Has anyone used Ketamine for PTSD, depression or anxiety?

[Theloudone]

My therapist had brought it up to me as a possible way to help with my diagnosis’s. She wasn’t too sure if it would be right for me because she isn’t trained in that, but suggested I look into it. Any feedback?

[Blueruth]

I just read this piece the other day it is an interesting take. I’d say definitely talk to a doctor with experience. If you can’t access it pm me and I can send you a gift link (won’t work for all) nytimes.com/2021/12/26/opin...

[Theloudone in reply to Blueruth]

Oh yeah…that’s what my biggest fear is with the injections. I feel like one thing will mimic feelings of anxiety and set off my flight or fight response. And then my anxiety will tell me I’m dying.

[Blueruth in reply to Theloudone]

Anything strong like that makes me nervous. Ketamine is also used by police btw. They used it on a youth named Elijah McCain and killed him unnecessarily. I have been reading good things about psychedelic meds like MDMA but now there is a whole industry trying to capitalize on it and make money…cult like. Really all unfortunate because they could really help if done correctly. My understanding about psychedelics is you do not pop them like regular pills. Coffee is actually a psychedelic. People over use it and think they can’t handle it. They just don’t use it right. Micheal pollan wrote a book about it that I have yet to read.

[Midori]

You definitely need to talk with your Doctor.

Ketamine has it's uses, but originally it was a veterinary tranquilliser. It was being trialled when I was doing my Nursing training on the Orthopaedic wards, and we had strict instructions not to try to wake a Ket anaesthetised patient, as it could be detrimental.

However, that was many years ago, and I'm sure the doses would have been adjusted by now.

If you have doubts, why not speak with a Pharmacist, they are specialists in Medication and interactions.

Cheers Midori

[Theloudone in reply to Midori]

I will 100% talk to a doctor about it but I came here to see if anyone had any experiences with it. I find that often with doctors, they are trained to know all the information but the actual ability to experience what we are going through is lacking.

I’ve always known it as a street drug too- special K I believe. I was shocked to hear it was being used legally in profession clinics in my state. You are right in the dosing being much less.

[primrose81]

I would be very interested to know more about ketamine - when I mentioned it to my doctor he more or less laughed in my face and said it was”a street drug”. The reason I am interested is that I think it was used in the anaesthetic I had a couple of years ago - all I know is that I went to sleep depressed and woke up feeling a glimmer of hope (I am bipolar and tend to have prolonged periods of deep deep depression for months on end.) Anyway, I had to have another operation less than a fortnight later - an emergency one as stitches hadn’t held after the first one and I had infection/necrotic tissue etc and after the second round of anaesthetics I was positively joyful! It gives me hope though that one day they will be able to prescribe it here in the UK. Also MDMA and other psychedelic drugs under strict supervision as carried out privately in the USA seem to work really well so I am hoping one day we will have the same here….Wishing you well and thank you for raising this.

[Theloudone in reply to primrose81]

Oh wow! Sorry to hear about your surgeries. I know for me when I’m sick even with a cold, my anxiety and depression skyrocket. But that is very interesting to hear about you feeling different after. That is the feedback I got from a fellow rehab mate. She has bipolar and suicidal idealations. Post transfusions she’s able to sleep and doesn’t have the same persistent suicidal thoughts.

I think mushrooms are being studied but unfortunately around me there are no legal ways to try it. I know people who sell it and I’ve been advised that it is often clean and not laced but with my anxiety I definitely don’t trust it off the street.

It will be great when more plan medicine is available!

Hoping the best for us

[Theloudone in reply to Theloudone]

Plant medicine

[primrose81]

Thank you for posting this - I have found the replies and people’s experiences very interesting. Let’s hope that this new medical research is taken seriously and that there is a way forward for these new drugs for depression.

[designguy]

I tried ketamine last year and did 4 injections of it. My primary issue has been social anxiety, c-ptsd and some depression. If I had not had a lot of experience dealing with anxiety it would have been a very distressing experience. I experienced a lot of hallucinations and you feel like you are in another world, another life and lose all sense of time and awareness. I was told I might be able to process some of my trauma but none of it came up for me. I did have somewhat of a spiritual experience in being aware of all things being connected and of their being one universal life source, but I have had that experience on my own without being on ketamine. I'm also a visually oriented person and didn't need the ketamine to see or experience all of the vivid colors around us. Frankly I have no idea what the big deal is about it and I stopped after the 4th treatment and would not do it again. Possibly if I suffered from major depression, my experience might have been different. It is also a very taxing physical experience and i got motion sickness and was exhausted for the rest of the day after the treatment. They did give me a pill for the motion sickness which helped some.

[Theloudone]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I’ve heard something much similar to what you’ve experienced.

[Marysblue]

The New Yorker magazine just wrote a long article on ketamine 4 days ago. And it was a good article. Google it and you can read it

[Hidden]

Hello! I had four treatments. I think it saved me from going down a dark hole. The first two helped me to participate in life which helped my depression. The third I felt worse than when started and fourth got me on better track. I do think it works but feel you have to have follow up treatments and be willing to have ups and downs with it. But overall I would recommend.