ECT for my husband

hello and welcome to the forum my friend @Tri-paw

letting you know you are not alone my friend

@Former-Member, @Smc , @Appleblossom , @Faith-and-Hope

Hi and welcome from me too @Tri-paw ..... 👋

@Former-Member is ECT somethingyou have had cause to consider ? I know you way you treatments and medications very carefully. Pehaps you can offer @Tri-paw a starting point if this is not something you're familiar with ?

Hi @Tri-paw

My husband has had ECT initially initiated as an involuntary patient but with some maintenance ECT as an outpatient.

At that time my husband's condition had reached the stage where it was life threatening.

Weighing up risk vs benefit was initially not really a choice we had - this was done by the treating team, however to continue with it for a period after becoming voluntary was. I guess in one way I compare the treatment the psych equivalent to chemo or radiotherapy for other conditions. I compared the s potential side effects of those treatments against those of ECT.

I don't know if my husband would agree to ECT again voluntarily as he didn't when he was unwell previously, however we have discussed this as we have been working on our advance care directives (I was also appointed his enduring guardian) and he has asked that I take the advice of the treatment and care team into consideration and has agreed that if his condition was to again deteriorate to the life threatening stage that he would be happy for me to consent.

Since having ECT and in conjunction with appropriate medication my husband has not been suicidal/ psychotic for 4 years.

My husband does have memory loss - he doesn't remember much about his crisis period at all which in one way is a blessing. Subsequent to this we moved interstate to be closer to family and he no longer has the embarrasment of running into people who he cannot remember. We do not have children but there are some significant family occasions he has no memory of.

This information might be helpful.

https://www.yourhealthinmind.org/treatments-medication/ect

Thank you Darcy for your response to my post.

I am sorry to hear about your situation.

I really appreciate the link to the info.

I guess the supposed side effects of ECT couldn't be much worse than how my husband is currently effected my his depression and anxiety??

@Tri-paw

To my mind in our situation ECT was life saving but this was also accompanied by a change in meds that have kept him in remission. He still has ongoing residual symptoms which I expect will remain.

How are things going @Tri-paw