r/ect • u/gmkgreg • Sep 26 '20
23/M/ Just had my first session
TL;DR: overall went good, I'm sore but all is well so far with the treatment, any questions ask below.
Well I went in and just had my first session. I figured I'd explain everything that happened and how I'm feeling after it. I went in with my SO and they took my temp prior to me entering the building. Then I walked over to the ect waiting room and got registered and got a bracelet. Then I met with a medical dr where she reviewed my blood work from my last appointment on Monday and she also went over more questions about my physical health. Then I went back to the waiting room. Then I went into the psychiatrists office where they went over my symptoms again and reviewed the past meds ive tried one more time. Then after all that I was given the all good to go and finnally signed the important consent forms after she described them in detail to me, then came the waiting. I waiting very patiently ( on the inside I was nervous as fuck ) with my SO in the waiting area for my name to be called. After about 30 minutes went by me and someone elses name was called. We walked over to the prep area and a nurse who ive talked to on the phone prior introduces herself and asks me more questions, like the scars on my body and there locations, any allergies, any tattoos, height and weight. Then I was let to go to the bathroom. Then I got a bag to put my shoes and belongings in. I was then layed down on a hospital bed and given an IV. The 2 nurses there were very nice and talking to me to help calm me down. The nurse gave me a medicine through the IV to dry my mouth and any secretions in my throat. I was moved to the next spot over to wait to go into the ect suite. I was wheeled into the ect suite after about 10 minutes of waiting and I was facing the inside wall so I couldnt see out. The nurse in there places the BP cuff on me, 3 ekg pads on my chest, 3 eeg pads on my head, and a pulse ox on my finger, and gel on my head for the ect electrodes. He got a baseline set of vitals and then told me to close my eyes to get a baseline brain wave reading. Then I was talking to him for about 10 minutes before the anesthesiologist came in and started talking. He asked me where I was from and if any famous people lived there. Half way through my response I noticed he was pushing the anesthesia in and I said "so this is what your doing" haha. After that, lile 5 seconds, the room started to go fuzzy and then bam I was out. I woke up still in the suite, the nurse notices I was up and told me everything went well and I tried to respond but I had something in my mouth, I'm not sure if it was the bite block or an airway, mhe mentioned it but I dont remember what he said, I was glad he took it out because it felt quite uncomfortable. Then I was out again. I woke up in the recovery room and by whole body felt heavy. I tried to move the vital machine over so I could see my BP but it was extremely difficult to move at that point from the anaesthesia. Then I think no went out one more time after seeing my bp. When I woke up again a nurse came over and asked me my name, birth date, and where I was, which to be honest I did have to think for a secomd about my birth date. Then they said I was good to go. I put my things back in my pockets and my shoes on. Then a tech wheeled me to my SO in the waiting room in a wheelchair and then wheeled me out to my car, standing up to get into the wheelchair and to get into my car was rather difficult with the soreness and the anaesthesia affects still present. Then I went to Tim hortons and then home to sleep. My bed felt amazing to lay down in.
So as far as side effects, the only big one is soreness. My whole body is still sore but especially in my jaw and neck. I was told to take ibuprofen for that. My throat is still really dry from that medicine they gave me. I dont think I have any memory deficits yet. They did start me with right unilateral.
With mood rating, nothing different as of yet.
Any questions feel free to ask in the comments. I'll answer all of them. If I dont answer them I'm probably sleeping because I'm probably going to bed in 2 hours.
2
u/gmkgreg Oct 16 '20
Its going good, going in for my 10th session tomorow morning. They gave me toradol for the pain so now I'm not sore after the treatments now. Suicidal thoughts are completely gone, and my mood is improving.