ADVERTISEMENT

Q. Is shock therapy a safe treatment for depression?

Answered by
Dr. Ramchandra Lamba
and medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team.
This is a premium question & answer published on Aug 05, 2017 and last reviewed on: Aug 25, 2022

Hello doctor,

My 48-year-old mother is probably suffering from recurrent unipolar depression as per the treatment that the local psychiatrist is giving. It seems that the medicines are not working this time. She is not able to get up from the bed and does not feel like doing anything, even her daily routine work. She has been taking Tritin 20 mg to 60 mg for the last five years. The doctor now recommends ECT after trying different medicine combinations over the last four months. She got into a similar situation five years ago but recovered with medicines. I want a second opinion regarding the same.

#

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

As your mother is suffering from treatment-resistant depression, she is not responding to multiple drugs. ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) is a good treatment modality with very few side effects if administrated properly. Also, there are unlikely any long-term side effects of this.

Now, considering the situation, ECT is a good option for your mother. Also, the results of ECT are faster compared to antidepressants. ECT is also effective when drugs fail, and it is most valuable when the person is suffering from severe depression and also has suicidal thoughts.

So, you should not hesitate because it is a good modality for treatment-resistant depression.

Thank you doctor,

Can you please explain in detail what you mean by 'if administrated properly'? Is there anything specific we need to take care of? Should it be done in a big city? In my town, there is only one center where ECT is done. Also, can you please give more details about the probable side effects and what kind of precautions should be taken by us, for the patient, as a family?

#

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

It means that proper pre-anesthetic care has been taken like:

1. The patient should be on overnight fasting.2. The pre-anesthetic drugs are used under the supervision of an anesthetist.3. The general physical condition of the patient is good.4. There is no contradiction in the use of anesthetic agents.

Generally, ECT is quite safe, and minor side effects like post-ECT headache and muscle pain will be there that are easily manageable. Major side effects like post ECT confusion and memory loss for the time around which the ECT was given are rare. However, permanent memory loss does not occur.

Death can occur as a very rare side effect, the incidence of which is around one in a hundred thousand, which is more favorable than the risk associated with anesthesia used for other surgical procedures and childbirth.


Was this answer helpful?

 | 

Same symptoms doesn’t mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!



Related Questions:
Why am I experiencing memory loss after a head injury?

I have been experiencing a major amount of memory loss such as not remembering what we are learning in class or what I had written down just a day before ...   Read full

Can I get a spinal block for laparotomy instead of general anesthesia?

Hello doctor, I have been diagnosed with a 13 cm complex cyst in left ovary and have a laparotomy (small 3 to 4 inches vertical incision under my belly button to get rid of ovarian cyst) coming up and I would feel so much better if I could just get ...   Read full

I have been experiencing memory loss.I also feel extremely tired and my hands are shaky.

Hello doctor, My son is 10 years old. But his height is a great concern for me as he is only 125 cm and weighs about 27.3 kg. Recently he got an x-ray of his hands to know his bone age. The x-ray revealed that it is 9.4. Please comment....   Read full

Also Read Answers From:

ideaComprehensive Medical Second Opinion.Submit your Case

Also Read


Coronavirus Variant Arcturus: | Omicron XBB.1.16 Variant
Arcturus is an emerging variant of the Omicron virus that causes various symptoms and spreads rapidly across the world. ...  Read more»
Adrenaline Rush - Symptoms, Causes, Effects, and How to Control
Adrenaline is a hormone responsible for fight or flight response. It is also a neurotransmitter and medicine. It is also...  Read more»
Fatty Liver - Types, Symptoms, Stages, and Treatment
The liver is the largest gland in the body. Its primary function is to process the food and drinks we consume. and filte...  Read more»

Ask your health query to a doctor online?

Ask a Psychiatrist Now

* guaranteed answer within 4 hours.

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.