Experiences with Geriatric ECT

Posted by ice @ice, Sep 15, 2019

I have major chronic depression (first episode at age 14). I'm 65. My last episode was 2 months ago. The depression appears seems to have become medication resistant. Has anyone had experiences with ECT?

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Jake | @jakedduck1 | Sep 16, 2019

In reply to @georgette12 "Oh that's true . ECT treatments have changed My treatments were done in 2015. I did..." + (show)

@georgette
Did the ECT treatment cure you?
Jake

mandrake70 | @mandrake70 | Sep 17, 2019

I had ECT a few years ago and I often wonder if they are part of the cause for my memory issues. I don't know about other people but ECT didn't help my depression at all. I ended up going for ketamine treatments and that helped more than anything else has.

Brightwings AKA Cute Susie | @brightwings | Sep 17, 2019

Oh yes, I relate to memory issues.

kimspr3 | @kimspr3 | Sep 17, 2019

In reply to @ice "I have received treatment for over 20 years. Variety of meds and therapies: the list is..." + (show)

ice, Kim I replied to you but there was a problem. If you have a chance could you please let me know if your received my response.

ice | @ice | Sep 17, 2019

In reply to @kimspr3 "ice, Kim I replied to you but there was a problem. If you have a chance..." + (show)

Did not receive.

kimspr3 | @kimspr3 | Sep 19, 2019

THANK YOU I'LL TRY AGAIN.

9yearspast | @9yearspast | Feb 11 4:47pm

I was offered it. I declined and I am glad I did. My diagnosis was wrong. I have PTSD not bipolar and not treatment resistant depression. I had gone through a major health crisis with neurosurgery and had trouble communicating post that. I don’t think that losing memory would have helped with communication and although I was told there are no contraindications to it and it doesn’t cause memory loss I know that is false. I live in a place where it is the go to for 18 and up do to shortages and if patients are on Medicaid it is a value added service and fully reimbursed. I think there are other ways like for me counseling and I did have ketamine infusions. Now there is a covered medication called esketamine brand name Spravato. It is patented and covered by some insurance. For me ketamine was difficult, but gave me time to find positivity based counseling. I do wish to move because I don’t like how our seniors are treated in my home state not a Mayo Clinic state. There is a great deal of research here for ECT for just about everything and I want to be in a state that treats seniors well. My grandmother was lucky to have me and my mom. She didn’t have advanced directives and if she didn’t have us as her dementia got bad she would have had ECT because she was calling out for help as part of her disease process, unfortunately we were required to have her heavily medicated with Zyprexa. It had a black box warning for elderly, but she would not have been allowed to stay.

9yearspast | @9yearspast | Feb 11 4:48pm

I myself have advanced directives.

9yearspast | @9yearspast | Feb 11 5:02pm

In reply to @mandrake70 "I had ECT a few years ago and I often wonder if they are part of..." + (show)

@mandrake70 ketamine helped me to. I was able to stop. I had 13 ketamine infusions but it gave me perspective. I have ptsd after neurosurgery surgery. What I like about them is they wear off and are not permanent. I needed counseling and strategies not memory loss.

mandrake70 | @mandrake70 | Feb 12 8:00am

In reply to @9yearspast "@mandrake70 ketamine helped me to. I was able to stop. I had 13 ketamine infusions but..." + (show)

@9yearspast
I'm glad to hear you are getting some relief. I have been doing Ketamine infusion for six years now and it has helped amazingly well until all of the stress this past year. I ended up trying TMS and, while it didn't really help with the depression, I think it actually cured the migraines I have had since I was in my teens (sports related concussion). Haven't had one in months.
I have no idea what to suggest for PTSD though. If the ketamine did help, you could try the Spravato which is covered by insurance. I am waiting on my insurance company to try that next.
I will say that my memory has been better about the past few years so while I lost a chunk due to what my previous psychiatrist did to me, I am better now. I don't know if you will recover the memory, I hope you do. Are you having issues with recent memory as well?