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imported_n/a
07-11-03, 16:11
Hi its me again
I was also wondering if anybody had had ECT treatment..some say it can be very effective in stopping the fear/ panic cycle, and enable you by erasing shorterm memory, to forget the fear. I have only been ill for 3 months but am considering already. I know its usually a 'last resort' thing, but the last psychiatrist I saw said he would be prepared to give me a course. I think because my anxiety and fear have been relatively recent, maybe the loss of short term memory would erase tje initial fear that brought on the cycle?? Sounds scary, but I have talked to Nurses wh say it imuch more gentle than it used to be, the old images of ppeople jerking and convulsing,just doesn't happen. You have a mild twitching. Of course I am not a psychiatrist and would not advocate this for anyone else. Although I'm a psychiatric nurse I'm strictly speaking about my own situation, and was just hoping for some ideas?
Kind regards

Hayley x

twister
07-11-03, 16:48
Hi Hayley

I don't personally have any experience of ECT but we did look at it on my psychology degree I am doing. It was described to us a last resort for people who had severe depression and had tried EVERY drug and EVERY therapy to manage it. I know that nowadays people are given muscle relaxants so it's not as violent as in the past but it was still presented to us as something with potentially severe side effects, including as you mentioned loss of short term memory. I don't think (correct me if I am wrong) that it is designed to give you short term memory loss - this is a side effect which they see as negative. As far as I thought no-one actually knows why it is effective in treating depression. It also worries me that your psychiatrist is willing to try such a risky technique after only 3 months of illness

If you are considering such as drastic move as this have you not considered maybe trying anti-depressants and a course of CBT first. The anti-depressant Cipralex completely stopped my panic and fear when I took it last year and although there are side effects I believe them to be minor when compared to the potential loss of short term memory!

You'll find many people here with good advice to get over the panic/fear cycle without the use of any medication at all so please think long and hard before resorting to such drastic measures

Take care

Emily

nomorepanic
07-11-03, 19:37
Hayley

I agree with Emily - it sounds too soon to be trying such drastic treatment. I am sure Radar will add her comments when she sees the posts.

I would be worried about the memory loss - that would be terrible to get.

Please think about it further before you do anything.

Nicola

Meg
07-11-03, 20:30
Dear Hayley,

I completely concur with all the advice above.

ECT is usually only considered as a 4th line treatment...because of its limited success rate, the side effects and risks involved.
To even consider it for panic and anxiety after 3 months I feel IMHO is far too soon, bad practice and totally contrary to the NICE guidelines.

It's also used mainly for nonfunctionalpeople who have re-ocurring unipolar depression rather than anxiety. You say you're out taking children to school- you sound far too well to even be having the ECT conversation.

What medications have you been offered ? Most SSRI's can take up to 6-8 weeks to fully kick in.
What therapy have you been offered ? ie CBT or similar

You say 'the last psychiatrist you saw'. How many have you seen in 3 months and are they referrals from GP as opposed to people you work with ?

I guess the question is, what's been going on with you that may have had something to do with starting you off and what measures are you currently doing to help yourself through it ??

I know how hard it is to have worked in a speciality area and then become a patient there. What role have you been working in recently ?

Keep in touch and let us know how you are.



Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

benoo5
07-11-03, 20:40
hya hayley,
ime surprised to hear that a doctor has agreed to this agressive type of treatment,specially as you have had this problem just three months.
the thoughts behind ecg,are out of my area of medicine,so i will leave it to radar to explain...all i will say,is think very hard before you go down this road...best wishes...bryan.

imported_n/a
07-11-03, 22:12
I don't profess to be any kind of specialist, and ECT seems very drastic, but because I've seen, and looked after so many people with mental health problems, I believe a lot of their symptoms have been caused by their medication itself...I still believe we need to block out the part of our mind that initiates the fear..we could forget what happeneend initially and start afresh..I am presently taking 20mg of citalopram, mane' 3 x Librium max per day and zopiclone at night if I don't sleep..I also drink a bottle of wine per night, which I know is counterproductive, but its the only release I get with my husband and children..we have such a"perfect" life , if only people knew
how hard this is...I know it looks as though I need to wait..I think the more we suffer , the hard it is to recover?
Hayley

Hayley x

imported_n/a
07-11-03, 22:24
ECT sounds drastic, but I want to 'nip this in the bud'...I think I have enough experience to think I know what I need (probably i'm wrong)..Citalopram 20mg mane' Librium up to 8 a day!! i NEVER TAKE MORE THAN 3..trazodone at night plus 2 Silnocht (Zolpidem)
I just think that ECT Is better and more effective than any program or therapy, or medication

Hayley x

nomorepanic
07-11-03, 23:01
I don't take any medication Hayley - it made me feel worse :-(

I would look into it carefully before doing it - please !

Nicola

andrew
07-11-03, 23:13
hi hayley

come into the chatroom and talk to us if your still online

you might be judging ECT as more effective than medication, theraphy or programs but why not try the support of other people first.

wishing you well andrew

twister
07-11-03, 23:16
some websites to make you think....


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/1079436.stm

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/page.cfm?pagecode=TISTEC


http://www.cogs.sussex.ac.uk/lab/nlp/gazdar/teach/atc/1999/web/seans/

benoo5
08-11-03, 18:05
hya hayley,
ime so sorry,your feeling this bad...i wouldnt wish for any one to suffer,like you obviously are at the moment.
my line of work,is accident,and emergency...we are able to see what is wrong with the patient,and hopefully in time repair any damage.
with severe anxiety/depression,the symptoms,and treatment,are far more complex,and we rely on researchers,based around the world,to come up with the answers,many of whom,like me are not themselves sufferers.
you say that you have suffered for the last three months,who has prescribed four different drugs?,one of them on its own,has side effects enough to depress a heard of elephants.
electro convulsive therapy should be used only as a last resort,for those suffering long term,and who,in the eyes of a specialist,are a danger to themselves,and/or the general public.
here is a lay mans view of this procedure.......electrons are attached to the head via pads,and the current is turned on,thus violently shaking the patients brain around,hoping that when everything settles down,the part of the brain causing the problems,has been moved back to its correct position...ITS HIT AND MISS...ITS BEEN LIKENED TO DOING A DEFRAG ON YOUR PC.
hayley,you mention this ,likes its a quick fix,but ect is a course of treatments,and you may have to have up to ten or more procedures,with still,no guarantee of success.
i dont know where you live,but if its in the south,then please seek adsvice from a specialist hospital,such as the maudsely,in london.
i really do wish you well,but please,please dont go down this road...think again...bryan

imported_n/a
08-11-03, 18:27
Hi Bryan
Thankyou so much for your message, and yes you're right I'm looking for a quick fix..anxious perfectionists, who like to be in control, thats me! are very impatient, but am currenly doing not too bad on the Linden method..so I will be very careful in considering ECT, although I have actually heard some good reportson its effectiveness, particularly if the sufferer hassn' had their symptoms long..yime'll tell. Actually today has been one of my better days..I've been to do the weekly food shop and treated myself to a state of the art, instant print out all in one dig cam £500, but what the hell its only money

Love Hayley x

Hayley x

nomorepanic
08-11-03, 18:50
Hayley

I like your therapy - spending money - my kind of therapy too!!

Glad to hear that you are re-considering and thanks Bryan for the post.

Try and get in the chat room sometime Hayley.




Nicola

benoo5
08-11-03, 18:56
hayley,
thats the best news,ive heard all week,its good to treat ourselves,and it can be very therapeutic,just to say WOT THE HELL, sometimes.
i must say,i can be impatient sometimes,ime an aries,so were well known for it!
its good that the linden method is helping you,there must be something to it,as friends of mine in america where asking me about it a few weeks back.
keep up the good work...youve cheered me up..bryan.

Meg
08-11-03, 19:23
Oh that's right Hayley, I've heard of people going off to buy cameras before .....

Doesn't the Linden method heavily focus on getting people into a hobby and thus using this distraction method to free you from anxiety. Charles Linden found photography very inspirational and absorbing and was his way out and this is his main advocation.

I really hope it works for you. Anything to keep you off the ECT until you've had time to get another opinion and think extremely carefully.


Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

imported_n/a
09-11-03, 12:33
yes Charles Linden does advocate this, but I've always been into photography, and presently, having no real hobbies during the day, as I have a manager in to run the business, just thought i'd give it a try, but this thought only kicked in when I started to register what the Linden method was saying ..I'm on day four and feel more positive than I have in 3 months..I don't know how to work this blumming camera though?!
Thanks loads for?..well just for being there
Hayleyx

Hayley x

andrew
09-11-03, 13:23
hi hayley

its good to read that your feeling more positive.

hobbies and activities are important, they capture our attention and imagination and we all know anxiety thrives in idle time. i brought a camera earlier in the year (fortunatly it more or less works itself), not got into it that much but its got no dust on it. why not try something musical as well.

keep us posted, take care andrew

theresa
09-11-03, 20:09
quote:Originally posted by benoo5

hya hayley,
i dont know where you live,but if its in the south,then please seek adsvice from a specialist hospital,such as the maudsely,in london.
i really do wish you well,but please,please dont go down this road...think again...bryan


How could I go about getting advice from the Maudsely - I guess you have to be referred? not sure I could manage a trip to south london, but it might be worth investigating.


Theresa

benoo5
09-11-03, 20:31
hya theresa,
unfortunately you would need a referral,the maudsley is just one of many top hospitals around the country.
perhaps radar can tell you of one nearer your home,as she travels the country helping groups of sufferers.
best wishes...bryan.

nomorepanic
09-11-03, 21:30
My partner has recently got private medical insurance and I was hoping to be referred for some CBT but we read the notes and it will not treat exisiting conditions that you have had in the last 2 years. What a shame eh?

I guess it is hard to get a referral unless there is a real specific need and I doubt they will let you choose where to go anyway.

Nicola