What are the short and long term harmful side effects of receiving ECT treatments?

Answer 1

The side effect of ECT that has received the most attention is memory loss. ECT results in two types of memory loss. The first involves rapid forgetting of new information. For example, shortly after the treatment, patients have difficulty remembering conversations or things they have recently read. This type of memory loss is short lived and has not been shown to last for more than a few weeks after the completion of ECT.

The second type of memory loss concerns events from the past. Some patients will have gaps in their memory of events that occurred in the weeks to months and, less commonly, years before the treatment course. This memory problem also improves after the completion of ECT. However, permanent gaps in memory may exist for some events, particularly those that occurred close in time to the treatment.

As with any treatment, patients differ in the extent to which they experience side effects, and more extensive memory loss has been reported. It's important to note that the benefits of ECT are not related to memory loss – that is, patients don't feel better simply because they can't remember something. Furthermore, relief through ECT of a psychiatric disorder can result in improved intelligence, attention and learning ability.

As for other side effects and risks, scientific evidence strongly speaks against the possibility of ECT causing brain damage. Careful studies in animals have shown no evidence of brain damage from brief seizures such as those given with ECT. In an adult, seizures must continue for hours before brain damage occurs while, the ECT seizure lasts only about 1 minute. Brain scans after ECT have shown no injury to the brain. During ECT, the amount of electricity that reaches the brain is too small to cause electrical injury.

It is estimated that death associated with ECT occurs in 1 out of 10,000 patients. This rate may be higher in patients with severe medical conditions and is most closely associated with the use of anesthesia, just as it would be with any minor procedure. Because of this strong safety record, ECT is often recommended to treat mental disorders in patients with serious medical conditions.

Answer 2

ECT works well for some people. About 10 years ago my doctor recommended it to me because nothing else was working and I was stuck in a severe depression.. I went through the first five or six treatments, then made the decision to stop. I was experiencing feelings of incredible terror. However, it probably saved my life, because the depression eased up quite a bit. I had "mixed-up" memories for some time, but most of that seems to be OK now. If you are asking the question because ECT has been recommmended to you, I wish you the best.

Answer 3

Before I had them I had Certificates of Excellence in English, Spelling, Science, Reading, Social Studies and other Awards. I was being sexually abused and because the hyman was intact they said I was lying about it. Nobody bothered to seek answers. My sister had died and I had no clue that I had a sister by that name, much less that she had died. I have some memories, but my family want me to put the past in the past but how can I do that if I don't know what the past is? I was depressed then bc I was being molested by more than 30 people. I am depressed now. Nothing is ever going to change bc I have no answers.

Answer 4

Loss of memory for close family events, loss of memory for work, vacation, and all other areas are a huge problem for me, especially since I am a nurse with compromised memory.....I don't highly recommend the 6 ECT sessions. They are very barbaric, and I feel I have lost a majority of my life.

Answer 5

Memory loss is a definite side effect...

Answer 6

http://www.med.umich.edu/depression/ected.htm

Great information here!

I've had patients that get it done and it works wonders