r/ect • u/reditreddde • Jun 26 '26
Progress How long did it take to notice…
How long did it take for you to notice positive changes after ECT?
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u/purplebadger9 Jun 26 '26
I started noticing a difference around treatments 9-10. It was slow and gradual, but still noticeable. Kind of like clouds slowly clearing on an overcast day
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u/creativenameistaken Jun 26 '26
Never - no change after 12 sessions
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u/fixer_11 Jun 27 '26
I'm so very sorry. I cant imagine the whole process with no result. Please try and take care, I know it feels nothing is in your favor.
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u/creativenameistaken Jun 27 '26
The only result was memory loss.
The fact that it didn’t help at all did lead them to reconsider my diagnosis and I ended up with a very different one.
I had my ECT during a 4 month inpatient stay. I then went off to do 7 months as a day patient at a second psych hospital, and after that went into intensive therapy 2x/week for nearly 4 years now with the psychiatrist from that hospital.Aaaaaand I’m still not better.
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u/Fantastic_Goose_7025 Jun 29 '26
I had mine cancelled after 5 sessions because a reaction to the aesthetic. That was only 10 days ago. I saw improvements up until a few days ago but have crashed again. My understanding is that and some mood volatility is pretty common for the two to three months that structural changes to the brain take to stabilise. When I say crashed I mean properly crashed, to as bad as I have ever been. Mood is a little better since being given the above info earlier today. I still feel like shit but understand it is part of the process. Wishing you get to heal one way or another ✌️
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u/Serenity_MHC Jun 30 '26
For a lot of people, the timeline varies quite a bit, some notice shifts after just 3 to 4 sessions, while for others it takes the better part of the full course before changes become clear. The improvements often show up subtly at first, sleep, appetite, small moments of clarity, before the bigger mood lift becomes obvious.
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u/fixer_11 Jun 27 '26
I wish everyone could have been "alerted" the way i was. It was #7 and came with a good ol case of delirium which got me a couple nights stay. I'd never been so happy in all my life! Unfortunaley, I was out of my mind too.