treatments Archives - Page 8 of 11 - Bipolar Burble Blog

What Happens When You Talk About ECT?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Mar 25, 2011

Thanks for everyone who took the time to read my electroconvulsive therapy primer and the Badger’s personal experience of ECT. Most people were really respectful in their opinions and asked great questions. As per the usual, however, electroconvulsive therapy is a controversial, contentious and polarizing topic that brings out people’s abusive side pretty quickly.

The Goal of Sharing a Personal ECT Experience

My goal in having a personal ECT experience shared here is to provide the perspective that many people silently have – ECT works, it works quickly, and it works with few side effects. (That’s few, not none.) This is not to say this is everyone’s experience, because it certainly isn’t, but statistically speaking, most (more than half of) people have a positive response to ECT.

Myths, Realities and Journey Through ECT – by BiPolar Badger

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Mar 22, 2011

This post was controversial even before posted; clearly underscoring how much people need to talk about ECT. The Bipolar Burble welcomes Steven Schwartz, the BiPolar Badger, and his experiences with electroconvulsive therapy.

Myths, Realities and Journey Through ECT – by the BiPolar Badger

I was 9-years-old in 1975 when One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest came out. I remember watching it on our floral, pleather sofa, late one night on TV. It scared the crap out of me; this was the first time in my life I saw E.C.T. (electroconvulsive therapy, previously electroshock therapy or shock therapy) and little could I imagine that one day I would find myself in McMurphy’s position.

After Third ECT Treatment – How Do I Feel? Less Depressed.

Electroconvulsive Therapy Works (ECT, shock therapy)

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Mar 20, 2011

Natasha Tracy and the Bipolar Burble welcome Steven Schwartz, the BiPolar Badger as a guest blogger later this week. Steven will be speaking from the point of view of someone who has chosen to get electroconvulsive therapy treatments and is in the middle of his current series of electroconvulsive therapy treatments.

Electroconvulsive Therapy Primer

In preparation for Steven’s piece, I’ve written this primer.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the second most controversial medical procedure. (Abortion is the first.) Certainly when I write about ECT it seems to prove the controversy of this topic. And it doesn’t matter what I say about ECT, even if it’s not pro or con, people insist on expressing very strong viewpoints on the use of ECT. And yes, I have had ECT.

And generally the strong viewpoints are anti-ECT. They are from the ECT-is-torture crowd. A prevalent crowd online, to be sure, but someone needs to actually talk about the facts of ECT.

What’s triple chronotherapy like? Did it work?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Nov 28, 2010

I followed the Triple Chronotherapy protocol Thursday – Monday last week. I wrote in laymen’s terms about circadian rhythm and Chronotherapy when I started and then copious updates afterwards. (At the end of this post you can see rough numbers tracking mood during my treatment.)

It’s important to note that I did this without medical supervision and so my thoughts cannot necessarily be generalized to what would happen in a clinical setting. And I don’t need to tell you this, but don’t try this at home kids. Bad things can happen.

During Day One of Chronotherapy

Staying up for 36 hours isn’t fun. I would imagine most people instinctively know this, but I can now say with certainty that 36 hours is too long to be awake.

The changes I noticed during this time were:

A lot of dizziness, difficulty going from sitting to standing
Lack of coordination
Nausea, lack of hunger
General feeling of weakness and unwellness
Depletion of cognitive ability
Disconnection from the world around me

This was not fun in the slightest and the only thing that kept me grounded was a friend that stayed up with me.

Circadian Rhythm Chronotherapy – Experiment Check-in 9

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Nov 21, 2010

Sunday, 7:00 AM

Still on the ridiculous chronotherapy experiment schedule.

Last night I did get about six hours of sleep, which I do appreciate, but it is seriously not enough sleep for me. I get the impression this protocol suggests that seven hours is the “right” amount of sleep for people. These people are nutbar. OK, probably not nutbar but unreasonable. Never in my life has seven hours of sleep been enough for me. The bags under my eyes appear to have been chiseled there. Getting up at 3:00 AM just felt like an inhumane torture…

Circadian Rhythm Chronotherapy – Experiment Check-in 8

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Nov 20, 2010

Saturday, 7:15 PM

I’m getting ready for the second 7-hour stretch of sleep. Honestly, I’m not sure whether I’m awake or not at this point. So little sleep over so many days. This has been the longest month, um, week, um I mean, three days ever. Want to make time stand still? Try not sleeping.

The day has been so up and down in energy and mood fluctuations that I feel like my molecules are spinning apart a little. Perhaps I will become see-through…

Circadian Rhythm Chronotherapy – Experiment Check-in 7

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Nov 20, 2010

Saturday, 12:30 PM

On goes the chronotherapy experiment.

For the last couple of hours I’ve regained a bit of energy. I guess it’s those early morning hours that are the biggest bitch, but then they would be, if you don’t sleep. Still definitely exhausted.

My brain still feels like it’s sliding out my ears. It’s all squishy and porous. Thoughts are leaking. I can’t seem to maintain a ribbon of logic…

Circadian Rhythm Chronotherapy – Experiment Check-in 6

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Nov 20, 2010

Saturday, 7:30 AM

Continuing on the chronotherapy experiment…

Seriously dude, I am tired. Like, really. Two days with almost no sleep. I am not fun to be around either. Growly. Annoyed. Nauseated. Brain-dead. Mistake-ful. Comprehension-challenged. Hurting. Dizzy. Icky. Not with the happy.

It’s not the end of the world. I’m not homicidal or anything but I really, really want to sleep now…

Circadian Rhythm Chronotherapy – Experiment Check-in 5

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Nov 20, 2010

Saturday, 1:30 AM

Continuing on the chronotherapy experiment…

Thus ends the first sleep. It was supposed to be 7 hours but apparently, that was not to be. I went to bed at 6:oo PM as directed, but sleep would not come. I didn’t sleep any sleep medication as I felt that after 36 hours I would actually fall asleep on my own. Ah, have I learned nothing about my brain!?…