I started Lamicatal May 19th, 2005. I was warned by my doctor of ...

We're all so different that it is hard to offer any opinion or advice but for me....I have been taking lamictal for 4 years. I did have 3 sessions of Bilateral ECT. The doctors did not take me off Lamictal which doesn't make any sense...but I went along with their advice. It's been 4 months since ECT and I deeply regret it. I have much much more memory loss and cognitive dysfunction than I was "told". I am petrified that I have suffered permanent brain damage. I cannot communicate articulately, I sound stupid even to myself when I try to talk and function throughout the day. I can't remember things constantly...I forget while I'm actually doing things. It's really really scary. I am still depressed but with extreme anxiety and even though I have never had mania, I now have some form of recognizable incessant unnerving spinning of moods, so much so that I would do anything to get away from myself. If I were an alcoholic I would start drinking first thing in the morning. That's how it's worked out for me. I wish I could have believed the things I read online and elsewhere before I allowed ECT. I would never ever have done it if I knew I would forget my clients as well as being present day cognitive impaired. I was NOT told that this could be a risk. I'm filled with terror and rage that I have to suppress to get through this thing. When I am stronger perhaps I will make my fear of taking lamictal while having seizures/ECT was negligent and has put me at a greater risk for brain functioning problems...dare of say damage...

hi

Penny...how long ago did you do the 3 ECT treatments?
And why did you only have 3?

An initial series needed to produce significant results of depression and other illnesses is usually 6-8 sessions.

I've gone through 2 series and am in need of another to ramp my chemicals and things back up into proper action.

I am bipolar II, currently going through my 3rd major depressive episode of my life.

I've had 21 bilateral ECT treatments in the past 6-8 months. My most recent was last Friday (June 13). I've also been on Lamictal the entire time, but was only at 50mg. My psychiatrist raised it to 100mg about 2 months ago.

My last 2 ECT treatments have not felt the same and DEFINETLY not worked as the others had to relieve my major depression. I had read about some mood stabalizers needing to be stopped before a treatment so that a proper seizure can be produced. However...my psychiatrist also use to perform ECT treatments too and I felt certain he would have advised me of this if he thought it would have any affect on my shock treatments (I'm currently only doing maintenance treatments once a month).

I praise ECT for what it can and HAS done to bring me out of suicidal depths of this kind of depression...although, with such severity of illness, the positive affects wear off way too soon.

I have had a lot of cognitive disfunction as a result, but i am still working as a news photographer at a corporate newspaper. A lot of my memory loss has corrected itself since no longer doing 1-3 ECT treatments a week and them now being spread to once a month. But, i still can't remember things from about 1-4 years ago. The past 4 years are a blur with lots of holes everywhere, but each week it gets better and re-reading my journals have helped jog the memories enough to bring everything surrounding that event back into my conciousness.

I'm still struggling with difficulties learning new things tho. Often something not so difficult will feel like i'm trying to read Greek or something, but not always. The less depressed i feel that day...the easier it is for me to learn and remember things.

Anyway, ECT is the only treatment proven to have positive affects in lifting the depression of 90 percent of the patients who undergo it. Anyone who is suicidal shouldn't walk, but RUN to the nearest ECT doctor or center. The temporary short and/or long term memory losses are worth it for me to get my life back! I worked too hard to put myself through college and training myself to let it all fade because of depression!

Just my thoughts and opinions at the moment.
Oh and I recently met Patty Duke. And while she was signing my copy of her awsome book "A Brilliant Madness" I told her how many ECT treatments i had undergone.

She said, "Isn't it a wonderful treatment? Better than all my medicines combined."

She is a bipolar I, and an alcoholic in recovery now for many years.

Cheers,
Jenna