ECT 3 Month Update 

So happy for you... starting soon....disabled veteran...you make me feel good about hope.

Thanks, always inspiring to hear a patient with great results

Thank you for sharing your story. So brave and inspiring. Love from the UK

Your bravery is inspiring!

Hi Jenny, I just wanted to say you look great!!! I find your videos very helpful as I to suffer from severe depression. Take care!!!

This treatment is definitely better than the variety of medications out there for depression.

you're amazing! so happy to hear you're doing so well, you deserve it!! x

Thank you so much for sharing your experience... videos like yours gave me and my wife a better understanding of what this option is. This was all new territory for me just a few weeks ago. My wife has responded well to ECT since the second treatment. She is out of the dark place she was after she tried the unthinkable. I understand from your video it will continue to be a journey. I would love for people to have easier access to healthcare they need and deserve. Wish you the best to you always!

A decade later, I honestly felt happy hearing you talking about how sincerely you felt better. It did not happen to me when I had ECT, but I know I'm part of the 20% that doesn't respond like expected. Much love

And this video further made my night. So glad to hear that it's going well. I'm still considering pursuing ECT and this update has given me a little push towards it again. You are helping give us hope through better understanding of the ECT process. Thank you.

Thanks so much for sharing your story. I'm about to start my own course of treatment, and your posts really helped to assuage my fears.

Happy for you.

Well, I am studing psychology now, which may be connected with my idea of knowing how things in my brain are working in order to have ... well what you did have i guess. Now i have in my current lesson ECT mentioned and i have decided to check it up. However, what i wanted to say was that comparing to your first and second video you look much better. I guess you have noticed that but still, it is good to be heard from someone else. I wish you good luck, have lots of days !

Hi jenny, firstly thank you for doing these videos and I'm so glad to see that ECT worked for you and i hope your wellness is sustained and continued! I have been suicidaly depressed for 3 years after going into SSRI withdrawal when a hospital forgot my meds when i got food poisoning.. they didn't try to treat my depression properly till a year later, as a result it had time to root itself in and become severe.. my mum cares for me.. i can't wash, can't make food, i can't can't go out and at times can't communicate.. many medications and combos later i am at the point here in england where they will consider ECT.. looks like beginning february i will be having it as i think 3 years is long enough of this pain. Prior to this i was a college lecturer, its hard to explain to people that you just want wellness back, the ability to wash, dress, go for a coffee, have a job, not be in agony and want to do things! im rambling sorry.. i can't remember if you said much about it but i want to know, where you scared? or did it just feel like the right thing to do? i have bad anxiety also so as you can imagine.. I'm terrified of how I'm going to wake up! your videos have been a source of some comfort, you coped admirably. xhannahx

I'm so glad you did an update video! Right now, I'm waiting on insurance approval for ECT treatments. It's so frustrating having to wait because I want to feel better so badly. I've already had a suicide attempt and I don't want another. Your videos really give me hope. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!!!

thank you so, so much for this video. i smiled often, and the information is so valuable. i applaud you for this. -Matt

Thank you for posting all of these... i feel like I’m at the end of my rope... i stumbled on ECT and I’m thinking about trying it

In my prayers. Peace.

To me the memory loss would totally be worth it, a definite downside, but my memories will do me no good if I'm dead... Thank you for the video, so hopeful to try this.

You are saving lives ❤

I'm on the ECT waitlist and I've been doing a lot of um . .waiting . . Lol so it really helps to hear what you have to say about it. I'm also a runner and am hoping that this therapy doesn't set me back too far.

Truly phenomenal! Very moving and inspiring from start to finish! (from the first video, i mean) I'm considering the same thing, as well as my best friend. We both struggle with depression, lot of which end up into suicidal thoughts & attempts. After doing some research and watching your diary, I feel pretty confident about trying ECT. I'm currently 18 years old and a senior in high school. My friend is 19 and recently graduated. My only issue with this is I quit my medications cold turkey to enlist into the military. I've been off my medication for a year and have had my fair share of ups and down. I don't leave for Basic Training until June 30th 2014, but i feel like my situation has worsen tremendously. I fear I won't last long enough for that day to arrive. I'm truly lost because of a few reason: 1.) I don't want to jeopardize my career due to my mental health. 2.) I'm not sure if my insurance will cover for this. 3.) I don't know if i'll be able to experience the full effect of the treatment due to the short period of time available. I don't know what to do :( I'm gonna suggest this to the medical professionals I've been seeing. Hopefully they'll be able to give me an idea of what to do.

I don’t struggle with depression but a certain medication that I’m on is very much so a struggle so ect helps and what you said about trying that one medication and then backing away from it actually everything you said was inspiring to hear so thank you.

Gracias. Good luck and best wishes for your marriage , and hope the improvementes continue for ling time.

you're sweet you deserve to be happy!

wow i can really tell a difference in your facial affect..you look much more alert and intereted - congrats!

I really like your videos because you explain everything and give us a different perspective on things. Which is fantastic. Usually we use "depression" quite freely without knowing how intense and deep this word means. To which I apology. So, thanks. I do appreciate your videos. They give me a new perspective on life. My ignorance is diminished . And I sincerely thank you. I'm glad you are ok. Great! You have my total gratitude. And a friend as well.

Watching your video again after several years. I will be going in for ECT treatments, and your experience and insights are very helpful and hopeful for me and others. Thank you so much! How are you doing now?

Hi honey ...I'm glad you are getting better ...it is life saving and you did it...

hello Jenny Thank you for telling us your experience about ECT through your diary. I think your testimony will be important for all those who find themselves in the same situation of health. I think it would be important to see a video of the ECT treatment you receive. I think that would be the right completion of your story and would better understand the treatment to which you submit .

You inspire me as I am considering this x

Thank you for sharing your story, it gives us hope!

Thank you for sharing. You are beautiful and so precious.

Thank you again Jenny for the video. I still come back and watch your sharing from time to time. My ECT went well (except for the memory loss). Hope everything goes well!!

I'm inspired ❤

Thank you for making these videos, it really helps to know that I'm not alone on this. For the past 3-4 years I've been feeling very depressed, I'm always thinking about the bad things that happen in my life and like you said, every once in a while I get motivated to start doing something significant it just goes away the next day. I've wanted to go to a psychiatrist for a long time but my family has been having economic problems the past few years (they don't know about how I feel because I'm always trying to hide it), I hope I can have a continuos therapy session soon.

Youre a champ!

I just spoke to my psychiatrist about trying ect but and so scared. I just want to smile again

I’m starting therapy in February. Your confidence inspires and encourage me. Looking forward to feeling better.

Thank you for sharing so honestly. I am trying to help a family member with med management that just is not working. Maybe ECT is an option. Please let us know if the memory loss gets better.

Temporarily impacts cognition like the processing of signs, colors or shapes ie pattern recognition; not short or long term memory. Ive had it and was cared for by a wonderful team of Pinoy nurses ie Maggie and Rose at Good Samaritan Hospital Downers Grove IL.

Hi. I do ECT for major depression. Have been doing it now for years. Keep fighting the fight. I still have my bad days. I hope your goods outnumber your bads.

Dear Jenny, I need your help. I'm going to be undergoing ect in the near future & I'm really unsure & scared. I've watched all of your videos and wondered how your feelings now that the excitement of your wedding is behind you. Would you please make a new up to date video and let us know ! It would mean the world to me. Congratulations, hope your day was beautiful like you are sharing your story.

I lost months of my life and I don't know if the memories that have come back are real or not...but I stopped stabbing myself in the stomach so...that's something. The thing that keeps me depressed is the fact that low income people suffering from depression do not have access to ECT or new meds like Abilify. You are a brave young woman.

im so glad you seem to be doing so well now. im scared to be honest because i need to have this done and being a single dad of 3 really worries me . the what ifs? how are you doing today jenny?

You're cute! Best of luck!

Hey Jenny, i have another question. do you which type of electrical current they used with you? I believe there are 2 types of current being used for ECT today. Brief Pulse and Ultra Brief Pulse. Ultra Brief Pulse is the newest vesion of ECT and its the version theyre using on me. it has been very mild in terms of the memory loss side effect, but ive had 3 treatments now and havent noticed any benefits yet either. so im just curious about which version of ECT was used for you?

Do you wake up from your body spasming? Does one of your hands spasm / twitch

Thank you for this. We are waiting for insurance approval right now for our 24 year old son. We are a little concerned because of all of the negative reviews of ECT but feel that this is one of our last choices right now. Thank you!

Thank you for sharing. My brother starts his ECT treatments this week. He is delusional and paranoid. We are hopeful.

What about transcranial magnetic stimulation? TMS? Sorry for what you are going thru.

when you do the next treatment ECT ?

My sin suffered from CATATONIC state had to have ECT to pull him out of this MEMORY LOSS apparent but my son lived on his own for years now i had to move all his stuff back home with me this is horrible for him

You are gorgeous!!!

Hi Jenny, I'm so relieved you posted an update as I was fearing the worst had happened to you not having done an update for so long. I'm currently waiting to see a psychiatrist to hopefully get approval for ECT but that probably won't be happening until next year because of our shitty system here. I wanted to ask did the depression and anxiety alter your sense of smell and taste at all? I think my depression and anxiety has altered mine because I seem over-sensitive to bad smells and I think I also misperceive smells that other people find pleasant as foul odours. Anyhow I wish you all the best, fingers crossed you stay as good as you are now.

I don't know if getting my memory back is necessarily a good thing, because then I'd also remember all the depression and events involved with it. I'd like to be able to cancel out stuff permanently. Like deleting my hard drive, or a lot of it.

Abilify = anxiety for me. However did speed me up

I did 6 bilateral ECT for six treatments. That's all I did I finished 6 weeks ago and my memory is just getting worse. I have lost whole people! My husband and bestfriend have to fill me in on my my life. My depression has gotten worse because I my memory is just so bad! I hope for best for you ❤

I wanna get ECT for real

I'd like to forget 90% of all my memories permanently

do you have treatment-resistant depression or bipolar depression

Dude! My place started with and only did bi-temporal! And it was AWFUL. I can't believe they didn't tell me that they should start off with unitemporal

Thanks for your video.Ive just started ect (2 sessions) and feel slightly better.I was just wondering if you continued with your regular medication since having success with ect? Thanks and all the best!

can ect erease all my memory or can forget my allfrends ???

If these are 2k per treatment, how did you pay for this?

How are u now plz reply

I'm Alain ,the way.

is ect painfull

I have been considering it, but I don't know if im depressed or its just my borderline personality disorder. I have gotten super painfully depressed after taking mdma and a maoi together in a weird reckless I don't care if I die attempt I was actually happy at the time, I did this 3 times over 2 weeks somehow I didn't die or have adverse effects however last time I became soo depressed I tried to kill myself but now I think I've suddenly improved within days. I think I just damaged my serotonin receptors and they reset now.

I hope you see this message, I want to know if you have had your memory problem solved as it has been years already?? Please let me know as my brother is deciding to go through this

How are you now

Like like like like!!!!!!!!!! im a med student who r learning bout mental disorder block. ur testimonies r really2 good in understanding ECT

Hey just wanted to say your super pretty! Im doing ECT out here in boulder colorado . Im waiting right now to go in. I think im on my 7th treatment? I hate not being able to eat before it lol im hungry . I usually wake up n im like ok doc lets do this n he says your already done hah .

When U do the ECT for the first time do u remember the location of ur home ?It is compulsory to bring some body with u or no during the session? I hope u reply 2 me as soon as u can because I have a session and I don't have any body 2 go with me?

Can you help me to my depression nothings to effect its worst to meds can ect works for me please help me

Hello there. just watched your video on ECT . I have been reff by my doc for ect treatment and I'm kinda freaked out . I'm 36 male and have been severely depressed for over 2 years . been on 12 antidepressants and they all made me way worst . horible side effects I tryed diet and praying to god every day . I was wonder how long u were depressed for ?? and can u tell me what happens when u get the treatment ... are you put out ? does it hurt ?? Thanks

I know this is ancient but thank you

Your story confirms what ECT does. It deletes memory. After a few sessions the memory loss includes some of the things that you were worried about. If these things were not important its not too bad, but sadly many very important things, essential things are also forgotten. Eventually huge swathes of memory are lost and cognitive function too. Life destroying memory and abilities lost forever. Inability to remember how to get anywhere in your own city/town. This is not admitted by the psychiatrists, and it makes normal life impossible.

I'm horrified by my treatment... I was on Section 3 so I didn't sign or consent to it... I wanted it stopped after 5 or 6 treatments; I felt absolutely fine I said to them "I'm happy enough now I don't need it anymore", & I did feel SO much better, but no one listened. I ended up having 9, I saw the last 3 as Torture & Punishment, due to my mental health issues & anxiety. No one would listen to my cries for help. They forced me down on the bed while I was crying, on more than 1 occassion, They didn't anaesthetise me properly because I have sudden jolts and convultions of my body, - very randomely, that have been happening for years... (3 years after I had the course of treatments) ... I am traumatised. I without a doubt have brain damage, for a long time I had pain on the right side of my head, and I have promenant pressure on both sides of my head, that has never left me. My brain has been fried, and I have substantial, terrible memory loss. All I can remember is the complete trauma they all put me through & the ignorance of the Dr and the ECT anaesthetists. :( I know they didn't anaesthetise me properly coz I remember them pushing me onto the bed and holding me down while I was crying saying I don't want it, and the sudden seizures/jolts of my body that I get are proof that I have brain damage. I'm so traumatised from my experience and permenantly mentally & pysically damaged! I am more vulnerable now than I was before, and lost all my dreams to become a singer, or motivation to do anything in life! I've lost my personality and my spark, and A LOT of my fighting spirit! I've lost the real me from ECT. I just couldn't be myself in the hospital that I was in, (Mother & baby Unit) and my depression was circumstantial!, - linked to things that had happened to me, yes coming off medication, but mainly (having my baby took away from me 2 days after having her/post natal depression & long distance relationship, & being locked in the hospital!!! rather than random or ongoing with the Need for ECT. I've tried to sue but with no luck. I've not been in the right place to do it, & my parents are and were on the doctors side. I'm vulnerable & have had no one to help me with persuing a legal case and sueing... I might try again. All I know it that, regardless of being on Section 3, i'm pretty sure that I didn't sign or consent to it!, wasn't given All the information, wasn't listened to when I expressed feeling better and being happy, and wasn't anaesthetised properly towards the end with constant random convultions of my body and a frozen feeling and permenant pressure on my head, with memory loss. My brain basically feels 'dumbed down' !! God knows how many brain cells those last 3 treatments killed. :( #Damaged 🙏

Also everyone going on about psilocybin I literally did a garbage bag of shrooms over 2 weeks and didn't help my depression other then being totally okay with death and dying, it was like sucide acceptance lool yet to try ket

It's too dark--can't see you...

I wish I had the energy to get that dressed up when I am depressed. :-/

Law suits taking place around ECT. see ectjustice.

even with medication you forget stuff :( it sucks i become dumb in school :(

If the memories come back then surely the depression will come back to? especially since depression has been linked to maladaptive memories?

Plz reply

I had ten etc decided to stop

You are nice, I love you, it is brutal hard destruction, ECT I mean... You should stop that hell!

Consider the wonderful work of Dr Breggin ,, and alternative treatments that are wholist ,love and caring therapy,, Know Jesus love you and God: s protection.

I hope you stopped the ECT and are a bit better.

Cutie ;p

These kinds of invasive therapies for depression are masking problems with society and shouldn't be casualized.

There is nit enough evidence that this actually works..its hit and miss..The negatives far way out the positives..So now you like somepne with Alzheimer's and your so young..ive suffered depression all my life but its not worth adding more problems...

I have seen people completely healed of this by just seeking God through fervent prayer and fasting. No doctor required. :)