Ketamine for chronic pain

Posted by ckeys @ckeys, Sep 3, 2019

My pain doctor recently prescribed ketamine as an adjunct to my pain management. Has anyone had experience with this? It has to be compounded and you inhale it through a nose spray. Since it’s compounded there is not much info on side effects so I’m curious about other’s experiences.

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catheem | @catheem | May 19 1:02pm

In reply to @threestooges "Is it covered by Medicare" + (show)

Doubtful! I was prescribed a cream that had Ketamine in it for my nerve pain after finger surgery, and my very good RX provider did not cover the cream because of the Ketamine...and it was just a cream! PS Since it was a 'compound' cream, it would have been covered if not for the Ketamine...

threestooges | @threestooges | May 19 1:34pm

Thanks terrible
I had. BOTOX for post herpetic neuralgia — $3000 dollars
I’m prepared to fight all the way with MEDICARE because it is MEDICALLY NECESSARY
not cosmetic
and It didn’t work!

heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | May 21 6:11am

In reply to @vicki53 "I take oral ketamine prescribed by my provider at the pain management I go to. It..." + (show)

Thank you Vicki. Is it taken through a nasal spray or a pill?

I'm interested because I'm on Suboxone and therefore opiates for pain do nothing. I've managed through two knee replacements and a hip with diclofenac and Tylenol. I was given Ketamine once in the ER and it worked great.

vicki53 | @vicki53 | May 21 9:09am

In reply to @heyjoe415 "Thank you Vicki. Is it taken through a nasal spray or a pill? I'm interested because..." + (show)

It’s oral ketamine that requires being compounded by a special pharmacy.
It’s not used for acute or chronic pain but used for neuropathic pain such as pins and needles, burning pain.

heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | May 22 9:40am

In reply to @vicki53 "It’s oral ketamine that requires being compounded by a special pharmacy. It’s not used for acute..." + (show)

Gotcha, and thanks for clearing that up. I wouldn't be a candidate for the drug. I take Suboxone, so opiates don't work. I dislocated my hip last month and was given three, 100 mcg doses of fentanyl. I didn't feel anything from those shots.

Finally, while waiting to get my hip put back together, I was given a dose of ketamine for the pain. Wow, it borders on a hallucinogenic drug. I had a vision of a box with my painful, dislocated hip in it, and me sitting next to it and smiling. The pain was gone!

Alas, it only lasted about 30 minutes. But they did get my hip back together without surgery, for which I am very grateful! (I had the hip replaced 4 weeks prior and did a stretch in the gym that was definitely against post-THR protocol. Painful lesson learned!

Anyway, thank you Vicki. I hope the ketamine is working well for you.

Joe

vicki53 | @vicki53 | May 22 10:34am

In reply to @heyjoe415 "Gotcha, and thanks for clearing that up. I wouldn't be a candidate for the drug. I..." + (show)

You’re welcome. Ketamine is not an opioid though.

716daytonabeach | @716daytonabeach | May 22 4:13pm

In reply to @vicki53 "It’s oral ketamine that requires being compounded by a special pharmacy. It’s not used for acute..." + (show)

Too many nasty side effects.

716daytonabeach | @716daytonabeach | May 22 4:16pm

Too many nasty side effects!

vicki53 | @vicki53 | May 22 5:23pm

Not at the dose I take.
20mg up to 4 times a day.

heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | May 23 6:11am

In reply to @vicki53 "You’re welcome. Ketamine is not an opioid though." + (show)

Thanks Vicki,

Yes I knew ketamine wasn't an opiate. I dislocated my hip 4 weeks after replacement. The EMTs gave me three doses of 100 mcgs of fentanyl. That stuff is an order of magnitude stronger than morphine and it didn't do a thing. In the ER they gave me ketamine and that worked really well, but only for a short time. And when they were ready to put my hip back together, they gave me a cocktail of ketamine and propofol - called "conscious sedation". I don't remember a thing, other than it worked.

I was just exploring if there were ways to take ketamine that didn't require a Dr present, for post-op pain. I don't think there is a version of ketamine that does that. Thanks for your thoughtful reply! I'm glad it works for you!

Joe