Post ECT: brain damage, cognitive impairment and severe memory loss.

My 37 year old son had 11 ECT treatments 7 months ago for depression. He is also bipolar but depression was his main symptom. He has not been himself ever since. He has trouble with concentration, focus, motivation, anxiety and is fearful of not being able to manage. It seemed the ECT was helping at the start but after about 6 treatments he could barely keep his eyes open the next day and his memory was gone. I talked to the staff but no one seemed concerned. The psychiatrist never returned my calls. Since then he had improved but he knows he is not the same. His doc and the psychiatrist don’t think it was the ECT so dismiss his concerns. I know he is struggling every day. He was a top honours university graduate and now he can’t even cope to read simple instructions without having anxiety attacks.

I just saw this post and I’m not sure if it is a response to my post months ago where I described my devastating experience with ECT. Perhaps you can find my earlier post and it will give you something to relate to.
In short, it has been over two years since my last treatment ( I had 13 total). It has been an impossible situation. I went from being a highly functioning paralegal. Although with depression, to being now on disability. My husband is more or less in charge of decision making. I simply do not have the memory or cognitive ability I once had. It is absolutely due to ECT.
I have consulted with two attorneys and two doctors who agree that it caused brain damage. I thought I had a case to move forward on twice. Both were shot down. The first case fell through because the ECT machine company that was used on me filed for bankruptcy due to so many lawsuits. The second case fell through because I was on the outside limit of the statutes of limitation, which is only two years. I only waited because my psychiatrist kept telling me “my mind would clear eventually “. It never did.
I do my best now but post ECT has changed my life so dramatically and my relationships so negatively that I am truly a different person now. I am getting in to see a rehab doctor to help me to work on brain function and resurrecting what I can salvage on August 1. This was never recommended by any psychiatrist only through diligence on my own and needing to have a better outcome than where I am.
I share this with you and you can red my other post, for a fact your son did suffer from ECT and I hope he can get some recovery and rehab for his memory or cognition. It sounds like he is still young and I believe that holds more hope than my situation.
I truly believe in getting the word out on this. It is still an acceptable practice at many hospitals including the “big ones”. It is very hard to find a doctor who will be honest about the fact that ECT. Causes brain damage. It does.
Good luck to you and your dear son.

My 37 year old son had 11 ECT treatments 7 months ago for depression. He is also bipolar but depression was his main symptom. He has not been himself ever since. He has trouble with concentration, focus, motivation, anxiety and is fearful of not being able to manage. It seemed the ECT was helping at the start but after about 6 treatments he could barely keep his eyes open the next day and his memory was gone. I talked to the staff but no one seemed concerned. The psychiatrist never returned my calls. Since then he had improved but he knows he is not the same. His doc and the psychiatrist don’t think it was the ECT so dismiss his concerns. I know he is struggling every day. He was a top honours university graduate and now he can’t even cope to read simple instructions without having anxiety attacks.

Hello,
Yes,I read your post and felt it resonated. We live in canada and there is no way we will ever achieve recognition or legal grounds to gain acknowledgment. Also despite our “free” health care specialists are scare. I looked into some sort of brain assessments and rehab but these are private and cost thousands of dollars. So. I am wondering if you or anyone would have suggestions on ways to do brain exercises or anything that would improve concentration, comprehension, focus, memory….while lacking motivation and sky high anxiety (he is reduced to sobbing trying to read a simple instruction on making a simple meal). His self worth is non existent and his hope for the future is gone…he called himself a ghost yesterday.

Malpractice?

Oh my gosh, my heart breaks for him and at the same time my heart breaks for me too. I can relate to feeling like a ghost. In fact I think I have said that about myself before to my husband.
In terms of reading and following instructions I can just say that I understand so much of what he is going through.. I went from being a good cook and following elaborate recipes for my family to now having most of my meals done very simply and with my husband. I can just empathize so very much.
I see the rehab doctor for an evaluation on August 1st. I will share all and any tips I learn from that visit. I also have high anxiety and take meds for it though I am very careful with them as I don’t want to slow my cognition further.
It was recommended that I try Modafinil and Armodafonil (name brands are Provigil and Nuvigil) , to help with brain functioning. They are stimulating however and my body didn’t tolerate them even at a very low dose without raising my anxiety and panic so high that I had to stop. They were helpful though for mood and clarity in thinking so it they might be something to consider for him.
I know speech therapy is recommended for memory and I expect the rehab doctor may suggest that for me. I will follow up with you on that.
I haven’t had a lot of patience with memory games but I’m sure they could be helpful.
Reading is the most disappointing thing to see fall off for me. I loved reading all my life- something changed. It’s partly I can’t remember the storyline but it also just causes me anxiety as I am no longer up to the levels that I once was with it.
I will follow up after my appointment, hopefully I can share something helpful.
I send my best to you and your son. He is not alone although it is a terribly lonely place to be in.
ECT justice is a website he might find helpful. It focuses some on the legal side of things- which was not an option for me as I explained- but it also had personal stories and information. I especially liked information written by Peter Breggin, MD. He is a psychiatrist who has openly spoken out about the dangers of ECT.
💕

Malpractice?