What to expect after ECT treatment?

What to expect after ECT treatment?

After the Procedure When you awaken, you may experience a period of disorientation lasting from a few minutes to several hours. Headaches, jaw pain, and muscle soreness may occur. ECT requires a series of treatments, often initiated two to three times a week for a few weeks and then the frequency is tapered down.

What should I watch after ECT?

Some patients experience longer-lasting problems with recalling memories from around the time of the ECT, and occasionally problems recalling some distant events. These memory effects generally subside once the ECT is completed. A few patients may have more severe problems remembering events from the distant past.

How long does it take to recover from ECT?

The ability to form new memories can be impaired during and after an acute series of ECT treatments but this ability makes a full recovery in about 2 weeks from the last treatment.

What are the long term effects of ECT?

But some people experience more long-lasting or permanent memory loss, including losing personal memories or forgetting information they need to continue in their career or make sense of their personal relationships. Some people also find they have difficulty remembering new information from after they’ve had ECT.

What are the negative side effects of ECT?

The most common side effects of ECT on the day of treatment include nausea, headache, fatigue, confusion, and slight memory loss, which may last minutes to hours. These risks must be balanced with the consequences of ineffectively treated severe psychiatric disorders.

Has anyone died from ECT?

Conclusion: The ECT-related mortality rate was estimated at 2.1 per 100 000 treatments. In comparison, a recent analysis of the mortality of general anesthesia in relation to surgical procedures reported a mortality rate of 3.4 per 100 000. Our findings document that death caused by ECT is an extremely rare event.

Does ECT damage the brain?

Does ECT Cause Brain Damage? There is no evidence that, in the era of “modern” ECT, it causes “brain damage,” (i.e. structural changes to the brain).

Who is ECT Not recommended for?

Not everyone is a candidate for treatment even if they believe ECT could help them. For example, children under age eleven cannot undergo ECT for mental health disorders. People with heart conditions and people who cannot handle short-acting sedatives or muscle relaxers should not undergo ECT treatments.

Does ECT lower IQ?

However, former patients have publicly testified that ECT can result in a very significant (>30 point) permanent decrement in IQ score (Food and Drug Administration, 1982; Andre, 2001; Cott, 2005: p.

Can ECT change your personality?

Does ECT change personality? Yes. Bluntly, ECT can help people overcome depression. 2 The gradual recovery from a period of deep depression to one of normal functioning or emotional stability is an extreme change in personality.

What do you need to know about electroconvulsive therapy?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) 1 Overview. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure, done under general anesthesia,… 2 Why it’s done. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can provide rapid,… 3 Risks. Immediately after treatment, you may experience confusion,… 4 How you prepare. These exams help make sure that ECT is safe for you.

How long does confusion last after electroconvulsive therapy?

Your confusion may go away in a short time, such as 1 hour after your treatment. You may lose your memory for 1 to 3 weeks, and some memories may be lost forever. You may also get a headache after an ECT treatment.

How long does it take for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to work?

Many people begin to notice an improvement in their symptoms after about six treatments with electroconvulsive therapy. Full improvement may take longer, though ECT may not work for everyone. Response to antidepressant medications, in comparison, can take several weeks or more.

What is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for depression?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment that sends a small electric current to your brain to cause a seizure. The seizure affects the chemicals in your brain, which may make your brain cells work better. ECT is used to treat certain conditions, such as depression, that do not get better after medicines or other therapies have been tried.