Ketamine infusion therapy during medication withdrawal (abilify)

I would love to know more about this therapy as well. Hope you can get some feedback for all of us who are interested in alternative treatments.

@joy1976 It's great that you have an appointment with your prescribing doctor in a few days.

I've done a lot of reading in reliable and valid sources (peer-reviewed research literature and university websites) about ketamine infusion. I don't know anyone personally who has had ketamine infusions. Ketamine is not FDA approved for mental health at this point in time. From what I have read in the research literature there haven't been enough well-controlled clinical trials conducted to know about the effectiveness of ketamine infusions.

Have you reviewed the research literature on ketamine? Here is my go-to site at Johns Hopkins University:

What to know about ketamine from Johns Hopkins University:

-- https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2024/what-to-know-about-ketamine

Will you talk with your doctor about your interest in ketamine infusion?

I had 6 ketamine Infusions a couple years ago. It didn't help with my severe depression and anxiety. It still is worth a try for people with severe depression

One thing everyone should know is that it may take you on a weird audio and or hallucinatory trip. The trips got worse after 3 increasing doses . I got through the 6 doses only because I could open my eyes and see that I was still in the room. If an infusion gets too wacky you can quit at any time. Also ketamine is not fda approved for depression.

I've done at home treatments, 2x/wk for 8/months for several months & did find relief. (BetterU.com) That said, psychedelic therapy for it to be effective, needs to have a few things in place. Set & setting is crucial & lots of research prep, esp.if u are new to psychedelics.
I had lots of experience yrs ago w/diff.psychedelics & for me they played a big part in my worldview & perception of my place in it. I do have somewhat religious experiences, which are very compelling. But if I don't prepare & stick to a format, I'll just end up high as a kite, lol.
I encourage looking into the benefits but also getting familiar with how the drug works it's not like other psychedelics. It's actually considered "dirty"but its bcuz most psychedelics work on a couple simple receptors & are easy to understand but for ketamine, it works on multiple receptors which has made it hard to know exactly why it works as it does.
Ok, so the big effect for me was the Ego-Dissolution aspect. Being depressed, w/PTSD & in recovery, I get stuck in the big emotions, repetitive behaviors & intrusive thinking. A therapist can tell u to just relax, do some grounding, start a different behavior or redirect the intrusive thinking.....good luck, lol
Ketamine seems to do the work for u, & it changes synapses of the brain that would take so long to do by yourself by manually changing your behaviors.
I am better able to step outside myself & notice a woman wound up w/anxiety & I can more easily do something abt.it. I see I'm repeating behaviors, & can pull away easier & I catch the intrusive thoughts & can redirect & reframe easier.
I think everybody could use some Ego-Dissolution! This is just my experience & again I was well-versed in Ketamine beforehand. U would prob.want someone w/u (a "trip sitter) The company I used was great. Good luck!😌👌🙏🌬️

Thank you for the link, I’ll check it out. Yeah, I’m going to bring it up at the appt. But here’s the thing…the office that does my medication mgmt? They also do ketamine infusion therapy, lol. So that makes me wonder 🤔. I trust my doctor, but I’m going to keep that in mind as I try to find out more. We will see (nervous laughter).

Oh thank you for your message. I have no experience with ketamine or any other psychedelics, so I appreciate you sharing yours. Prev when I read about ketamine, it seemed as if it’s useful as a crisis intervention. I’m not there, yet. But I don’t know how this abilify withdrawal is going to pan out. I feel like every day, it gets more intense. I will def keep your suggestions in mind as I continue to ponder. I like the idea of doing it at home tho. My best friend is pretty versed on this subject and she’s shown interest in helping me too.
😻

I’m sorry it wasn’t helpful That’s a bummer, because it isn’t cheap.
I’ll def keep what you’re saying in mind. Thank you for the information/feedback :).

Ketamine can be taken in multiple ways, some of which are FDA-approved and others that are not. It is my understanding that all methods of delivery are usually done in a clinical setting for monitoring.

EXCERPT from https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/ketamine-for-anxiety
- Intravenous (IV) ketamine infusions: A slow, constant IV drip of ketamine is delivered directly into your bloodstream. This can only be done in a hospital or clinic setting.

- Intramuscular (IM) shots: Shots are injected into a large muscle, such as your thigh or arm, in a hospital or clinic setting.

- Sublingual tablets: This form of ketamine is prescribed for at-home use as a stand-alone treatment or for maintenance in between IV or IM treatments. You put a tablet under your tongue and allow it to dissolve slowly. It takes longer for your body to absorb this type of ketamine, so it’s generally considered to be less effective than other forms. Keep in mind this form of ketamine isn’t FDA-approved, so insurance likely won’t cover the cost.

- Nasal spray: Sprovato (esketamine) can only be administered at a hospital or doctor’s office because someone will need to monitor any side effects. You’ll use the spray once or twice weekly for the first 8 weeks, and then only once every week or 2 in the maintenance phase. Sometimes, Spravato is prescribed in combination with traditional anti-anxiety medication.

@joy1976, your questions lead me to additional questions that you may wish to confirm with your doctor.

"Ketamine, a drug available in intravenous (IV) and nasal spray (esketamine) forms, is being actively studied for treatment-resistant depression treatment. Both ketamine and esketamine are given in a doctor’s office or a clinic, and each is typically used alongside another antidepressant." Read more from Mayo Clinic:
- Ketamine for treatment-resistant depression: What you need to know https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/living-well/ketamine-for-treatment-resistant-depression-what-you-need-to-know/
- Treatment-resistant depression https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/treatment-resistant-depression/art-20044324

Do you have treatment resistent depression? Is your doctor suggesting ketamine instead of Abilify (aripiprazole)? Or is it being suggested to help taper off of Abilify (aripiprazole)? I've not heard of using ketamine as a crisis or bridge treatment.

Thanks for responding. You did 16 infusions at home with a nurse or it was a pill?