What happens on the day of your ECT treatment?

• If you are an inpatient, a member of staff will come with you to the ECT suite. They will know about your illness and can explain what is happening. Many ECT suites are happy for family members to stay in the waiting room while you have your treatment.
• You will be met by a member of the ECT staff, who will do routine physical checks (if they have not already been done).
• You will be asked before every treatment about your memory and how good it is.
•  If you are having ECT voluntarily staff will check that you are still willing to have it, and will ask if you have any further questions.
• When you are ready, the ECT staff will take you into the treatment area.
• The staff will connect monitoring equipment to measure your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels and brain waves.
• You will be given oxygen to breathe through a mask. The anaesthetist will give you an anaesthetic through an injection into the back of your hand.

 

What happens while you are asleep?

• While you are asleep, the anaesthetist will give you a muscle relaxant and a mouth guard will be put in your mouth to protect your teeth.
• Two metal discs will be placed on your head. In bilateral ECT, one goes on each side of your head, while in unilateral ECT both go on the same side of your head.
• The ECT machine will deliver a series of brief electrical pulses, for three to eight seconds. This will result in a controlled fit which lasts for an average of 40 seconds, and may last up to 120 seconds. Your body will stiffen and then there will be twitching, usually seen in your hands, feet and face. The muscle relaxant reduces how much your body moves.
• The dose of the electric pulses given is based on the amount needed to induce a fit. Your response will be monitored, and the dose adjusted as necessary.

 

What happens when you wake up?

• The muscle relaxant will wear off within a couple of minutes. As you are starting to wake up, staff will take you through to the recovery area. Here, an experienced nurse will look after you until you are fully awake.
• The nurse will take your blood pressure and ask you simple questions to check how awake you are. There will be a small monitor on your finger to measure the oxygen in your blood. You may wake up with an oxygen mask. It can take a while to wake up fully and, at first, you might not know where you are.
• After half an hour or so, these effects should have worn off and you will be asked some simple questions to check this.
• Most ECT suites have a second area where you can sit and have a cup of tea or some other light refreshment. You will leave the ECT suite when your physical state is stable, and you feel ready to do so.
  The whole process usually takes about an hour.
• In the 24 hours after each treatment, you should not drink alcohol or sign any legal documents.
• You should have a responsible adult with you for 24 hours.