Ketamine ... Not sure about it

Hi, everyone, looking for your experiences with ketamine. I am scheduled for an infusion next week. What I'm reading is a little scary. I know everyone is different, and I hope I won't have some of the side effects listed.

Laura (CRPS Patient) I did a forum search and found some of your old posts about it. Doesn't sound like it was effective for you!

Honestly, the infusion process is supposed to last about 4 hours. If I'm out of pain for that amount of time, or it is reduced significantly, I will be a happy camper. The only thing that scares me is the hallucination part of the process that can happen, though my doctor told me they use some type of benzo (mazlam or something, can't remember the name) to prevent those adverse reactions.

I really, really like the nurses and the rest of the staff at the procedure center at my doc's office, so at least I feel comfortable with that, and that they'd know what to do to help if I did in fact start hallucinating ... ugh ...

Anyway, your experience, as always, is appreciated.

Ketamine is a strange drug and causes some strange sensations and reactions and they very from one person to the next,no I have never had it but watched my 6 year old under it while having an emergency procedure after she had an accident and had to have teeth removed and many stitches in the roof of her mouth,and it was the scariest thing I have ever watched!!

She was like awake but looked as though no one was home?? Lol When she turned and looked at whomever or whatever she thought I was it was like looking into the eyes of death,no soul,spookiest darn thing I had seen in all my days. It came on so fast as she was sitting up on the stretcher watching me and all of the sudden her entire facial expression melted away. Not trying to scare you trying to warn you not take family with you as it will literally terrify them!!

As for working I have no idea I know she remembers nothing not a minute even prior to the Keta,doesnt even recall the accident that happened many hours before this so that was a blessing as she was in a great deal of pain and scared to death.

The infusion is at a much lower dose over time than say someone needing it for conscious sedation. So I don't know how that works. I have looked into this for possible crps in my arm but have no official dx of it yet. I will say the one time I had Ketimine IM AT THE ORAL SURGEON TO HAVE JAW WIRED SHUT, I KEPT SCREAMING " I don't know what's going on" and thought monsters were pulling my teeth out...but again that a one big dose at once. There is good research on this being effective & I hope it helps you. Trust your Drs, but know it it is weird medicine. Jmo good luck! When ru doing this? Please keep us all posted

Hey BTL,

Yeah, definitely can't say my experiences of it have been the best - that said, I know a lot of people who've been through ket infusions (it's done pretty commonly here for CRPS especially, but other neuropathic pain stuff as well) and have known some of those to get amazing results.

I think the protocols between the US & Australia are quite different - over here it tends to be a low dose given over 7-10 days. Pretty sure the dose used by US drs is higher, even though it's still a sub-anaesthetic dose.

Hallucinations really aren't as common as they're made out to be I think...there's a lot of scaremongering done by people who want to warn you away from drugs in general (a bit like what goes on with opioid meds) - and if they're going to give you midazolam or another benzo as a premed, hopefully you should be okay. Obviously you know I've had other issues - with dysphoria & panic stuff mainly - but in all my time on ketamine (would add up to more than a month all up I think, I've experienced hallucinations only a couple of times.

The most important thing is that you communicate everything with your nurses. If you start feeling sick or out of control, tell them. They can do things like slow the infusion rate or give you extra meds to manage the side effects.

Fingers crossed it helps. Not sure how much I'll be around the forum over the weekend, but if you want to talk, feel free to send me an email.

Laura

BTL,

I can't recommend it. I had it once pre-surgery because I refused Versed. It gave me confusion, hallucinations, itching, difficulty talking, remembering words, and amnesia for 4 days.

Definitely not a miracle drug imo. It's on my list of drugs I refuse. I carry my lists of drug reactions and allergies with me at all times.

You shouldn't schedule doing anything, including driving, for at least a few days after doing this.

The office, when I talked to them to cancel the appointment, said they give you versed along with the ketamine.

So, I will sleep through it, which should mean no hallucinations or anything, right?

They use ketamine in Canada, England, Australia as a ketamine coma for a few days sometimes or a few hours sometimes depending in the diagnosis and the dr. In the US ketamine comas are illegal so it's administered over the course of hours not days. I want it's bad for stage 3 adhesive arachnoiditis pain! I know of a pastor and a friend that did get it and the pain relief lasted a few months and a friend also. I know a lady with arach that had it administered for a few hours in Dallas and had no hallucinations and just slept through it but pain relief only lasted a few hours like 3-4 hours. I am so hoping that you get pain relief and no hallucinations! You are very lucky!!!

Yes, I knew versed was a type of anaesthesia, although I guess technically it's a benzo?

Anyway, I am going through with it. My doctor thinks my next option after that is an SCS. I don't want to do that. :(