Ketamine for chronic pain

Sorry I guess you need to do what’s best for you. I’m sorry if I intrude. I just don’t want anyone to let fear stand in the way of their therapy.

As far as being a “wealth” of information? I don’t know about that. I’m a pharmacist of 23 years, not active but still licensed. I’ve worked 12 years for the federal government - 8 with Indian Health and 4 with the VA, the rest divided between retail, hospital, and long-term care, the majority retail.
My husband has been disabled for 15 years and has had 39 surgeries. He has post-surgical chronic pain syndrome and loose joints from prescription steroids, at least that’s what we believe. No doctor will confirm it due to legal risk. He also was born deaf and with a hard cleft palate and lip but has had reconstructive ear surgery with implants and has partial hearing in one ear.
I am now disabled with CRPS Type 2 or Causalgia. In addition, I have had 25 surgeries in my lifetime. I was born with a soft cleft palate and have had numerous related surgeries as well as emergency surgeries and orthopedic surgeries. I have severe migraines and epilepsy involving tonic-clonic seizures with onset during my pharmacy education at university. The hormonal switches by my campus doctor and stress due to having a small child and economical problems (I was told) led to the seizure activity and lowering of the seizure threshold. I have had intractable migraines and seizure activity since I was 14yo.
My joint issues arrived with an injury at the VA and subsequent repairs but during that first injury was the discovery of severe osteoarthritis at the age of 26. I was told I had the knee joints of a 65 year old woman.
I worked and maintained my pain with Celebrex and continued on through multiple surgeries and emergency situations and life with a son and soon to be disabled husband.
I became a pharmacy manager and soon after was unable to walk on a knee which refused to hold me physically or painfully.
Doctors reluctantly admitted I needed a TKR at 49 years of age and completed their sworn duty miles and miles away from my home.
Afterward, CRPS developed unbeknownst to me, much pain, and suffering, nine doctors visits, and after one and a half years of stress and hopelessness, I was finally diagnosed with the most painful disease known to man—Causalgia.
Unfortunately, I’m still traveling to see my doctor miles and miles away. I’m still fighting for pain relief. I’m still searching for answers. And I’m still combating a government that wants to take the only thing that gives me relief away.

But...

I will always— always be here to impart any information I have through experience or knowledge to help anybody who needs it.

If I ever step on toes though, please don’t hesitate to push me off of them. Do it gently though. I don’t want to fall.

As far as being a “wealth” of information? I don’t know about that. I’m a pharmacist of 23 years, not active but still licensed. I’ve worked 12 years for the federal government - 8 with Indian Health and 4 with the VA, the rest divided between retail, hospital, and long-term care, the majority retail.
My husband has been disabled for 15 years and has had 39 surgeries. He has post-surgical chronic pain syndrome and loose joints from prescription steroids, at least that’s what we believe. No doctor will confirm it due to legal risk. He also was born deaf and with a hard cleft palate and lip but has had reconstructive ear surgery with implants and has partial hearing in one ear.
I am now disabled with CRPS Type 2 or Causalgia. In addition, I have had 25 surgeries in my lifetime. I was born with a soft cleft palate and have had numerous related surgeries as well as emergency surgeries and orthopedic surgeries. I have severe migraines and epilepsy involving tonic-clonic seizures with onset during my pharmacy education at university. The hormonal switches by my campus doctor and stress due to having a small child and economical problems (I was told) led to the seizure activity and lowering of the seizure threshold. I have had intractable migraines and seizure activity since I was 14yo.
My joint issues arrived with an injury at the VA and subsequent repairs but during that first injury was the discovery of severe osteoarthritis at the age of 26. I was told I had the knee joints of a 65 year old woman.
I worked and maintained my pain with Celebrex and continued on through multiple surgeries and emergency situations and life with a son and soon to be disabled husband.
I became a pharmacy manager and soon after was unable to walk on a knee which refused to hold me physically or painfully.
Doctors reluctantly admitted I needed a TKR at 49 years of age and completed their sworn duty miles and miles away from my home.
Afterward, CRPS developed unbeknownst to me, much pain, and suffering, nine doctors visits, and after one and a half years of stress and hopelessness, I was finally diagnosed with the most painful disease known to man—Causalgia.
Unfortunately, I’m still traveling to see my doctor miles and miles away. I’m still fighting for pain relief. I’m still searching for answers. And I’m still combating a government that wants to take the only thing that gives me relief away.

But...

I will always— always be here to impart any information I have through experience or knowledge to help anybody who needs it.

If I ever step on toes though, please don’t hesitate to push me off of them. Do it gently though. I don’t want to fall.

@wheelerma @bustrbrwn22 I talked for six months or so with my psychiatrist about ketamine since nothing had worked for years. I finally went on my own and it worked wonders. He was pissed I went without consulting him. So, I am not currently seeing a psychiatrist. Doctors are people and fallible too. The problem I have had is that many don't listen to questions about new treatments that don't come from big pharma. I have a really good GP that looks at new options for things all the time. Very open minded. If you can find a doctor that will look into other options, ketamine or otherwise, you know you have one that is trying. If they won't look, then I don't know what you can do but find a new doctor.

@trip17 I don't have experience with ketamine for chronic pain but I have had the IV infusions for the past year for major depression. It has worked really well for me. I have heard of good results for treating chronic pain too so it may be worth trying since it sounds like not much else has helped.