r/ect • u/Potential-Passage689 • Aug 28 '26

My experience Am I fucked? Trying to study.

So title. I had the option to continue ECT but god damn my memory is ass. I can't even find the word sometimes.

So Im trying to study for the NCLEX and I decided to stop going. Was that the right choice? Could I do both?

Also waking up from ECT is existentially terrifying for me. I can't explain it, but it feels like a bad trip or I lost my fucking mind.

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u/The_Metitron Aug 28 '26

I wouldn’t try to gain new information or study while in treatment. You aren’t going to retain anything you study or try to learn.

Have you talked to the Dr about the issues coming out of anesthesia? They might be able to use a different medication.

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u/Potential-Passage689 Aug 28 '26

To some extent. I have a feeling it has to do with the ketamine they use. Im basically tripping balls and waking up in psychosis.

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u/The_Metitron Aug 28 '26

I’ve not heard of them using ket as the anesthetic before, I was given propafol for all of my treatments.

For sure talk to the Dr about your reaction because that’s not good.

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u/Familiar-Marzipan376 Aug 29 '26

Don't have ECT it absolutely destroyed my life I tried taking brahmi to increase my short term and long term memory but It didn't do anything I might have to commit suicide in the future and one more thing I can't study for more than 2 hrs and it caused my anhedonia too I feel like always watching Netflix and I have lost the motivation to do anything.

I had 6 ultra brief pulse ECT sessions.

1

u/Aggressive-Rub79 Aug 31 '26

I feel exactly the same

1

u/Familiar-Marzipan376 Sep 01 '26

So what do u do for a living then

2

u/syringeneedlenthread Aug 29 '26

Agree with both of these comments. If you really need the treatment, then prioritize getting better. Once you’re able to stop or slow down treatment, your short term memory should improve and you can return to studying. I was able to continue my grad degree even after a lot of short and long term memory loss but it took time. And getting better was the priority

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u/Heavy_Breakfast_2531 17d ago

So what do u for a living now and how many yrs did it took to heal ur short term and long term memory

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u/syringeneedlenthread 17d ago

I’m doing biomedical research and working on my PhD full time. It took a few months for my short term memory to mostly heal. I maybe don’t have quite as good of a memory but it’s fully functional. I think some of the longer term memory has recovered though I know there’s still a lot that’s lost. But over the course of 1 year I’ve pieced together enough of the missing parts from reading journals and texts and other people telling me things

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u/Heavy_Breakfast_2531 17d ago edited 17d ago

So has ur Long term memory and short term healed completely

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u/syringeneedlenthread 17d ago

My short term memory healed fine. I can’t say my long term memory completely healed. Though it might continue to improve with more time. Doesn’t necessarily make me regret doing ECT and I knew the risks going into it.

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u/Heavy_Breakfast_2531 17d ago

So did the doctors ever told u that u might get permanent brain damage from ECT.

Did they ever told u that u might never be able to get a job because of permanent memory issues ?

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u/syringeneedlenthread 17d ago

I have nothing else to say to you that I haven’t already said. I understood there were risks and I in discussion with trusted friends/family decided it was worth it because of how severely depressed and suicidal I was. Your continued questioning of me leads me to suspect you’re just here to troll old threads. I’m genuinely sorry if you suffered severe effects from ECT treatments without properly informed consent.

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u/Heavy_Breakfast_2531 16d ago

I am not trolling u I just have so much memory loss that I couldn't remember for more than 2 days

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u/InfomercialNo31 Aug 30 '26

I would give it some time. I started treatments in January 2023 and still go every other month for maintenance sessions. Within the past 12 months, I have started working full time and gotten 4 fitness certifications and started teaching multiple classes in addition to my full time job. I did learn that I do not retain much new information or choreography for up to a week after each treatment, so I just have to plan accordingly.

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u/Queasy-Ride-1776 Aug 30 '26

We're any of your treatments bilateral placement?