This isn’t my first go around with a psychiatrist. I’ve been off and on psych meds for 15 years. I have been diagnosed with bipolar II, depression, anxiety, CPTSD, eating disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, trichtillomania, insomnia, and night terrors.

Some of my reactions have been steven-Johnson syndrome, tardive dyskinesia, akathesia, arrhythmia, becoming catatonic, multi-organ failure (very low-dose lithium within 1mo), severe aggression (caught an assault and battery charge at 16)…and that’s just what I remember.

My dr has went as far as doing genetic testing. I have been in and out of psych hospitals most of my adult life for trying to magic eraser myself. Honestly, the list goes in. I am also in intensive therapy. My Tardive Dyskinesia and Akathesia has been in “remission” (for lack of better wording) since May 29, 2021.

Today I had my appt with psych and he said since seeing the results of my genetic testing, he only sees 2 meds that are safe for me. One has a very high likely hood of getting my TD and akathesia started back up full force. Med 2 is very likely to flip me to being manic. When I’m manic, I destroy everyone and everything I love. Option 3 is ECT (electroconvolsive therapy). 

Has anyone had ECT? What was it like? Did you have success? What were the side effects?