ECT Final (30 Month) Update and On To TMS 

Does the memory come back or not?

Jessica tms didn't wrk fr me at all..now gng through ECT sessions..it was my first day..and suicidal thoughts are still pouring in

Hi Erin, I am so sorry to hear that things are not well. I will definitely keep you in my thoughts and I hope that it will work as well.

Very sorry to hear about your ordeal. Hope you're feeling better now

Thank you so much! Your kind words mean so much to me

Really sorry to hear about your ordeal. I hope you heal and find solace and comfort in trying times.

Thank you so much! That means so much to me!

Thank you Joy! I've heard of those too and I haven't really seen any studies or anything about how they work. It would be interesting to look into though.

Hi Caid, I have struggled with lack of motivation as well. The TMS has definitely helped me in that area so talk to your doctor about it for sure!

+Jenny's ECT Diary thanks for the reply, Jenny. And how is everything going for you, these days?

I've had extreme problems with depression and anxiety since 1972 .I'm finished and need the end to set me free .

Hey Jared! That is such a good question and I should have addressed that in the video. TMS was a 33 minute treatment and I had it very early in the morning so that it wouldn't interfere with work and other things during the day. The thing with ECT is I would have to go under and that would cause me to be out of it the entire rest of the day so I couldn't do anything. I'm so glad you asked me that and I think I'll mention it in my next video.

+Jenny's ECT Diary Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! I am SO glad that you are finding that TMS works for you. My research has showed me that TMS is not really an option for me at this point in time. It is important to note though that (based on my interpretation) it sounds like we suffer from different disorders. I'm guessing that you suffer from Unipolar Depression, while I suffer from Bipolar Depression. The experts seem to agree, taking into account what we know right now, TMS is not a viable option for those with Bipolar Disorder. So it looks like I am stuck with ECT for the time being. Fortunately, it has worked amazingly well for me. I'm just wondering now how long this mood stability will last...

+Jared Wilmer Hi Jared, I have been diagnosed manic depressive too and am beginning to consider ECT since medication alone isn't working for me, can I ask you if you have felt any pains from the treatment after the anesthetics worn out?

Vivianne Lok Hey Vivianne. I will try to give you my most honest answer. Obviously experiences will vary but here is my experience: I received a total of 13 treatments. 8 Acute treatments and 5 C-ECT treatments. (I can fill you in on the difference if you don't know) Most times when I woke up after the treatment I was groggy and disoriented, but that eventually wore off. I didn't experience any pain immediately after the treatment. However I did experience an extreme amount of tension in my upper back, neck, jaw and face. I also had headaches. I experienced memory loss during the first 8 treatments (those memories don't usually come back) but not during the next 5 that were much more spaced out. Another strange side effect I experienced was olfactory hallucinations (mystery smells) that "smelled" awful. I also had a very frequent sense of "deja vu". It was an odd feeling. I think the worst part of the whole experience was the anxiety and panic attacks that I would get before a treatment. The anxiety would usually start 24-48 hours beforehand and then intensify up the moment that they put me under. The most important take away is that ECT saved my life. That being said, you should understand that, as with any serious medical procedure, it is not a pleasant experience. Although it may most likely stop an acute manic or depressive episode (and it will feel great to feel normal again) there are usually considerable side effects that will take some time to "get over". These side effects almost always go away with time however. For me it took over a month to really see the side effects go away. I hope that helps. If you ever have any questions about ECT or my experiences do not hesitate to ask me. (I've done a large amount of research on the topic)

+Jared Wilmer Thank you so much for your detailed answer! I think that's very friendly of you. I just googled C-ECT but couldn't find any detailed or clear explanation on what it is, other than it being a continuing therapy method. Could you tell me what it is and if you felt any difference from it? (I'm curious about whether it really prevents a new episode). And just to make sure, is the muscle stiffness that you felt included in the post side effect that you experienced? Or did your muscles only bother you for a short period of time after having a session. I unfortunately myself suffer from hallucinations including the olfactory ones from time to time due to my condition alone so I don't think that would bother me much... but the muscle stiffness seems like something I would not be able to cope with for such a long time because it seems like a symptom I would most likely be very sensitive to with me already suffering from tension headaches caused by my neck and head position straining the muscles on their own. :-(

Hi Rosseane, I'm so sorry to hear that things are not well. Have you had a chance to talk to your doctor about what type of treatment you should pursue?

Rosie Tosie Hey Rosie i think you are so sexy i also have those same thoughts you have and want to know you BETTER lol hmu

+Melissa Latimer you are so sweet! Thank you so so much!

Thank you so much for your kind words. Have you been able to research TMS and/or talk to your doctor about it?

Thank you so much!

Hi Ruben, yes I take three different medications. Abilify, Welbutron, and Lamictal

Insurance (if you are blessed to have it) is starting to cover tms.medicaid in some states, even.

I'll pay anybody one dollar to kill me and dump my body in a landfill.

@@paniclife621 are you ok? I said a prayer for you

Actually, if a person has had TWO "adequate" trials of 6 weeks of antidepressants that "failed" to "work", he/she can be labelled "treatment resistant" and deemed a candidate for ECT. A poor pregnant woman will be given ECT bc "drugs" might harm her baby! An elderly person with drug intolerance could be given ECT. None of these people should be "treated" with "brain injury". No one needs to be left "handicapped" and missing chunks of their life, with their identity and intelligence mangled. ECT needs to be banned. It has been documented to be no better than "sham ECT"- look, no brain damage- and studies prove its use "cannot be scientifically justified". If it is not banned, the "consent" form should list brain damage and the other REAL risks in giant capital letters so people know they can become vegetables who are more likely to kill themselves....

+Truth Needed You should look up Dr. Peter Breggin. He has a channel here on RU-vid. I found him very validating to my struggle with dealing with very treatment resistant depression. Sometimes I think the drugs given to me did more harm than good. I was not a candidate for ECT due to my subtype of depression (atypical depression). But a doctor that I found much less compassionate said they should have given me ECT anyway, showing that there is a belief that treatment resistant patients should be punished for not improving, even in modern times. I worry that other patients struggling meet those kind of doctors. At this point our depression is so painful we have considered/attempted suicide many times, so some brain damage doesn't sound as bad as living in that misery and hopelessness. ECT is one of the treatments of last resort. But yes, lesions, cell death, need to be considered, and a good compassionate doctor will weigh the benefits and risks with the patient.

+Jessica Hill TMS has not shown to damage the brain like ECT, but I am still skeptical of it because it is shooting powerful (MRI strength) magnetic energy through your brain. Long term studies are also hard to find. Most of the TMS "experts" are also the ones selling the TMS machine, so that makes me very wary. A 6 week treatment of TMS can cost well over $10,000, so we know they're raking in the money.

Truth Needed: Where are you getting your information from? ECTs can, indeed, help people who have depression, including people like my wife who have been through nearly 10 medications for depression over the course of decades, and this despite the fact she has steadily attended psychotherapy since she was a teenager. The consent forms, indeed, lists the risks of ECTs, including death. And these consent forms need to be signed by patients in the presence of an ECT doctor every 30 days. You would do well to do the appropriate research on a topic before you go spouting off your falsehoods regarding said topic.

Truth Needed glad you said this! I was almost given this ECT shit and I’m so glad I avoided it! I watch Peter Breggin and I am incredibly grateful for him.