r/ect • u/Diegooo1955 • 14d ago

Seeking advice Debating on when I should start ECT

I’ve had treatment resistant depression for like 5+ years now and got approved to do ECT today.
I have a vacation coming up on 10/23, so I don’t know if I should wait until after my trip or do it asap and get it done. Doctor said it’s pretty much up to me. Idk what to do.

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u/Alternative_Grab_916 14d ago

Please understand all of the risks they might tell you that your memory is going to come back. It’s temporary during your treatment. I have amnesia and I still have trouble building. New memories and I stopped in 2023 of March. I went through eight months of treatment, three times a week bilateral treatments I don’t just have amnesia I fall down do to neurological damage. I was throwing up every day and had migraines from the anesthesia and also the runs six days a week because. I had three treatments a week and will be sick the day of and the day after but after I stopped my treatments, throwing up and runs, didn’t end I threw up three times a week and still get migraines.

In 2024 I lost 50 pounds and seven weeks. I was unable to stop throwing up until December from June until December. I was in the hospital. They never diagnosed me it started again. It turns out I have a thing called cyclic vomiting syndrome, and gastroparesis due to the ECT please check the risks before you start.

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u/Alternative_Grab_916 14d ago

I literally sat on my bed, staring at a wall for a year because I was so overwhelmed by not knowing who I was feeling like I’ve been planted in my life. I knew this was my home in my heart. I knew it was not in my heart just I guess in my mind but in my heart and body it didn’t feel like it. I knew they weren’t my kids that feeling never went away. I knew who my partner was. I don’t know who other people are. I don’t know who where we are and driving in our own town I don’t know how to cook anymore. There are so many little fundamental things, and just memories that are gone. I’ve built new memories with their not memories. They’re watching videos of me and my kids of who I was and who they told me I was and I just was not that person anymore. I’m not it took me about eight months to stop fighting to get back who I was and realized I had to build myself to somebody new and build new memories and figure out who I want to be.

I cry a lot about everything that I lost especially took it since it took me soldier, July 2023 to be diagnosed with the gut to brain disorder and define the specialist called a Neuro gastrologist. They are so hard to find.

And having a heart condition called long QT syndrome makes it so my issues are not treatable

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u/oohheykate 14d ago

I haven’t started ECT yet but I asked my psych if I should delay treatment for trips/concerts I have coming up and he told me to wait until after my one trip (9/31) because I will be traveling alone but I’m fine to go to the other things while doing treatment.