Miscellaneous

Do I need maintenance ECT?

Do I need maintenance ECT?

For patients who relapse continually after an acute course of ECT, those patients can be placed on maintenance ECT. Maintenance ECT involves getting treatments every two weeks to every month, usually for a period of six months to a year.

How often do you need maintenance ECT?

The ECT taper from an acute series to a maintenance schedule is generally once a week for 4 treatments, then every 2 weeks for 4 treatments, then every 3 weeks for 4 treatments, then every 4 weeks. There is no limit on how long a patient can receive maintenance ECT provided the treatment is effective.

Does maintenance ECT cause memory loss?

Side effects of maintenance electroconvulsive therapy include transient memory loss and mild cognitive impairment.

What is the success rate of ECT?

What is the Success Rate of Electroconvulsive Therapy? ECT is an effective medical treatment option, helping as many as 80-85 percent of patients who receive it. Most patients remain well for many months afterwards.

Can ECT make you worse?

ECT may have a role in people who have comorbid depression and anxiety. The concern of some psychiatrists is that while ECT may help with depressive symptoms, it could worsen anxiety symptoms, including obsessional thoughts or panic attacks.

When should ECT not be used?

The following strategies should not be used routinely: augmentation of an antidepressant with a benzodiazepine for more than 2 weeks as there is a risk of dependence. augmentation of an antidepressant with buspirone*, carbamazepine*, lamotrigine* or valproate* as there is insufficient evidence for their use.

Has anyone died from ECT?

Conclusion: The ECT-related mortality rate was estimated at 2.1 per 100 000 treatments. In comparison, a recent analysis of the mortality of general anesthesia in relation to surgical procedures reported a mortality rate of 3.4 per 100 000. Our findings document that death caused by ECT is an extremely rare event.

What are the negative side effects of ECT?

The most common side effects of ECT on the day of treatment include nausea, headache, fatigue, confusion, and slight memory loss, which may last minutes to hours. These risks must be balanced with the consequences of ineffectively treated severe psychiatric disorders.

What can go wrong during ECT?

As with any type of medical procedure, especially one that involves anesthesia, there are risks of medical complications. During ECT, heart rate and blood pressure increase, and in rare cases, that can lead to serious heart problems. If you have heart problems, ECT may be more risky.

Can ECT change your personality?

ECT does not change a person’s personality, nor is it designed to treat those with just primary “personality disorders.” ECT can cause transient short-term memory — or new learning — impairment during a course of ECT, which fully reverses usually within one to four weeks after an acute course is stopped.

Can you feel worse after ECT?

ECT can’t prevent future depression, or fix any ongoing stresses or problems that are contributing to how you’re feeling. Some people have very bad experiences of ECT, for example because they feel worse after treatment or are given it without consent. You might not want to risk the possibility of getting side effects.

Can ECT worsen anxiety?

How often do you have to do maintenance ECT?

Maintenance ECT. Maintenance ECT consists of ECT treatments given infrequently over a long period of time after the index series and continuation ECT. The goal of maintenance ECT is to prevent the reoccurrence of the mental illness. Maintenance ECT may be given for months or even years with approximately one ECT treatment every three weeks.

How long does it take for continuation ECT to work?

Generally, ECT is a short-term treatment where the patient receives 6-12 treatments over the course of 2-4 weeks. However, in some cases, continuation ECT or maintenance ECT is used.

How often can you drive after ECT treatment?

Patients are not allowed to drive during the entire ECT course and for 2 weeks after the last treatment in an acute series of ECT. An acute series is usually 3 treatments a week for 6 to 12 treatments. Patients who receive maintenance ECT can drive except on the day of ECT. What Are Common Side-Effects of ECT?

How often does electroconvulsive therapy ( ECT ) work?

Answer: ECT is usually given two or three times a week — usually on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Typically the ECT treatment course lasts eight to 12 treatments — sometimes as few as six, sometimes as many as 15 treatments can occur in a course. Your doctor will determine how many you need depending on your response.