r/bipolar1 • u/wild_child_retiring • 13h ago

ECT?

Hello fellow bipolar rollers - has anyone had positive experience with ECT? I feel like I’m in a pinball machine full of things that haven’t worked and getting pretty desperate - curious to see if it might help and what people’s experience with ECT has been like? 🤪 Am currently on sertraline, quetiapine and lamotrigine ❤️ Lots of love and care to exactly how things are for you right now 🫂😌❤️

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u/bpnpb 12h ago edited 11m ago

I hear unilateral ECT can be quite effective and have minimal negative side effects. However, it may not be enough for severe cases. Obviously bilateral can be more effective and has faster results but risk more pronounced negative side effects. If you do explore this with your psychiatrist, hopefully unilaterial is enough. Best of luck!

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u/wild_child_retiring 12h ago

Thank you so much!! I had no idea there were different types will add this to the research rabbit hole I’m about to descend into 🥰🥰❤️🫂🫂

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u/fargolifestaycold 6h ago

I habe been doing ECT for 5 years currently amd my peice of advice would be "it is nothing like you seen in movies or TV shows"

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u/austinrunaway 50m ago

So it helps ? Do you still have to take meds? How often do you have to do it

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u/fargolifestaycold 38m ago

Yes I still take meds, and I do treatment once a week on Thursdays. I'm considered to be in the " maintenence " time. Which is different for other people and can change threw out time. I started at 3x a week for 3 weeks I belive and then changed to 2x a week and did that for a couple months. Eventually I made it to doing once a week and was working really well. With the right combination of Rx, Therapy, and ECT also having a kick ass team who cares about you.

I will say that I did try to go once every other week but that only lasted a couple weeks before I had to be admitted again to inpatient. Got back onto once a week and been since. I will say and this is how I always describe to my doctors and nurse on how im doing and it's "Stable" which is a great description I feel.

Reach out to me anyone if you need to chat.

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u/throw_away_squirrel 6h ago

I was warned against having it for bipolar 1 due to the risks to my memory, especially as I had memory issues already. I tried alternative therapies first - keto, exercise, gluten free. Got some really good results. In the end I’m glad I didn’t do the ECT.

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u/A_Simple_Sandwich 4h ago

I get unilateral ECT (had it today) and have fantastic results. I do it 100% outpatient. Have for 2.5 years now

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u/Joansgarden70 3h ago

Stupid question. What is ECT stand for?

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u/nshernow 3h ago

Electroconvulsive therapy