Low Dose Ketamine

[Scott1951]

Has anyone tried treating your depression and anxiety with low dose Ketamine through a telehealth company? I have tried just about every antidepresant there is with only moderate success. I have been wanting to give Ketamine a try but I was uncomfortable with the psychedelic experiences and high cost that comes with high dose Ketamine treatments. The low dose program I found is quite reasonably priced. Would love to hear if anyone has tried this.

[bethelbee]

I have never heard of ketamine being used through telehealth. It is supposed to be administered under direct supervision to monitor for bad side effects. After becoming treatment resistant to meds after decades on them my personal treatment of choice has been TMS. I had 3 rounds. The results of the first two each lasted about 6 months and the 3rd is still working great after a year and a half.

[Scott1951 in reply to bethelbee]

Thanks so much for your response. Yes. Ketamine is usually administered with medical oversight but during COVID an allowance was made for at home use through telehealth. A number of companies (Mindbloom, eg) started offering at home Ketamine treatment. This development is quite controversial and there are certainly dangers in going this route. Some fear Ketamine will become the new opioid crisis. I. too, had TMS. The effect lasted for about a year. I have thought about trying it again but wasn't sure if my insurance would pay for it again.

[bethelbee in reply to Scott1951]

I have Medicare and they paid for all 3 rounds. Most insurances that cover it initially should cover it again. My 2nd round was a matter of life and death, literally. If you're interested in doing TMS again call your insurance company. Sounds like you had great success with it. I couldn't do ketamine even if I wanted to due to other health issues. And I would never do ECT due to risks of memory loss, which are not always temporary. I know a couple people that had permanent memory loss. I like that TMS is nonivasive, though it is a big time commitment. I'm hoping my positive results last a long time. I'm thrilled they lasted this long! Keep me posted.

[Scott1951 in reply to bethelbee]

Thanks for the information. I have Medicare too. Yeah. it sure is a big time commitment. I had to make 36 trips to the hospital 45 minutes away. Luckily they are now offering it walking distance from my house! I'll give it serious thought.

[bethelbee in reply to Scott1951]

If you do decide to do it again, it's nice it's closer to your house. Mine was about a 20 minute ride, not bad.

[Kinlay]

I did a low dose treatment with a licensed therapist. I felt that the guidance part was ESSENTIAL and felt much better than I had in years for about a week. Unfortunately, I also found that I could not continue, as after one very low dose, I had HORRIBLE bladder pain for weeks. It turns out that bladder problems - including irreparable bladder damage over time - are a possible side effect of ketamine usage. Somehow she skipped over that part. Be sure to thoroughly research the company you are dealing with and what you are getting yourself in to with ketamine before trying it. It's still a drug.

[Scott1951 in reply to Kinlay]

Thanks for sharing this. I did read about the possibility of bladder problems. The intake form I filled out had a lot of questions about urination. I will give this matter more thought. I don't want my desperation for some relief from depression and anxiety to cloud my judgement.

[Kinlay]

I understand!!! For me, it's anxiety. I have had some relief with acupuncture and am now tying hypnotherapy as well as returning to acupuncture. If you decide to try ketamine, you may want to invest in a trial in-person session before shelling out for a "package" to see how you react. Just a thought!

[Scott1951 in reply to Kinlay]

Thanks for that suggestion. I was hesitant to go the in-person route because of the cost and the requirement that someone drive you home. I'm hoping to discuss this all with a therapist this week. You have given me some good food for thought.

[012703060610]

My therapist went to do a clinic to learn how to treat and administer. She did her first session at the conference. Being guided is key and she said if anything is trauma related, it could do more damage than good. So without someone with you, it seems like it could possibly make things worse. My counselor is PTSD focused. She said I wasn't anywhere near ready to take this approach. Reiki is going to be my next step.

[Scott1951 in reply to 012703060610]

Thanks for that information. I can see how a high dose Ketamine experience could be disaster for a trauma survivor. What I was considering was a low dose treatment. Nevrrtheless, your point is a good one for further thought. I tried Reiki once but didn't feel much. Hope your experience is good. We all deserve some relief from our suffering!