does ect cause permanent memory loss

[shero1]

I am suffering from depression and extreme anxiety-generalized, social. My stomach is in knots everyday and I hate being awake. I am medication resistant and sensitive to side effects.  I had to go off many antidepressants because they made me sick in one way or another.  I am currently on 50mg of lamictal and 75 on seroquel. I don't notice any change in my anxiety. When to a consultation for ect and I am really scared of the procedure and the thought of losing my memory since I have 3 children. Does ect help the anxiety, the dr. said yes. I can't stand feeling nervous and depressed everyday.

[gdartist]

I was given ECT in 2002 for depression that wouldn't improve. I had been married for 12 years and now if someone told me I had never been married, I would believe them. The depression is still there, along with suicidal thoughts. Never again.

[mslatf]

ECT ruined my life. I was given ECT because i had "disturbances in my personality". I was messed up but i was happy and i was good in my classes and with my friends. After ECT, i feel that my personality was wiped out. I dont remember myself anymore, i failed my classes and lost my friends and my life is in ruins.......

[Paxiled]

There's no way to predict if it will work or not, and side effects are common, not rare.  That's why it's rarely done anymore.  For the hopeless, who've tried everything, it might be worth trying, but you don't sound hopeless, just anxious.  It's not proven for anxiety, as far as I know; it's always been used for depression.  Research it carefully first, then decide.  As with drugs, everyone reacts differently, so none of us can predict how it will affect you.  

[ILADVOCATE]

Short term memory loss is common but goes away. Long term memory loss is rarer but can happen. I've known people with depression with suicidal ideations whom ECT benefited but there's a newer option Trans Cranial Magnetic Stimulation that doesn't appear to have the long term side effect profile of ECT. Since its FDA approved for depression you might want to ask about it as well.

[joan315]

Don't be affraid of ECT. I was suffering from severe depression in '95. I was hospitalized for nearly a year. Doctors kept trying every kind of medication they could think of...nothing worked. ECT was finally offered to me. I was so worried. I didn;t even think they did that anymore! After watching the videos and talking to my family, I decided I had no other choice. I went for it. I had 8 treatments. IT SAVED MY LIFE!
There's no need to worry. The Doctors know exactly what they are doing.
They will take you into a small or/surgury type room. After administering a sedative to relax you, they will put you to sleep. No worries, no pain, nothing. It only takes a couple of minutes to do the procedure. When you wake up, you simply go back to your room and go on with your day. There is some short term memory loss, but over a period of time all should come back. I even laugh about some of the silly things that I couldn;t remember, right off, but everything came back over time. The great thing about it, is that there were NO suicidal thoughts. I mean none! For the first time in 35 years! It was amazing! It's hard to imagine it, right now, but you can actually be HAPPY again. I'm not blowing smoke....it works. It doesn't hurt, it's like going to sleep wishing you were dead, aand waking up looking forward to the rest of your life!  God bless and good luck!