Ketamine Therapy

Anyone try it yet? Good results or bad? I'm highly considering doing it, but the cost is atrocious...

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Had a good friend in massive depression that did it.....turned his life around for the better.

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I thought this was a drug :woman_shrugging::woman_shrugging:

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Additive drug

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I've been doing periodic infusions for the past 5 years. It was a life saver. I struggle with bipolar disorder, primarily depression, and I've struggled to find the right medication combination to help with the depression.

My drug of choice has always been alcohol, but I have experimented with lots of other substances. I was a little nervous about purposely putting an abusable drug in my body, especially one I had used illicitly and enjoyed. I made sure to express my concerns to my psychiatrist and infusion doctors.

A couple things about ketamine that make it a lower risk: 1. Its addiction potential is lower than most drugs; it's not none, and in recovery, I have met people addicted to ketamine. 2. It has actually shown promise in helping addiction, particularly alcohol and opiates 3. If you do infusion, which I highly recommend over oral for nasal forms, it has to be given in a doctor's office, so you wouldn't have a prescription to abuse.

Granted, everyone is different, and if you think this would be beneficial to you, I highly recommend letting your doctor know about your concerns with your sobriety. For me, it's an essential part of helping me maintain a stable mood, and thus, sobriety.

When I did my first series of infusions (6 infusions over 3 weeks), I was in the worst place of my life. My wife had left me, the depression was over the top, and I basically just worked, came home and drank myself to sleep, and went to work again. The depression was overpowering, and I was self medicating big time.

The infusions helped immediately. My parents noticed that I was acting like my old self, before I fell into alcoholism and depression.

At first, I was doing booster infusions every 3 months, but when COVID hit, the stress and anxiety of it made me increase the frequency (as often as once a month), and I'm still progressively increasing the time between infusions (at 6 weeks now).

I can say so much about what a life saver this has been for me it's expensive (roughly $500/infusion), but it has been worth every penny.

Feel free to ask me anything about it I have a lot to say!

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It's an anasthetic, and in the past 10 years, it's been found to be a powerful anti-depressant. However, it is also abused, especially in the club scene.

i’ve been dying to but can’t afford it

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My adult daughter does ketamine therapy once a month. It has been a game changer for her depression management. Mass General (Boston) has an outstanding ketamine clinic.

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Ok because my cousin died from ketamine and she wasn’t about addiction so very confused. I guess knowing what happened to her I personally wouldn’t. But not my call.

It can definitely be dangerous when bought off the street, but when given by a doctor, it's a whole different thing. When I get my infusions, I'm on an ECG , a blood pressure monitor, and a pulse oximeter, and the nurse checks on me about every 5 minutes during the 40 minute infusion.

Just be careful. :pray::pray:. My cousin didn’t buy off the street. They found her dead at home.

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I just read into it and that sounds like a really good study for medical professionals to use .

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cI know a few vets who have done VA studies. They suffered from either ptsd, pain or both, with depression as a symptoms of the treated conditions. I have only heard good things and would try it myself for my own pain if the u ever offered it as an option for me.

Unfortunately they don't have any studies yet at my local VA.

It also has been proven helpful with OUD or opiod use disorder which I am marked with as a result of severe chronic pain. My one caution to you with starting ketamine therapy is that you communicate openly with you care team, that you caution your loved ones regarding g sign of prescription drug abuse and that you journal for the first few months so that if there is a subtle shift or negative side eggects it will be easier for you to recognize.

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It has been approved for use by the Australian Government to treat mental health.

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You said she did NOT buy off the street? So can I assume that she was prescribed it? And was she abusing her prescription?

I am asking because I have a consult with the VA

Doctor's are using it to treat mental health in what is called micro doses. The treatment is performed by a medical professional.

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The treatment is super expensive and not covered by insurance yet. It's still not FDA approved, but I've heard nothing but positive results.

I am grateful to have found a spiritual solution to my addictions. Ketamine treatment is not for me but I’m in no position to choose anything for anyone else.

I’ve heard promising things. Just do it from a professional. Ketamine was my DOC so it can be abused and even tho it’s a safe anesthetic it can be dangerous like anything but I’ve also heard promising things w bi polar, depression and trauma.

It can be but like lots of drugs in a safe environment/administered and correct amounts with therapy it can be beneficial. Like methadone/psilocybin/cannabis/SSRIs/morphine