educated. I have control over my anxiety attacks to the point, I can drink coffee and other caffeinated things with out having an attack. And if I do have an attack it is seldom, and very small and I do not freak out like i used to.

Thank you all for being so supportive to me and helpful. Thank you for sharing your stories with me and giving me information in which I really did need. I had no idea at one point of my life I went through delusions and some psychosis. And to go with out treatment and lose faith in medicine for years because of all the pain it has done to me. I have to tell you that it took a lot of guts for me to take that Lamictal with out worrying about it doing something strange to my body that may cause me to go nuts or scream bloody murder for no apparent reason. I was scared of having those break downs like I had last time. On zoloft and Ativan I got so panicky that I screamed for my mommy. I was 22. My step-father told me to Shut the H### up and grow up! That was so hurtful to me when he said that because I was so scared and he had no idea what it is like to feel what I was feeling. I was in so much pain that I could not cry. And my skin was turning yellow too. My mom saw my skin was yellow. That day forward I told myself Never take medicine again EVER!
I am glad I can trust medicine again. I feel there is hope again in my life.

Thank you all so much
Sharla

You are a very strong woman.
(((((((HUGS))))))
bizi

I really think this thread should have a trigger icon on it. But it's too late.

On the face of it, ECT does sound bizarre doesn’t it? Who would have ever thought that this was a sensible way to treat a mental disorder? But remember the advances that have been made in medicine. This is not One Flew over the Cuckoo Nest. Yes they make you have a seizure but it’s a controlled seizure and with the muscle relaxers they give you it’s like a twitch. And you’re sound asleep through the whole thing. Sure something’s going on because you hurt like heck the day of treatment but it’s all controlled.

Many doctors believe that severe depression is caused by problems with certain brain chemicals. My pdoc told me ECT causes the release of these chemicals and, probably more importantly, makes the chemicals more likely to work and so help recovery. It’s even been said that ECT can stimulate the growth of new blood vessels in certain areas of the brain.

Why would anyone want to have this treatment? It’s simple:

1. several medications have been tried but have not helped
2. the side-effects of antidepressants are too severe or you can’t take them like I can’t
3. your life is in danger because you are not eating or drinking enough
4. you are trying to kill yourself

It is used for people with severe illness who are very unwell and whose life may be in danger. As with any treatment, ECT can cause a number of side-effects. Some difficulties with memory are probably present in everyone receiving ECT. Yes my memory is not good and I have lost some skills but I’m alive.

Depression can for some people be very severe and life-threatening, with extreme withdrawal and reluctance, or inability to eat, drink or communicate properly. Occasionally people may also develop strange ideas (delusions) about themselves or others.

I’ve had ECTs twice and they’ve saved my life. Maybe it was the last resort but it’s gotten me through the rough patches.

Keep in mind that 15% of people with severe depression will kill themselves eventually, and doctors feel that ECT has saved patients' lives, and so that the overall benefits are greater than the risks. It’s not barbaric, inhumane or immoral and I’m not going to let this upset me because it saved my life and I'm not ashamed either.

Thank you for clarifying that. I thought that the ect mostly hurt you. I'm glad that it helped you. BF

I can put a trigger icon on the thread for you....

Thanks for letting me know. I do not quite understand the trigger icon is for. But I do not mean to make it sounds so horrible. It is just I am new to all of this and I never knew about it before and because I have never heard of it before my brain (which is sick btw) causes me to be afraid of this. And my brain right away thinks it is wrong and stuff. But like I said before I am totally new to all of this. I have never knew this existed. This is a whole new world for me.
So if I have offended anyone on this thread I hope you all forgive me.
But to hear you talk about how you have benefit from an ECT is now less frightening. It has saved your life so it can not be all that bad either. My mom gets cortizone shots in her back every few weeks. She hurts like hecks days after the shots. But then days after she is healed from the shots and the meds start working she feels way better! My mom was very afraid of the shots. Perhaps it is considered normal for someone like me to be afraid of a lot of things.

Sharla

Oh no! You have not offended anyone. You have not done anything wrong,and It's good to talk about these things. You should see some of the things that I've written. I've spilled the beans.LOL

That trigger is for anyone who is very sensitive at this time,or sensitive to certain content,to let them know that the content that they are reading is more then they might be able to handle right now.

You did nothing wrong. Keep posting Fevah. We love ya. BF

Bj, dear girlie,
I am so glad that the ect treatments saved your life.
Look at what amazing work you are doing....
this is hard work and you are worthy of this work.
You also get to decide how you live your life...
it is your body.
((((HUGS and love))))
bizi

Oh ok! Thank goodness. I will from now on pay better attention. LOL I am glad everything is ok

Sharla