need advice / guidance

[SonAvich]

i'm looking for people out there that have had experience with either Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is known as rTMS or Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

My meds don't seem to be working and i'm getting desperate to find some thing that will work. I'm currently under two different types of Anti-D and they seem to be failing cause I'm feeling terrible all the time.

So anyone that can give advice i would really appreciate it

[shatteredhopes]

I have treatment resistant depression and have tried tons of different meds AND ECT and nothing has really helped...however, there is someone on this site ECT DID help...please search under "Your Story" I think it is for Monty's post on ECT, it is older thread, but you may find much information and hope in reading it...

Wishing you light and peace in your day...

[Chrissy29]

I am currently getting ECT treatments. I started with 3 times a week then went to once a week and now every other week. I think it is working to a point. In the beginning I was very optimistic about it. I thought it was working wonders. I now am a little worried that its effects are wearing off. Maybe its because I need to get it more often. I don't know for sure. I have seen it work well for others though! I think it is different for everyone. It is definitely worth looking into though! Take care of yourself.

[Ahorse]

Hi,

I haven't had either but was told ECT was my only option, 11 years ago. So I agreed to it but my spouse researched it and I changed my mind.

I've talked to so many people since then who will not touch it and say it hurt them. A few who said it helped and then stopped and none who said it was a long term answer.

I have concluded all it does is hide your memory of things for a while, and some memory permanently for some. If you can't remember you are so confused you forget depression if you know what I mean.

Bit like having a broken arm so you hit your head with a hemmer to distract from the arm pain. It works too but boy does your head hurt! Then you have two problems.

Losing memory, aqny amount, long term can destroy people's lives and I met met a number of those who will try to talk anyone out of it.

Doctors canno tteol you why it works, if it does for you. As such it is experimental. Which is why you have to sign waivers to excuse them from damage done during the process.

My view is, if this ECT is as effective as the docs who use it say, why then isn't it the first treatment they offer? Why isn't it? Ask the doc and see what they say. Then of course at least half the psychiatric profession call it barbaric and torture and would never use it.

So you decide. Some of the above and a lot more convinced me not to take a risk with my brain.

I do though understand how tempting it sounds. But then again they only offer it when you will do anything, right? That's why I say ask why they don't offer it first.

I know nothing about the other one.