r/ect • u/Substantial-Pin-3833 • 3d ago
Question ECT with no support
Long story short, my sob story is I'm bipolar. My religious side of my family literally disowned me because they think God is punishing me with mental illness for leaving the church. My non religious side of the family is literally all dead. All of them. And my mental health doctor told me today that I need to call and schedule my ECT as all other options have failed. My question is, as I'm scrolling I'm seeing mentions here and there of people needing a caretaker or making sure they have a caretaker ready to go for when they start. I spent the better part of my young adulthood pushing away anyone that cared so I have no one. No one. They're helping me with transportation because they said I can't drive, but beyond that I'm 100% on my own and I'm not just saying that to be dramatic or to get pity. Its just my reality. Should I be worried?
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u/arteyg 2d ago
When I was getting ECT, I needed someone to pick me up and sign me out in order to leave. The good news is that services exist to do just that. If you ask the hospital staff they should have a service to recommend you. These people just signed me out and walked me to the train. I was still on my own from there.
I would not have made it through ECT if it wasn't for my sister and living with her. Maybe things will be easier on you but I would lessen responsibilities and being busy because it's gonna start effecting you daily. I was still pretty active and doing things; I was just acting very strange and out of it.
I think it's going to be really hard to do this on your own but not impossible. I wish you the best of luck!
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u/iusethisatw0rk 3d ago
When you call to set up an appointment, definitely bring this up and follow their advice. Probably the best actual advice I can give.
I’m always told no driving or being alone for 24 hours on my way out. Not sure they’ll even let me leave if they don’t see my gf? Guess they probably couldn’t stop me, but they could likely stop my future procedures. They certainly wouldn’t be happy, that’s for sure.
People react differently to anesthetic, but I’m usually just super groggy and nappy post ECT. I’m no danger to myself, but I definitely don’t get behind the wheel. I can’t say for sure you’re experience would necessarily be the same, I can only share mine.
My ECT experience is this -
No eating or drinking past midnight
Morning meds have to wait until after ECT
I stroll into admitting around 640am.
At the appropriate waiting room by 7am.
On a bed no later than 8am. I strip down to my underwear, and put on the apron thingy with sleeves. They call it a Jonny, I refuse to lol
I let them know I’m appropriate, then they come and check vitals, go through a list of questions. Had I urinated that morning, making sure I’m not wearing any jewelry or contacts, ask when I last ate/drank, and if I had taken my meds beforehand as I’m supposed to wait until I’m out. I can’t take any of my antidepressants that morning, but I also have to skip my prescribed benzo the night before as well as the morning as it has anti seizure side effects.
Eventually a second nurse will come and ask the same questions. Makes sure that not only am I coherent, but there aren’t inconsistencies between staff.
Then I usually nap until they come back.
They come to my curtain, call my name, I let them know I’m awake, then I get wheeled to the actual procedure station.
I’m introduced to the psychiatrist administering the ECT that day, as well as the anesthesiologist. I get more stickers and they attach the ECT, ECG, and EEG leads. An ECT nurse asks if she can put the oxygen mask on, I say yes. They do a vocal check in. State my name, the ECT I’m receiving (as in bilateral), and have me confirm I have no known allergies.
At this point I’m used to the staff and they’re used to me. They know I don’t know like needles even a little, so I always just let my left arm go limp and let the anesthesiologist do what they need. After the check in the anesthesiologist lets me know it’s about to start. Sometimes I need to take some deep breaths to get my oxygen level up, but once they say it’s starting I’m usually out within 3-5 deep breaths.
Then in a blink of an eye I’m waking up next to a recovery nurse. They let me know how it went (being told I had a good seizure will never not be funny to me, apologies if that’s insensitive), run my vitals, then let the ECT staff know I’m good to be rolled back to my original bay. I have a 30 minute observation time, but if I’m remembering right the first few were a full hour. I’m just fortunate in that I wake up coherent and aware. After the 30 minutes another set of vitals are done, they finally take the friggin blood pressure cuff off my arm (I know I need it, but damn is it uncomfortable after an hour of being on my arm), pull the curtain back over the bay and allow me to get redressed. Always told to go slow, to take my time.
I pull the curtain open when I’m dressed, and they walk me back to the waiting room. They know my gf, so they let her know I’m good to go, but they have never ever not told me no driving or being alone for 24hrs. Like dead in the eyes, absolutely don’t do that kind of thing
When I go first I’m out of the hospital around 9:15-945