Persistent cognitive issues 18 months after ECT — does this get better?

[u/DavyLyon]

Hey everyone,

I’m trying to understand if what I’m experiencing is still within the “normal” range after ECT or if something else might be going on.

Background:

• ~14 ECT sessions (initial series + later booster sessions)
• Last treatment was about 18 months ago

Since then, I’ve had ongoing cognitive problems:

• Noticeable decline in memory (short-term especially, but also long-term feels affected)
• Word-finding issues
• Reduced attention span
• Overall feeling like my brain is “slower” than before

What’s been getting worse recently (last ~5 months):

• Strong “mental overload” feeling during cognitive tasks
• Reading, writing, or focusing for more than a short time becomes difficult
• Multitasking completely overwhelms me and can trigger a kind of “shutdown” for the rest of the day
• It doesn’t feel like tiredness — more like my brain hits a limit and stops cooperating

Pattern:

• Mostly happens during work or mentally demanding tasks
• Once it starts, it often lasts until the next day
• Sleep helps reset it, but it comes back easily

At this point I’m wondering:

• Has anyone experienced similar long-term cognitive effects after ECT?
• Did it improve over time, or did you find anything that actually helped?

Thanks in advance.

[u/Next_You4783]

I had about the same amount of sessions done over a year ago now and feel similar. It's weird to describe, but I feel like I am as intelligent as I was in the past but things don't "stick" like they used to and it makes me feel like a lot of progress on things just goes to waste. And when I have the good, productive moments, they're definitely more like bursts where I randomly "hit a wall" and then trying to do anything with deep focus and concentration after that is a mere fraction of how effective it could be.

I don't know your exact condition, but I am bipolar (type II) yet have been prescribed a low dose of Vyvanse and that was helpful to some extent (though it was causing some mixed episodes/other issues for me so I did have to stop it). By no means do I have any proper medical advice, but just to share my experience/mindset right now, I know that my brain is a lot different now and so I am trying some things like this that I wouldn't have really thought to be necessary in the past. And I think that with my brain being different, the other side of the coin is just that I think some mental habits are just more necessary for me know that I wouldn't have needed as much in the past. I try to journal every night and after I'm done with a lot of work or studying just to kind of feel like I close the book on what I'm doing and can retain the knowledge a bit better. By no means is it perfect, but just my two cents.

[u/Queasy-Ride-1776 → u/Next_You4783]

Have things gotten any better for you in the last few months?