Ms. Lawrence, I wonder if you would be able to talk with me for a newspaper story I’m doing about ECT and severe depression.

A lot of of the feedback I’m getting is relatively positive, especially about the use of ECT in elderly patients who have severe depression. I want to make sure I include comments from people who have a more negative view of ECT and its side effects.

I’ll be working on the story the rest of this week, and should be quite flexible as far as interview times. The State is the largest newspaper in South Carolina, based in the stat capital of Columbia.

Thanks,
Linda H. Lamb
Health reporter / The State

Hi Linda, I removed your phone number so you don’t get swamped with calls, but I’d be glad to talk with you. I’ll try and give you a call tomorrow or Wednesday and we can set something up.

I appreciate your wanting to do a balanced story.

I’m also going to forward your comment to Linda Andre, who runs CTIP in New York and see if she would talk with you as well.

Juli

I wrote about myself when diagnosed with MS, finally, and needed to reflect how I survived multiple ECTs as an 11 yr old and again at 13 yrs. I call my memoir ‘After Shock’ and one can get it or read the first chapter from Amazon.com. ECT has influenced my life totally first by fear, little remembered personal history, shame and a quiet stress to survive each day. My cognition lapses have always frightened me so to maintain control over my life, I became an over-achiever. I can never relax my vigilence.

Hello Juli,

I heard about ECT, on a talk show, and would like to get more infor. I have a daughter, who is 25 and Bi-Polar. i would like to known if thes treatment may help her. She takes no medication and is off the hook 90% of the time. We are exploring all options for her.

i spoke with jay whitlow about this issue of using ect with elderly patients with depression and whitlow does not have any research to back him up but whitlow told me that if we are talking about elderly people being over the age of 70 whitlow thinks the practice is horrible and cruel. whitlow told me that he cannot believe we would treat those whose brains are on the decline with ect and whitlow would prefer that we put our effort into social services for that particular group with depression.

I am 73 years of age and have had severe depression since Jan of 07. Was hospitolized from June 14 to July 15 and had several ect treatments during that time. To date I have had somewhere between 20 and 30 treatments with the latest one being on Dec 18, 2007. After this treatment I have been extremely sore in my joints and when i coughed that evening, I felt the top of my head would come off. I doubt that I will take any more of these treatments in the near future. I do feel they have helped, but this has been my third round of depression in 4 years. I am currently taking 4 anti depression medications, and when I question this they say is is necessary to keep the depression under control. I have recently read a book called Become A Better You by Joel Osteen, and feel it has done me more good than anything so far. I do feel that I have a memory lapse at times, but the Dr said I have tolerated the treatment very well. I have a meeting with him on Jan. 3, 2008 and will inform him I don’t intend to take any more ect’s unless I feel my self slipping once more. Jack Permann

Hello,

Do you have any current images of ect? We’re looking to obtain some images to accompany an article on this topic. It would be great for our readers to see what it looks like, but all I can find are images from the early 1950’s that look too scary. Thanks for your help!

isa

Hi Juli,

I live and work in Maryland, and publish an arts/advocacy journal for people diagnosed with mental health challenges called “Altered I/Altared Eye”.

Our June 2008 issue will feature some outstandig artwork by a woman artist who experienced ECT, and is her efforts at exploring her depression, the ECT experience and the changes elicited by the experience.

In companionship with this, we would love to print 2 short articles on ECT, a pro position and a con position, both of which are informative, in an effort to let readers hear “Both sides”.

We are wondering if you have such articles, and would be willing to give us one time reprint permission, with, of course statement that “This artiicle is reprinted from http://www.ect.org with permission from the authors” or however you want.

If you are able to respond in a timely matter, I would appreicate it, as I said we are pushing for going to press at the end of May.

Thanks>

Ed Kaitz, Publisher
Altered I/Altared Eye

About to try ect after 23 yrs of severe depression. Am at my wits end. Am scared to death thet it wont help either.
Amy

I’m 60… finally…. but I don’t remember much aout being 58 and 59 due to ECT effects…. now after a year of fighting, “putting on an act” in regards to my depression…. i’m tired…. I wonder what 1 or 2 sessions will do….. what aftermath will I endure…. has anyone been in a similar situation…. Tried to talk to my partner and that was a total slap in the face…. maybe i started the conversation wrong… but those of you who know what I’m talking about… wehn you can’t remember if you showered… how to find your house when your driving….

I said that it was nice to actually remember that she didn’t …. she forgot to tell me something and I COULD REMEMBER THAT SHE DIDN’T TELL ME !!!!
WHAT AN AWESOME FEELING…. not the year and a half of being told I met so and so, or we ate dinner at a resesturant… and NOT REMEMBER.

I’d love to hear from similar frustrated and scared shitless persons. ! thanks for letting me vent !!

Hello All,

I am doing my senior thesis film on ECT. I have interviewed three people so far and I am looking for more patients to interview who have gotten ECT and/or are planning to get ECT again. This film will not be pro-ECT, BUT it will not be anti-ECT. I want to lay out the facts as to how it is being done today.

Please contact me if you have any interest in this film: 1daphnedavis@gmail.com

Thank You,
Daphne

Since last 6 months My Wife is suffering from depression. All of sudden she has become very agressive and abusive too. All the adultrous and vulgarity has been seen all of sudden this affects my children very badly.

With the HOme work or school study reasons She would keep on harrassing children. There is no understanding or compassion towards them.

A kind of unforgiveness; rebellion and revenge words have been spoken.

Please advise !

Thanks.

My goodness, has she tried ECT and/or does the whole idea of it freak her out?

Good luck to you and yours!

I think i will not try ECT i m not sure how it goes at the end of the day..

I am 38 years old, male. I have had 4 ECT treatments and I have more on the way. I cannot tell they are doing anything. I am supposed to have between six and twelve treatments. I have them on Mondays and Fridays. They are not scary and I have not been dreading them. I have put them off for a really long time. But, my pysch understood and did not pressure me. My mother and my sister have had it in the past. I am actually wondering what am I supposed to notice or feel?