I am going to be evaluated for this again tomorrow.
Formerly, I had oral and intranasal ketamine back in 2015 for severe facial neuropathy. I also have orthopedic pain (arthritis in my spine and in my knees). I also have avascular necrosis in both hips and knees (probably other areas. The facial pain was resistant to any oral pain meds tried (gabapentin, trileptal, lortab, oxycodone (sometimes I did have some effect from oxy though not consistently), morphine, and diladud). I had oral troches and nasal as well as a paste for the oral pain that was applied topically). The facial/oral pain was following nerve damage from a severe oral infection as well as the subsequent oral surgery. Oral pain is typically resistant to meds. I am DNR/DNI and did not want injections or any other intervention. Ketamine was one of the few things that actually helped. And statistically is safer than opiates.
The downside was the expense. The pain management visit was covered by insurance but the cost of the oral/intranasal/topical ketamine was not covered. Comparatively to opaites the actual cost is reasonable, it's just a lot when it's coming out of your pocket.
Tomorrow, I am hoping that they will give me the troches and/or nasal spray. The pain is from fibromyalgia, peripheral neuropathy and the arthritis/avascular necrosis (nice double whammy). Currently opiates are only partially effective and make it difficult to work due to cognitive effects. I have filed for disability (you can work but can only make $1500/month). I have got to have some kind of income as I prefer not to wind up homeless.
I had 6 IVs of it over 1.5 weeks. On the 6th day, I dev a huge hive on my Rt leg. I felt more pain then than I did before I had a single bit of ketamine. Why don’t they first inject a little under the skin of the forearm to see if a person is allergic? Also why were you and I not offered an IV of saline to flush it out of our system bc here I am 1.5 yrs later with burning headaches after eating any food and on days the temp outside is very cold. And I’ve lost muscle.
It is making me angry that people are not getting the proper treatments and care. This is serious business, and I am sorry for anyone who has had a bad experience because protocols are not being followed. The treatment gets a bad name and is only known as the party drug that killed a "Friend."
I have been fortunate to have a wonderful experience with my provider. They are a hub of mental health care. They offer individual and group therapy to compliment the ketamine and Spravato treatments. And I still have all my limbs because it does not cost an arm and a leg.
I know that others may not have the same options and experience. My hope is for everyone to find something that will help.
It is making me angry that people are not getting the proper treatments and care. This is serious business, and I am sorry for anyone who has had a bad experience because protocols are not being followed. The treatment gets a bad name and is only known as the party drug that killed a "Friend."
I have been fortunate to have a wonderful experience with my provider. They are a hub of mental health care. They offer individual and group therapy to compliment the ketamine and Spravato treatments. And I still have all my limbs because it does not cost an arm and a leg.
I know that others may not have the same options and experience. My hope is for everyone to find something that will help.
My experience with ketamine treatments has not provided me with positive results. One needed to be driven to and from treatments because it was that strong and with no proven results. Would recommend trying mushrooms.
My experience with ketamine treatments has not provided me with positive results. One needed to be driven to and from treatments because it was that strong and with no proven results. Would recommend trying mushrooms.
I dislocated my hip weeks ago. I'm a recovering addict (14 years) and am still on Suboxone (it basically closes the receptors for stronger opiates).
I was at the gym and the EMTs came and gave me 200 mcgs of fentanyl. Didn't do a thing. At the ER they have me another 100 mikes of fentanyl. Nothing.
I was in a LOT of pain by then and had to wait while the ER Dr attended to life and death situations. I was given two doses of ketamine to give me some relief. I had never had ketamine before. It was like my pain was in a box and I was sitting next to it, without a care in the world.
Unfortunately ketamine doesn't last long and 30 minutes later was back in a lot of pain.
When they finally did the "closed reduction" (basically yanking my leg to get the femoral head back in the socket), they started with another ketamine dose followed by a low dose of propofol. I don't remember much after that other than an outline of a shadowy person standing over me.
That was a partial hallucination brought on by the ketamine. Anyway it all worked and the Dr did indeed stand up on the table, hook his elbow behind the knee of the affected leg, and with the assistance of two big, male nurses holding my hips, yanked the femur back into place. I didn't feel a thing and don't remember them doing this (they explained after).
Damn, that ketamine is some fun stuff. Thank God there is no easy way to get it. I'd like to preserve my sobriety, and going through a joint dislocation is not worth the high.
Hi,
I am going to be evaluated for this again tomorrow.
Formerly, I had oral and intranasal ketamine back in 2015 for severe facial neuropathy. I also have orthopedic pain (arthritis in my spine and in my knees). I also have avascular necrosis in both hips and knees (probably other areas. The facial pain was resistant to any oral pain meds tried (gabapentin, trileptal, lortab, oxycodone (sometimes I did have some effect from oxy though not consistently), morphine, and diladud). I had oral troches and nasal as well as a paste for the oral pain that was applied topically). The facial/oral pain was following nerve damage from a severe oral infection as well as the subsequent oral surgery. Oral pain is typically resistant to meds. I am DNR/DNI and did not want injections or any other intervention. Ketamine was one of the few things that actually helped. And statistically is safer than opiates.
The downside was the expense. The pain management visit was covered by insurance but the cost of the oral/intranasal/topical ketamine was not covered. Comparatively to opaites the actual cost is reasonable, it's just a lot when it's coming out of your pocket.
Tomorrow, I am hoping that they will give me the troches and/or nasal spray. The pain is from fibromyalgia, peripheral neuropathy and the arthritis/avascular necrosis (nice double whammy). Currently opiates are only partially effective and make it difficult to work due to cognitive effects. I have filed for disability (you can work but can only make $1500/month). I have got to have some kind of income as I prefer not to wind up homeless.
Hope this helps. Good luck to you!
I tried the nasal spray. Didn't work
6 IVs of it over 1.5 weeks? I had 6 IV's over 4 weeks. What you had seems to be too much too fast?
I didn’t know that at the time but sure wish I had.
It is making me angry that people are not getting the proper treatments and care. This is serious business, and I am sorry for anyone who has had a bad experience because protocols are not being followed. The treatment gets a bad name and is only known as the party drug that killed a "Friend."
I have been fortunate to have a wonderful experience with my provider. They are a hub of mental health care. They offer individual and group therapy to compliment the ketamine and Spravato treatments. And I still have all my limbs because it does not cost an arm and a leg.
I know that others may not have the same options and experience. My hope is for everyone to find something that will help.
What is Spravato? That is new word and new therapy to me.
Spravato (esketamine) is a prescription nasal spray used to treat depression in adults. It is the only FDA-approved nasal spray for TRD.
My experience with ketamine treatments has not provided me with positive results. One needed to be driven to and from treatments because it was that strong and with no proven results. Would recommend trying mushrooms.
Ditto. I used the nasal spray and 0 results. Tried mushrooms once. 0 results. Still have headache all the time and dizziness.
I dislocated my hip weeks ago. I'm a recovering addict (14 years) and am still on Suboxone (it basically closes the receptors for stronger opiates).
I was at the gym and the EMTs came and gave me 200 mcgs of fentanyl. Didn't do a thing. At the ER they have me another 100 mikes of fentanyl. Nothing.
I was in a LOT of pain by then and had to wait while the ER Dr attended to life and death situations. I was given two doses of ketamine to give me some relief. I had never had ketamine before. It was like my pain was in a box and I was sitting next to it, without a care in the world.
Unfortunately ketamine doesn't last long and 30 minutes later was back in a lot of pain.
When they finally did the "closed reduction" (basically yanking my leg to get the femoral head back in the socket), they started with another ketamine dose followed by a low dose of propofol. I don't remember much after that other than an outline of a shadowy person standing over me.
That was a partial hallucination brought on by the ketamine. Anyway it all worked and the Dr did indeed stand up on the table, hook his elbow behind the knee of the affected leg, and with the assistance of two big, male nurses holding my hips, yanked the femur back into place. I didn't feel a thing and don't remember them doing this (they explained after).
Damn, that ketamine is some fun stuff. Thank God there is no easy way to get it. I'd like to preserve my sobriety, and going through a joint dislocation is not worth the high.