ECT #3
I got back yesterday from ECT #3. Bunch of errands and a walrus (PDoc) visit. Bit tired when I got home and that is is because of the lack of sleep the night before.
These treatments are conducted in a hospital and you are completely asleep. No pain outside of the prick of the IV line. Total treatment time ins about 10 minutes and it take about 30 mins to fully wake up from the anesthesia.
Tomorrow when I go in for treatment four, I will try and get a pix of me fully wired up to show what it looks like. Seriously, very easy procedure.
Replies
hope you feel better and again sorry for joking before. it slipped.
I had a misfire hah...normally I don't say inappropriate things.
Thanks for explaining the process- it's easy to imagine the olden days- painless is much better- I hope you feel better after your treatments - it's kind of rewiring the brain I guess- hugs
Thor, think polar is on target. You will still be you, but some rewiring will occur. Hoping for the best of outcomes. Healing hugs.
Actually "rewiring" implies to many that you won't be you....it's more like reactivating parts of the brain that have become resistant to the medication and treatments for BiPolar. Having been through this process for a extended period of time, I didn't come out the other side feeling as if my brain had been re-wired. I was still me, with some very minor changes...after 36 ECT treatments there were bound to be a few. But my BiPolar had become completely Medication Reactive again....and I got my life back.
And the minor cognitive and memory changes I did go through I've been able to do "brain/memory" work to get back almost 100%...it's a matter of what your willing to do to overcome what little you lose for the possible large gain.
OlderCPer, thanks for your very knowledgeable and informative reply. I know on sites here folks have had it recommended, but were fearful as they were not given clear information, and certainly not by anyone who had experienced it personally. Great reply.
Thanks kat for your personal experience share- I was on the ward with others who had ECT but I have no personal experience - reactivating does sound better then rewiring - getting better is what counts- hugs
Big hug Thor.... I'm glad that it's going well..... xo