ECT experiences?

[FFSOMG]

Has anyone got any recent experiences of ECT? I’m due to have my first session in an hour and nervous. I’ve been in hospital for 3 months now.

Just me then had one session already. Having two a week for six weeks.

How did it go, FFSOMG?

I'm afraid I have no experience of it, though my DH may need to have it in the future. I can imagine it is a daunting prospect, but perhaps hopeful too? Did they treat you well?

A friend of mine had this last year. They found it really helped.

I’ve only had one session so far, I was very disoriented and the memory loss was quite bad for some time after. But I did feel emotionally clearer headed and people have commented since that I’m looking and sounding brighter. My next session is Thursday, then it’s twicw a week after that, for a total of 12 sessions.

I could have had ect but I was at that time working towards my phd and really scared I would forget what I was researching. But maybe it would have been a good idea because I never really have found meds that cure me. I also kept being unwell for some years afterwards. This was abroad. I don't think I would have been offered ect here in uk as I wasn't inpatient.

Just curious as I don’t know your mh history, but I’ve suffered on/ off
Anxiety leading to depression since I’ve been 23 now 61.

Why was it offered?

I’ve been inpatient in a psychiatric unit for three months on a section the whole time, for depression and suicidal thoughts and urges.

I was offered because I had very intense anxiety/depression/restlessness 24/7 to which nothing worked. Diazepam etc did nothing.

A member of my family had ECT for dreadful depression. Antidepressants just didn't work for her, they made her feel really ill. ECT worked for her, although she hated having it.

My husband just informed me it was like I was drunk when I came round from the anaesthetic, I was very weepy and incoherent. The thought of being like that for six weeks is a bit scary, especially as I was hoping to maybe do a lot of the later stages of ECT as a day patient.

So do those feeling wear off thoughtout the day?
So do you know him? And where you are etc?
How long is each session?

Sorry for all the questions,

I've had a lot of ECT as it dragged me out of a place when drugs couldn't. I was always very woozy when I came round from the general, my head would itch from the salt water & I would get back to bed & sleep for hours. But for me, I was lucky & it worked & fast.
On the low side my memory isn't what it was however as I ended up in an induced coma due to lithium encephalitis about 3 years before I even tried ECT, it wasn't that great any more tbh.
I found that what helped was following the treatment, I tried to use my brain as much as possible. I've been fortunate in that my parents are retired & both would spend hours doing simple crosswords with me & also using my short term memory. It was like a filing cabinet - they would prompt me about what Id been doing the day before so I'd be rummaging around looking for memories & I'd find them.
ECT isn't for everyone, some can react badly, but if it works then it can be life changing.

ECT saved my life. I had a course in 1995, and again in 2007. I was in a place where the medication couldn't reach. It kept me safe and gave me an air pocket in order for the meds to start working. Please feel free to pm x

Granada it’s a bit like being very drunk. I remember after the treatment crying that I wanted my husband so I rang him and he came and stayed with me. I have my next session tomorrow morning so will update then. The actual treatment is about 5-10 minutes so the whole experience is about half an hour.

Apocalyptic- that’s a good description