Electroconvulsive
Therapy
Contact Information
For More Information, Contact Us At:
616.281.6341
Current Patient Records, Payments:
pinerest.org/mychart
Aer-Hours Emergencies/Pine Rest
Contact Center:
Call 616.455.9200 or 800.678.5500
TTY 616.281.6446
Our Location
Neuromodulation Clinic — ECT/TMS
Building C, Entrance C4
300 68th Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49548
Neuromodulation
Clinic – ECT/ TMS
5/20 TO
pinerest.org/ect
What Are The Risks?
With any medical treatment there are risks
involved. The risks of ECT are related to the use
of the general anesthesia and to the treatment.
The most common side effects are nausea,
headaches, muscle aches, potential short-term/
long-term memory loss (usually memories right
around the time of the ECT treatments), and
possibly a serious complication of anesthesia.
Severe complications from anesthesia are
extremely rare.
What Are The Side Effects?
Many people do not experience significant
side effects from ECT. If you do experience
headaches, muscle aches or nausea, please let
the staff know. You may take some medications
to help decrease these side effects.
Other potential side effects consist of
confusion and memory loss. Usually, as people
awaken and become more alert, they become
less confused. Psychological tests show that
memory loss can occur for events that happen
a few weeks surrounding the treatments. While
psychological tests do not confirm permanent
memory loss, some patients report lasting
trouble remembering some things occurring
a few months prior to and/or aer their
treatments.
Summary
There have been many advances in the
treatment of mental illness over the years.
ECT remains the most effective and safe
treatment for some patients, particularly when
medications alone have been only partially
helpful or ineffective.
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a long-
established, safe and effective treatment.
Pine Rest has been providing ECT for over 50
years with the most current technology and
safety. Receiving treatment at the Pine Rest
Neuromodulation Clinic enables individuals to
receive ECT without requiring a hospital stay.
This brochure reviews some frequently asked
questions. If you still have more questions aer
reading, please talk to your psychiatrist or
nursing staff.
When Is ECT Helpful?
ECT is used as a treatment for depression,
catatonia, mania, schizoaffective disorder and
dementia complicated by an underlying mood
disorder.
How Does ECT Work?
ECT works to improve the patient’s mood. It
stabilizes sleep paern, appetite and increases
energy.
ECT involves the use of a brief seizure
within the brain. This seizure activity causes
biochemical changes that may help to decrease
your symptoms or even cause them to stop. The
results of ECT can oen be seen more quickly
than the results of medications.
It usually takes about 4–6 treatments to begin
to experience benefits. A full course of ECT is
usually 10–12 treatments. Frequently, others will
notice an improvement before you do.
Even though ECT may decrease or end a
depression, it will not prevent another episode
from occurring weeks, months or years later.
Because of this, you and your doctor will need
to discuss what you will do aer treatments
are completed. Many people use medications
to prevent this relapse, some people use
maintenance ECT.
How Do I Start ECT
Treatments?
To begin ECT, your psychiatrist will determine
if ECT will be of benefit for you. You will also
be seen by a Pine Rest ECT credentialed
psychiatrist. A Pine Rest general medicine
physician will review your medical history, EKG
and blood work results.
Do I Need To Be Hospitalized?
Treatments are given to both inpatients
and outpatients. If you commute, you must
have someone drive you home. Because of
anesthesia, you may not drive aer an ECT
treatment or the rest of that day. Aer an ECT
treatment, you must have someone stay with
you the rest of the day.
When IsECT Given?
An acute series of ECT is typically given three
times a week on Monday, Wednesday and
Friday mornings. They are administered by a
team of physicians and nurses who have had
specialized training and experience in this type
of treatment.
Can I Take My Medications
Before An ECTTreatment?
You must not eat or drink anything aer
midnight the night before your treatment. If
you take medications such as Ativan, Xanax or
Klonopin, do not take any aer 5 p.m. the night
before your treatment. These medications will
interfere with your treatment. On the morning
of your treatment you may brush your teeth, but
do not swallow the water. Do not chew gum or
suck on hard candies or cough drops.
If you are taking heart or blood pressure
medications, you should take those medications
the morning of your treatments with sips of
water—only enough water to swallow them. Talk
with your psychiatrist and/or nursing staff about
the medications you are taking.
What Happens When I Get
To TheClinic?
When you arrive in the clinic, the staff will
greet you. They will take your blood pressure,
direct you to the restroom and may give you
a hospital gown. The staff will direct you to
the Prep Room where they will help you onto
a stretcher. They will raise the head of the
stretcher to make you feel more comfortable.
An intravenous (IV) line, through which
medications will be given, is placed.
In the treatment room, there will be a
psychiatrist, anesthesiologist and a registered
nurse to care for you. The registered nurse
will take your blood pressure and place a
device on your finger to monitor your oxygen
saturation. The anesthesiologist will give
medication through your IV which will make
you sleep and relax your muscles. You will be
asleep for about 10 minutes.
While you are asleep, a brief electrical
stimulus is given to induce a seizure. Because
you are asleep, you will not feel any pain. The
seizure is what causes the chemical changes
in your brain, not the electricity. Typically,
the length of the seizure is only about 30-60
seconds. There will be very lile body
movement due to the muscle relaxant used.
When you wake up, you will be transferred to
the Recovery Room.
In the Recovery Room, your blood pressure
and oxygen saturation will be monitored and
your IV will be removed. Usually your stay will
last 20-30 minutes.