Bipolar Disorder Support Group

where I work they do a lot of ECT.
First its NOTHING like its pictured in the old movies.You are anesthesized and dont feel a thing. The seizures created by ECT are much much less powerful than in years past.
It does generally have less side effects than medication.

on the plus side It can be extremely effective.

the negatives are;
Its always a risk to go under anesthesia even though its minimal.

It can trigger mania in some people

The main side effect is you may have short term memory loss but this almost always resolves pretty quick

bottom line it is a sfafe very effective treatment for some people.

Geriatrics with psychotic depressions get the best results

and there has been a lot of success treating Bipolar especially if someone is in a depressive phase

I am bp2 as well as a rapid cycler sometimes i feel aas if i will never find the right med for my illness i have been on everything.

I can tell you the ugly, but suggest if you want it, to keep it to a minimum ie/ 2 weeks max.

as for 'safe' I have lost maybe 7 years memory, and have ongoing memory problems. I have met many others who've incurred this damage.

British Medical journal The Lancet published article last year confirming that ect can cause ongoing memory deficit/cognitive problems. So keep it to a minimum.

Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge with me. I will think long and hard about it.

don't get me wrong, it totally helps some people. If it's ect or death, I'd give it a go xx