Ketamine User Reviews & Ratings (Page 2)

• Jonny...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 6, 2016

For Pain "I actually take it for chronic depression. I was amazed at the improvement in made in my mood and generate outlook in life. I feel as though I have been given a second chance at life. One side effect that I noticed is that it improved my faith in a higher being (God) or who ever you wish to call him/her. Surprisingly not uncommon for this medication."

• Amber
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 15, 2019

"I have treatment resistant severe depression and anxiety, have tried several meds and got to try ketamine 1st infusion- peaceful calming, I felt floaty & satisfied. I had the k hole effect but I was not scared or worried by it, it was peaceful & my mom was with me holding my hand through the entire session which made a huge positive difference. I focused as hard as I could on positive thoughts and effects that I want. After I felt wobbly like I had 2/3 glasses of wine for an 1 hr then back to normal- I cleaned my house, cooked, played with my baby, walked the dogs! big accomplishments! The next day was not as productive but I still got showered, got dressed, did normal things the whole day instead of just barely being able to take care of my baby and not myself. I slept. No nightmares. 8 hours sleep & 7 hours sleep on the two nights."

• Never...
• May 6, 2020

For Anesthesia "I dislocated my elbow & went to ER. They decided to give me something to put me lightly to sleep but not totally under while adjusting my elbow. They chose ketamine since I have low blood pressure & this drug doesn’t lower blood pressure as much as other options. They said I would remember nothing. Hardly! Such a terrible experience. As soon as it was administered I felt a rush of heat through my body, then felt as if I was in a kaleidoscope, only all white. I was in space while various shapes continued to change & fall around me. I heard many voices all at once. I was in another dimension & thought that I had died. I wondered if this was eternity & I could not escape. I wanted it all to stop so badly as my perceptions just continually changed around me. I finally heard the doctors/nurses talking amongst themselves & felt gauze being wrapped around my elbow. I definitely remembered enough of it to know it was a horrific experience & I’ll make note not to EVER have this drug again."

• Anne
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2019

"I have struggled with treatment resistant depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune issues and nerve related symptoms, I have been on so many meds and I tried TMS last year which didn't help so I decided to try ketamine. I have completed two infusions. I tried tapering off my antidepressants for the first infusion felt more depressed the next day. However, after restarting the meds and having another infusion, I feel more energy and less depression now two days after. Both infusions were unpleasant experiences for me. They were interesting--like being in another parallel realm, or like the end of life, but I cried and felt depressed and deflated after each treatment (apparently this is NOT the norm). Those experiences were worth it as I feel a significant change after the second treatment. I hope this change will continue."

• Looking...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2019

For Pain "I have severe fibro, CRPS (chronic regional pain syndrome, depression & anxiety that has gotten so bad over the years I can barely walk or move w/o extreme pain (even touching my skin hurts!) When your finally offered something that might help you when nothing else has, you jump at it! Taking lozenges right now & want 2 do IV treatment. Not been on long but so far no real side effects. Not everything works for everybody, if you take everything away just because some people had issues with it... Well than there would be no medicine at all! Don't try 2 slam on or get rid of the 1 & only hope some people have!"

• Gadget
• March 2, 2021

For Anesthesia "This is really hard for me to tell this : On February 25th 2021, I went to the hospital emergency room with severe stomach pain. They took me straight back to a room, I tell the nurse that I'm allergic to morphine and I'm also allergic to the Valium, I specifically said to the nurse that I do not want any high narcotics, she injected some type of medication into my IV that sent me straight into a nightmare state, I remember seeing a black and white psychedelic light I remember laying on the table and watching doctors cut me open I watch people with weird faces screaming and yelling at me. I have seen people eating other people I remember seeing a cross of Jesus and asking Jesus to save me from the depth of this nightmare, I went through so many stages of unpleasantness on this drug, now I can't sleep because every time I close my eyes I see the same thing over and over again. Ketamine has taken a psychological effect on me . I got this drug one time from the ER."

• Polly
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 14, 2018

For Pain "I have used this for depression and chronic pain. I’ve had the IV and the dose was small. Anyway, the relief from the pain is fairly immediate and it’s such a relief to have no pain for 45 minutes. Amazing! For the depression, it’s really interesting. It doesn’t seem to take it away but it makes me feel better enough that my life is better and I feel generally cheerful and content and I don’t have to fake it like I normally do. That’s also a huge relief. I’ve not had any bad side effects so far. That’s probably because it’s very carefully supervised. I highly recommend trying it."

• Elbarto
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 3, 2022

For Depression "Ketamine has been a life saver for me. It is the only medicine that can pull me out of deep, depressive, suicidal despair nearly instantly. It really is miraculous how quickly and completely it improves my overall mood, outlook and demeanor. Ketamine also provides me with deep, often profound insights into my psyche. These insights help me to understand, process and let go of past trauma I sometimes wasn’t even aware was affecting me. Finally, it is comforting to know that, per numerous scientific publications, Ketamine actually heals and encourages new growth within the brain. The only downsides of Ketamine are that it is fairly expensive, and the positive effects tend to fade after a few weeks (making follow-up infusions desirable). Because of this, I take a low dose of Lexapro (a medicine which didn’t help me much on its own) to extend the benefits I feel from Ketamine. I am so thankful to have found this treatment."

• ceeec...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2023

For Depression "It was horrible. I do not recommend this. Please do research for the place you receive this drug. I had horrible suicidal ideations, excessive vomiting, migraines, and overall discomfort throughout this entire process. I cannot describe how terrible it was."

• NotDe...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 3, 2022

For Depression "I've been given ketamine treatments now for between 6 to 8 months. My depression medication wasn't helping much and I was having a really bad depressive episode where I had a plan to end my time here on earth. I decided to give myself one more chance. I researched treatment resistant depression and ketamine popped up. I learned as much as I could before getting in with the clinic to discuss options. I was approved for treatment and since then my life has actually been pretty great as far as depression goes. It took away the suicidal thoughts immediately after my first injection. I finished my initial treatments and go back for maintenance treatments and it's been 6 weeks since my last. I can tell I need it because the negative thinking and thoughts of not wanting to be here creep back in. So I'll go in Friday and get topped up and be right as rain for a while!"

• Linus
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 5, 2022

For Depression "I tried a ketamine infusion with a nurse practitioner supervising and a very kind therapist who did a pre-session with me, focusing on three words: courage, confidence (I think) and another word. It felt like I was sinking downwards in a pool, seeing blurry figures up top. Then I kept moving backwards into my own mind until I was forced into a corner with less than three dimensions. I felt fuzzy and was no longer even a person. I'm not sure what I was. It was the MOST TERRIFYING and terrible experience of my life. I went in to treatment to help PTSD and now have PTSD from this treatment. I feel nauseated, especially when I think of the images I saw in treatment. It was hell. It was disassociative and destructive. Never again. I am a redhead and most meds don't work on me. This one unhinged me. I am still freaking out about it. We recorded our session and I somehow was able to talk and I could hear my own voice saying "scared" in a distorted way. Did not work for me."

• Hvw
• August 30, 2016

For Pain "I have a rare neurological disease that causes extreme amount of pain everyday of my life. My doctors have tried their very best to get my pain level that is tolerable without much luck. I started going to a pain clinic where I was introduced to ketamine infusions by IV. At first we did a weekly session with 45 minute infusions that changed my life. I still was struggling with significant pain daily so the doctor decided to start doing 4 hour long infusions once a week. I can't remember in the last decade that I was able to achieve a pain level less than a 5 on the pain scale. Plus it has helped with depression and PTSD among other positive effects. Yes it makes you feel pretty out of it but I can start living life again."

• Lobo
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2021

For Anesthesia "I agree with those of you that had a horrific, haunting experience from ketamine in Jan 2021. It was the worst experience of my life. I received it in an ambulance when they had to reset my dislocated ankle. It separates your mind from your body but your thinking is still lucid. I was trapped in a never ending tunnel that was spinning and I was endlessly falling with a tortuous loud, fluttery ringing in my ears that was driving me crazy. "I remember thinking, so this is death, I must not have survived the fall and I have to be like this for eternity". The gut wrenching sadness of knowing that I was dead was overwhelming and I was upset I didn't get to say goodbye to my children. Then when I was waking up, I would answer questions. My mouth moved but it took a few seconds for the sound of my words to catch up. I still get very upset just thinking about it but the Drs just laughed it off. The relief to find out I had not died was indescribable."

• lala
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 10, 2023

For Depression "Ketamine truly saved my life. I had been dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts/ideation/attempts for 10 years and it just kept getting increasingly worse. I had tried more psychotropic medications than I can count and it was getting to the point where I felt like I wouldn’t survive another year. I was at the end of my rope and my doctor suggested that my last two options were ECT or Ketamine, at that point I would’ve gotten a lobotomy if I thought it would take away the pain I was feeling. I opted to go the route of Ketamine because there were less side effects than ECT and I am SO glad I did. It completely changed my life, I feel like a different person. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I’m scared of death and not praying for it. I urge anyone who has struggled with depression to talk to their doctor about ketamine and seriously consider it. I owe my life to that drug and my mental health team for guiding me through it."

• Casie
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 27, 2020

For Pain "I went for ketamine infusion for pain from fibromyalgia. It lasted for eight hours. My blood pressure became elevated and they me medication a couple of times to lower it. During the time of the infusion, I heard a nurse say "she had an arrhythmia." Being a retired nurse I knew that was not good. So I told them to stop the infusion and I went home. The next day I became very tachycardic and so went to the emergency hospital. They were able to get my heart rate lower. It was going at 150 beats a minute. I was in atrial fib and admitted into the hospital. I am now on a blood thinner because of it. People who are hypertensive and have cardiac problems should never have a ketamine infusion.I am very angry now that I have to be on blood thinners for the rest of my life."

• LHS
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2019

For Pain "I have CRPS & Tarlov Cyst, AA, EDS- hospital gave me a Ketamine Push- a huge dosage not infused & I went into a K-Hole of HELL! Tried the infusions a couple years later after I finally got over that horror. The infusions are just too mind blowing & frightening being a spirit hanging upside down in a black cocoon of pure black with cardboard for a body that isn’t there. It’s such a powerful drug I cannot see this being healthy in the long run. I don’t need my brain fried on top of my pain."

• Campi...
• May 17, 2020

For Pain "Ketamine has been a game changer for me. I take the pill powder form and it has helped with my nerve pain greatly. It was a long process getting to the right dose. You have to go slow to see how you tolerate it but when you get there it's amazing. It has also made my whole life better; it's made me happier and helped my depression as well. A very happy surprise. It has worked better than any medicine that I have tried so far from my psychiatrist. All this being said I really don't think it is for everyone it is a trial and error and it's if your body and if your mind can take it. But if it can it is an amazing drug. There is no withdrawal. You can skip days without Jonesing for it like all the different opioids out there. I had some major surgeries and was on opioids and needed them for the pain but hated being on them and then one of the surgeons messed up and now I have severe nerve pain, likely for the rest of my life, and opioids worked but I did not want to take them."

• Bulldog
• March 23, 2019

For Anesthesia "I went to the closest E.R suffering from an anal abscess; so EXTREME pain & suffering. Once diagnosed I waited 10 hours, for them to take me into O.R. where they attempted to give me an epidural but couldn't because I could not sit properly. Then, completely out of nowhere , they give me Ketamine. This was, without a shadow of a doubt , THE WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE--I FELT EVERY OUNCE OF THE PAIN PHYSICALLY & TRULY THOUGHT THE DOCS HAD MESSED UP & THAT I HAD DIED ; THIS LASTED FOR ALMOST 5 HOURS & I'M STILL HAVING TERRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS - I'M REALLY PISSED BECAUSE I WAS NOT TOLD THAT THEY WERE GOING TO USE THIS STUFF ON ME- I THOUGHT THEY WOULD HAVE USED A GENERAL ANESTHETIC & I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNCONSCIOUS THROUGHOUT THE PROCEDURE ; INSTEAD I WAS AWAKE BUT PARALYZED , NOT SEDATED !"

• mtnguy
• July 18, 2020

"So I have been on Ketamine for Complex PTSD, Depression for Ten months doing IV infusion treatment. It is likely that ketamine saved me from suicide and I am absolutely certain has brought immense relief from the behaviors resulting from my disease. It has been only modestly effective against anxiety. The dissociative effects are pronounced but rarely unpleasant. If I begin an infusion in a bad mood then the dissociative effects are more difficult to tolerate but not off-putting. A dose of Versed before starting the IV moderates intensity of dissociative effects. Improvement was noted by my family after 3 months but I did not "feel" a difference until about eight months. After several trials, I found 0.35mg/kg in 100ml saline to be the best tolerated mix during the infusion, which also encouraged me to stay the course until positive effect was noted. The cost of ketamine was $15 total for each IV plus physician charges."

• pop
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2020

For Pain "After a 5 1/2 hour spine surgery, I woke up in the post-op recovery room, on ketamine for pain control. It was ineffective. I was having terrifying hallucinations, and started pleading for something that would work. Just when the confusion, dizziness, and hallucinations would begin to subside, they would come up and "refresh" my IV line with more, perpetuating the side effects. Among the several bizarre hallucinations I recall, is looking down at the floor from my bed, which was stuck on the ceiling. It felt like I was defying gravity, and the potential for my bed to come crashing to the floor with me underneath it, was very real! It was undoubtedly the most unpleasant and terrifying hospital stay I've ever had!"

• Sam
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 14, 2020

For Anesthesia "The worst surgical experience of my life as a result of Ketamine. I went into a dissociative state that was terrifying. There was a lot of break through pain that was excruciating and I heard myself screaming for help. The procedure seemed to last for hours and ultimately I thought I was never going to wake up from the nightmare and I wanted to be unplugged so I could die and finally escape the nightmare."

• Ashle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 18, 2021

For Anesthesia "Please DO NOT USE THIS DRUG!!!!! I had a c-section (CSE) in March of 2016. On top of the morphine and fentanyl I had already been administered the anethesist made the worse decision ever and administered not one but two doses of Ketamine 11 minutes and 8 minutes before the birth of my son. Everything went black, I don't recall anything till the next day. I was so out of it that I didn't even text my family to tell them the baby was born. However, things just got even worse because the Ketamine transfered through the placenta in less than 2 minutes and 80% was absorbed by my beautiful baby. My son essentially got 10X the dose, he literally overdosed. My son is now severely disabled and requires 24/7 care. This drug literally altered the mechanism of his little brain. Please do NOT USE!!!!"

• Qazwsx
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 2, 2021

For Pain "Ketamine saved my life, relationship, and career. Autonomic Neurological dysfunction left me in pain and not able to function as I once had. Depression and anxiety intensified trying to find a diagnosis. After 6 infusions my mood has lifted and I don’t dwell on pain. I cannot imagine why this isn’t a standard protocol for depression, anxiety, and pain."

• Jcano
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2020

"ketamine has been a life changer for me and my depression. I've had severe depression since 1992 and have been on many combinations. I use the nasal spray. It took about 2 weeks before I started to feel the depression lifting."

• Not...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 19, 2019

Ketalar (ketamine) for Anesthesia "I was given Ketamine in the ER. I was extremely nervous but the doctor assured me it was a low dose and that I would be fine so I agreed to try it. It did relieve my pain for about an hour. It made me feel strange but the worst started later that night. I got extremely vivid, frightening dreams of my family being assaulted, my house burning down, and several other of my worst fears. For about 48 hours after taking this med I felt very nauseous, and deathly exhausted as if I had been drugged. The next day I napped on and off all day, I could not stay awake, and every time I fell back asleep the horrifying dreams came again, and then again the next night although to a somewhat lesser extent. By the third night after, the distressing nightmares were gone for the most part and the sick feeling subsided, I assume the drug had cleared out of my system by then. It was not worth it for me and I highly doubt that I would take Ketamine again."