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(Ketamine) Therapy for chronic pain?

I

Ithurtsdic

Guest
With all bs about opiates or opioids in the press I have been reduced to hydrocodone 5mg tid for multiple spinal dysfunctions. I am in a clinic however that is preparing to offer Ketamine infusion therapy. Does anyone reading have experience with this drug under a controlled situation?
 
Interesting question. I know a fair few who've had it under controlled circumstances for depression, but not pain relief. Let's hope you get some replies.
 
I’ve been looking at this for pain and depression as well. Expensive though and not covered by insurance.
 
I know some members on here have discussed there experiences.... Speed king might know off hand some info
 
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Speed King is definitely worth asking about it. simco has experience using it for depression.

And apparently some insurance providers do cover some degree of certain types of ketamine analgesic/mood related disorders, but generally speaking it is pretty expensive.
 
Hello everybody! I understand a bit about the therapy. The Ketamine helps reset your pain receptors and in my case, proven antidepressant effects. I am actually having an infusion next Monday. :) Every clinic is different. Hospitals use it for pain reduction. I was officially told that I had over sensitive pain receptors. After my first treatment, no more opiates. The clinic I go to gives me 500 mg I.V. Ketamine over 8 hours, with a nice dose to get you started. YMMV, but I get a treatment now, every 6 weeks. I have found that six weeks is about when I start to hurt. It has anti depressant effects. How long it lasts and how much you need, depend on you. Every time I have a treatment, I end up asking the nurse if I was moved and how I acted. I was always told that I was in one place and was fine. I'll leave it at that. From what I have learned so far, For pain, the 500 mg, every 6 weeks is great. If you have no pain, just depression, a lower amount would work, at shorter intervals. That is based completely on my experience. Some people get infusions twice a week. I believe if you are relaxed and focused on either the pain or depression, you will get more out of treatment. It is definitely worth a shot. As far as needing less or quitting opiates or opioids I was on a nice dose of Oxymorphone daily. They were the generics that had no safety mechanism. I was then was switched by a douche bag doctor, to Percocet. It was garbage. I said fuck it and quit. I had / have a decent opiate / opioid tolerance. Before Ketamine, Oxycodone didn't touch my pain level. Now Hydrocodone works excellent. I don't even think about pills now. I say go for it, in a legitimate setting. It is worth a shot. If you elect for treatment, don't look for any effects. You will know if it works for you.
 
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I could be wrong, but I can't imagine any insurance (in the U.S.) covering such treatment, regardless of what's being treated, so I'm very curious as to the costs involved. I was diagnosed schizoaffective, and have tried all sorts of medications for both psychotic and mood symptoms, with little luck overall. If there's even a small chance that ketamine therapy could help with my mood symptoms (particularly depression), that would be amazing. My only concern would be possible exacerbation of any psychosis. I've never taken ketamine, and and not sure how much of a risk that might be.

Any further info you could provide would be much appreciated, SK.
 
It depends on what insurance you have, but it is usually covered. Simply check with your provider.
 
Speed King said:
Hello everybody! I understand a bit about the therapy. The Ketamine helps reset your pain receptors and in my case, proven antidepressant effects. I am actually having an infusion next Monday. :) Every clinic is different. Hospitals use it for pain reduction. I was officially told that I had over sensitive pain receptors. After my first treatment, no more opiates. The clinic I go to gives me 500 mg I.V. Ketamine over 8 hours, with a nice dose to get you started. YMMV, but I get a treatment now, every 6 weeks. I have found that six weeks is about when I start to hurt. It has anti depressant effects. How long it lasts and how much you need, depend on you. Every time I have a treatment, I end up asking the nurse if I was moved and how I acted. I was always told that I was in one place and was fine. I'll leave it at that. From what I have learned so far, For pain, the 500 mg, every 6 weeks is great. If you have no pain, just depression, a lower amount would work, at shorter intervals. That is based completely on my experience. Some people get infusions twice a week. I believe if you are relaxed and focused on either the pain or depression, you will get more out of treatment. It is definitely worth a shot. As far as needing less or quitting opiates or opioids I was on a nice dose of Oxymorphone daily. They were the generics that had no safety mechanism. I was then was switched by a douche bag doctor, to Percocet. It was garbage. I said fuck it and quit. I had / have a decent opiate / opioid tolerance. Before Ketamine, Oxycodone didn't touch my pain level. Now Hydromorphone works excellent. I don't even think about pills now. I say go for it, in a legitimate setting. It is worth a shot. If you elect for treatment, don't look for any effects. You will know if it works for you.
Click to expand...

This is really great news SK! And thanks for sharing your experience, really interesting to read :)

I love how it's hitting two birds with one stone as well. Sounds like a pretty efficient treatment.
 
Speed King said:
Hello everybody! I understand a bit about the therapy. The Ketamine helps reset your pain receptors and in my case, proven antidepressant effects. I am actually having an infusion next Monday. :) Every clinic is different. Hospitals use it for pain reduction. I was officially told that I had over sensitive pain receptors. After my first treatment, no more opiates. The clinic I go to gives me 500 mg I.V. Ketamine over 8 hours, with a nice dose to get you started. YMMV, but I get a treatment now, every 6 weeks. I have found that six weeks is about when I start to hurt. It has anti depressant effects. How long it lasts and how much you need, depend on you. Every time I have a treatment, I end up asking the nurse if I was moved and how I acted. I was always told that I was in one place and was fine. I'll leave it at that. From what I have learned so far, For pain, the 500 mg, every 6 weeks is great. If you have no pain, just depression, a lower amount would work, at shorter intervals. That is based completely on my experience. Some people get infusions twice a week. I believe if you are relaxed and focused on either the pain or depression, you will get more out of treatment. It is definitely worth a shot. As far as needing less or quitting opiates or opioids I was on a nice dose of Oxymorphone daily. They were the generics that had no safety mechanism. I was then was switched by a douche bag doctor, to Percocet. It was garbage. I said fuck it and quit. I had / have a decent opiate / opioid tolerance. Before Ketamine, Oxycodone didn't touch my pain level. Now Hydromorphone works excellent. I don't even think about pills now. I say go for it, in a legitimate setting. It is worth a shot. If you elect for treatment, don't look for any effects. You will know if it works for you.
Click to expand...

Very interesting indeed. I dd read about this in the media some years back but thats the last I heard. Im assuming they have done significant research on the long term use of this treatment. It will be nice to see the future of this treatment.

Can i just ask though when youre receiving the treatment do you get a ketamine high (maybe even khole?). Would be awesome treatment if you did =D
 
I wouldn’t say k-hole, but very nice introspection. Things can get mentally stimulating. I find myself able to view issues and other things that I may have difficulty addressing otherwise much easier, due to the feeling of relief that is present.

I have noticed that B complex vitamins seem to brighten things up.
 
That's 62.5 mg for 8 hours iv? 6.25 mg every minute? That's a lot. I can imagine getting very lost in that. I'm sure in a sterile hospital setting with proper care to make it a comfortable and positive setting you could dissolve away, but to say the least most would definitely dissolve away at that dose.

Anyways I'm going to go back and finish reading the posts.
 
tacodude said:
That's 62.5 mg for 8 hours iv? 6.25 mg every minute? That's a lot. I can imagine getting very lost in that. I'm sure in a sterile hospital setting with proper care to make it a comfortable and positive setting you could dissolve away, but to say the least most would definitely dissolve away at that dose.

Anyways I'm going to go back and finish reading the posts.
Click to expand...

This would be my biggest concern, whether the experience would be a pleasant, smooth ride, or a trigger for psychosis, aspects of which I live with on a daily basis. I've taken LSD, shrooms, 2-CB and other hallucinogens in the past, but stopped once my already present, but rather insignificant psychotic symptoms worsened. The only dissociative drug I ever tried was DXM, which I did not enjoy. Just a lot of questions all around, most of which would be best left to a doctor I suppose.
 
I doubt you would be OK with ketamine then unless you can learn to let go. It's not an uncomfortable feeling, but it is quite an intense physical feeling and if one fights it then it could be uncomfortable.

I'm speaking from my own at home iv experience. I can't comment on continuous iv, which could be less intense and actually a lot more amazing.
 
Before I started any trearment, my pain doctor had me discuss the usage of Ketamine with my psych doctor before my very first treatment.

The face of my psych doctor lit up noticably when I ran the idea past her. She was very keen to the usage of Ketamine for pain and depression.

I told her that I had used Ketamine once before 20 years prior, recreationally. I explained the effect that it still had on me. She was cool with it.

The very first Ketamine Infusion I simply was knocked out, with one memory of waking up with blurry vision feeling like I was on aof a heavy dose of Soma. I was detached and also recall the nurse helping me piss.

That was treatment number 1.

Where I am treated, the treatment goes like this:

You get in the hospital bed and they set up an I.V.
The doctor or medical intern (they are the best) first Inject, 2 mg’s Midazolam (in my case) to calm you down and I suppose dial down the side effect of feeling it and getting scared.

They proceed to explain what’s going on and give you a shot to set get you started. I may have misheard, but I believe on one occasion I was told I was getting 80 mg’ s to start.

From what I understand after that, they monitor your vital signs.

I have aksed them if I was moved during the treatment. They say no. I haven’t had a bad time ever and I am going on my 7th or 8th treatment in less th n a week.

I always have a great time.

When you train yourself how to be lucid, it gets better. You are able to sort through the mental stuff much more efficiently.
 
Thanks for the info Speed King :)

I noticed UCLA is having a new run of trials using ketamine to treat depression. Might try to sign up...
 
I can see the midazolam changing it a lot. Based on what speed king said I take back my last statement and that it wouldn't be too much I'd scootin wanted to do the treatment
 
Even with ongoing psychotic symptoms? If the treatment we're unlikely to cause much issue in that department I'd definitely be eager to try it and hopefully find some much needed relief regarding my inconsistent and often unpredictable mood shifts.

And again, Speed King, the information you've provided here is much appreciated.
 
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