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How Electroconvulsive Therapy Works For Depression?
Question: I'd like to know more about ECT therapy before discussing with my primary care doctor. Specifically about any serious potential conflicts with my current prescription regiment.
Brief Answer:
ECT is one of the good options in resistant/severe depression
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
ECT- Electric convulsive therapy - is one of the established treatment approaches for different psychiatric problems.
In depression when depression is severe with suicidal ideas or resistant to second line of anti depressant medicines, ECT is useful.
ECT is given under short general anesthesia. So primary investigations for medical fitness form medical point of view are done before starting ECT.
4 to 8 sessions of ECT are needed in general. Response after each ECT is noted and sessions are decided on that basis.
No serious complications of ECT in general. After ECT headache, fever and body ache is common and that is why routine paracetomal or pain killer medicines are used.Some amnesia of recent events also happen but it is not so severe that person can forget important things.
Exact mechanism by which ECT is effective is not known but it works that is confirmed.
In general no issue with any medications going on while ECT is given. Only which type of anesthetic drugs used and current medicines for depression interact with them or not that should be checked.
Risk of anesthesia is generally explained by anesthetist and in young age it is not complicated.
Overall ECT is effective and safe treatment without any long term side effects.
Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
ECT is one of the good options in resistant/severe depression
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
ECT- Electric convulsive therapy - is one of the established treatment approaches for different psychiatric problems.
In depression when depression is severe with suicidal ideas or resistant to second line of anti depressant medicines, ECT is useful.
ECT is given under short general anesthesia. So primary investigations for medical fitness form medical point of view are done before starting ECT.
4 to 8 sessions of ECT are needed in general. Response after each ECT is noted and sessions are decided on that basis.
No serious complications of ECT in general. After ECT headache, fever and body ache is common and that is why routine paracetomal or pain killer medicines are used.Some amnesia of recent events also happen but it is not so severe that person can forget important things.
Exact mechanism by which ECT is effective is not known but it works that is confirmed.
In general no issue with any medications going on while ECT is given. Only which type of anesthetic drugs used and current medicines for depression interact with them or not that should be checked.
Risk of anesthesia is generally explained by anesthetist and in young age it is not complicated.
Overall ECT is effective and safe treatment without any long term side effects.
Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you. Pleasee note that my routine consists of Lexapro 20mg, Klonopin 1mg and Adderall tablet 90mg. Let me know if that changes any of your feedback regarding serious conflicts. I know a primary consideration will be Klonopin, but I'm not clear on the risk it poses. Does it simply increase your threshold for seizure or does it cause other physically adverse complications?
Brief Answer:
No conflict and no adverse complications
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for follow up.
Lexapro not at all interact with ECT procedure.
Klonopin can decrease seizure activity but at 1 mg it does not cause so much anti convulsion effect.
Adderall can cause more seizure activity so I prefer to avoid dose of adderall before ECT.
According to some recent reports during ECT how much duration convulsion lasted is not the criteria of effectiveness, clinical improvement and judgement are the best approach to check effectiveness.
Neither of the drugs is going to cause any adverse complication while you are on ECT.
Feel free to ask if you have still any doubt.
No conflict and no adverse complications
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for follow up.
Lexapro not at all interact with ECT procedure.
Klonopin can decrease seizure activity but at 1 mg it does not cause so much anti convulsion effect.
Adderall can cause more seizure activity so I prefer to avoid dose of adderall before ECT.
According to some recent reports during ECT how much duration convulsion lasted is not the criteria of effectiveness, clinical improvement and judgement are the best approach to check effectiveness.
Neither of the drugs is going to cause any adverse complication while you are on ECT.
Feel free to ask if you have still any doubt.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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