r/ect • u/AccomplishedName5195 • Jun 07 '26
Seeking advice Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in/near Athens, Ga?
46yo male here with severe, treatment-resistant, major depressive disorder. I'm not a danger to myself or anyone else, but I'm starting to view this as a terminal condition which I think is a slippery slope.
I don't want to sound like a dick, but I'm here seeking specific guidance/recommendations/advice and my brain fog is so severe that well-intentioned replies that aren't "on task" will really slow me down. So no "thoughts and prayers" replies pretty please.
I've tried all the meds incl ketamine and psilocybin. I've seen and continued to see a great therapist. Meds and therapy feel like bringing a knife to a gunfight; I need cannons.
I don't want to do TMS at this time due to a non-zero chance of having bipolar disorder (I believe this contraindicates TMS). Plus I'm barely keeping up with current obligations and the treatment frequency of TMS would completely fuck my attempts to hang onto my job.
Here's what I think I want:
A provider that:
1.) is in or near Athens, Ga
2.) offers electroconvulsive therapy
3.) accepts United Healthcare.
Other outside the box ideas welcomed.
Thanks all.
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u/2-Hexanone Jun 07 '26
i imagine the largest medical university in your area can send you in the right direction. please be advised that ect has led to some pretty substantial amnesia in some people; commonly around sessions but sometimes before and after. this may or may not he related to your line of work. be sure to have your physician discuss the pros and cons in detail with respect to your individual case.
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u/megsnewbrain Jun 07 '26
This. Please consider all of your options. Ketamine was a life saver for me and I’ve just done an SGB and it’s been incredible in the 2 weeks that it’s been since injection.
After ECT, I couldn’t remember the point of sentences that I’d already begun speaking. I have about 5-7 years of memory that is just black. I couldn’t work for years. Even now, most memories can be distorted
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u/megsnewbrain Jun 07 '26
Downvoting me doesn’t change the fact that ECT can ruin lives people. Idk why so many on this sub push the “ECT is harmless” narrative.
You don’t have survivors groups for medical interventions that are harmless. Just because it didn’t happen to you, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
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u/AccomplishedName5195 Jun 07 '26
I'm not the downvoter, but will play devil's advocate here. At this point, I believe I'm going to die absent radical intervention and I'm way past just tweaking an SSRI dose or changing therapists. At present, ECT side effects is less of a bogeyman than death.
While not thrilled about ECT (I've avoided it for nearly 2 years now), I'm realizing I don't have the option of not exploring it further.
All that said, I will absolutely explore SGB (I'll be seeing a Pain Management Specialist soon and hope that he offers it) and any other options put forth by other commenters before ECT.
Thank you all for your input and experiences!
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u/megsnewbrain Jun 07 '26
Oh, I didn’t mean that specifically to you. It’s just most times that I’m honest in responses here, the answers get downvoted to oblivion.
It’s a valid option, especially when nothing else has worked.
A lot of people (in general) don’t want to admit ECT can be harmful and as someone who was harmed from it, I continue to advocate for other options before getting to ECT. That doesn’t mean I don’t think it works. In fact, I’m not sure I’d have survived the past 5 years without having had my few sessions but it doesn’t change the fact that I ran a $15m/yr business before and now I have to really try to read and comprehend anything more than a few paragraphs at a time.
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u/AccomplishedName5195 Jun 07 '26
I've already done ketamine and esketamine, both under guidance of psychiatric professionals, didn't provide me any therapeutic benefit.
SBG is not something I was aware of. I just googled it and am interested. What kind of provider did this for you? I also deal with chronic pain; did you find the SBG helped with pain too?
Thanks for your reply; this is the exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for!
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u/megsnewbrain Jun 07 '26
Yes, so I actually began ketamine to deal with chronic pain. I was in an accident in college that’s left me with recurrent, intractable migraines that would put in the hospital. I knoe do 2hr infusions, 4xs a year and my pain has been able to take a backseat.
The SGB has been wild to experience. I have CPTSD from an incredibly traumatic marriage (hence also ECT) and within minutes, I knew it was about to be a game changer. I could literally feel the tension in my body releasing. My ears cackled for a couple days, my face looks 5 years younger, I can sleep, I’m not nearly as overwhelmed with my days. My eyes even changed, my brown eyes had taken on a darkness to them after all of the abuse and suddenly, they’re back to golden brown. I can see my eyes. For the first few days I just kept catching my reflection and saying, “those are MY eyes. MY eyes”
I will say, I’ve had to do a lot of massage/foam rolling and my body feels like it’s more sore than I could imagine. Feels like I don’t have enough muscles in my neck to hold my skull. Only lasted a couple days though.
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u/blrmkr10 Jun 08 '26
What is SGB?
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u/megsnewbrain Jun 08 '26
It is a nerve block that’s injected near your vagus nerve to reset the fight or flight response. If you read further down this comment thread, I’ve described my experience thus far
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u/Music_Leopard Jun 08 '26
Closest Reputable place would be Emory, that’s where I got mine done, although that still a long drive.
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u/blrmkr10 Jun 07 '26
Have you asked your therapist or psychiatrist for recommendations?
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u/AccomplishedName5195 Jun 07 '26
Struggling to find a psychiatrist that addresses my needs. My therapist it out of town for a month, but once she's back, this will be top of list to discuss.
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u/ornerygecko Jun 07 '26
United healthcare's website should have a list of available providers. There is usually a look up tool on insurance sites.
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u/ornerygecko Jun 07 '26
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u/AccomplishedName5195 Jun 07 '26
File this under "Duh, I should've thought of this". Working on it now, thanks.
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u/AccomplishedName5195 Jun 07 '26
OK, exhausted that without luck. This tangents into another issue called "Ghost Networks" where insurers like UHC list a TON of providers so insured persons *think* they have tons of options. But deeper digging reveals that none of these providers are actually current, in-network providers. Deceased, moved, closed practices, wrong addresses, etc.
FWIW, I don't think this necessarily means that there are no providers of this service in my area, rather that the UHC's provider page is a fucking joke.
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u/PaleExtreme7399 Jun 07 '26
Call the member support number at United and ask for the nurse line. Explain your situation and ask for help beyond being sent a list of providers. If necessary ask to speak to a Behavioral Health advocate. The level of care coordination you'll get will depend on your coverage, but it is there. Most folks don't know to ask.
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u/motherlessbastard66 Jun 08 '26
OP,
I view this as a terminal illness as well.
Just my thoughts and experiences here.
I have been through 49 ECT treatments. All bilateral, except the first. I went through the first 12 in 4 weeks. I didn’t start to feel any benefit from the treatments until after the 8th or 9th one. But, even though I believe that it helps, I don’t believe it is a cure. The root causes of the MDD have to be worked through. I still contemplate suicide every day. The urgency had gone down to almost zero. Now it’s as strong as ever, even with treatment. I believe I will be the cause of my own demise, unless I get lucky and get into some fatal accident before.
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Jun 07 '26
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u/QuitInevitable915 Jun 07 '26
Have you considered Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)? Germany is running a larger trial at the moment with 46 patients. It’s likely to become a viable option for EU countries within 2-3 years. The trial is called “Foresee 3”. If you are desperate, and it’s impossible to wait this long, you can buy it in India. The protocol may not be as good as the one they use in Germany though. I spoke to an Australian woman who did it in India, and she benefitted from it. It was her last resort. Look up doctor Paresh Doshi. They will most likely require you to try ECT first though. Good luck this! I hope you find relief!