Bipolar and ECT Treatments

@mrser52 How did it go?

@mrser52
Hi Elaine,
My son, age 44, had ECT treatments last year, for the first time since had was diagnosed with bipolar 1 in 1995. He had a total of 13 treatments, between June 30 and Oct. 9. He began his treatments as an in patient in the hospital, and completed them as an out patient. At first, he got 3 treatments a week, and then the treatments were gradually tapered down to one a month. He decided to try ECT, because he was very severely depressed for many months, and had suicidal ideation. He began to show some improvement after the 6th treatment, and was doing much better by the time he completed his last treatment.

After about the 4th treatment, he had a pretty severe headache. We mentioned that to the ECT staff when he went in for his next treatment. The administering psychiatrist had something added to the medication he was given intravenously prior to his treatment to prevent headaches, and continued to add that prior to each treatment. It worked, and he never had a headache after his ECT treatment after that. You might want to notify the ECT staff about your headache prior to your next treatment. Maybe an adjustment can be made that will eliminate the headaches, as was the case with my son.

After my son began getting his treatments as an out patient, he was told that he should not drive for 48 hours after each treatment. Also, he was usually pretty tired after each treatment, and needed to rest off and on for the rest of that day.