Ketamine for Anesthesia User Reviews

• Shabb...
• January 14, 2021

"I pondered whether I should even post this or not, because it sounds so unbelievable, but it really did happened. I had my medi-port placed on January 11th. For some reason, this particular anesthesiologist used the drug Ketamine to put me to sleep. (Which I found out later) The only problem, is that I wasn’t really asleep. I was paralyzed. No matter how much I tried screaming for help, I couldn’t. I began to see things very differently too. Almost like I was in a kaleidoscope, or looking at it in 3-D. I could hear and see the nurses and doctors around me, but they all looked upside down. It’s as if I wasn’t in my own body. It’s like I stuck in some tunnel. There were so many colors too. I felt as though I was dying, and there was nothing I could do about it. It absolutely was the most horrifying experience I’ve ever had. Has anyone else experienced this ?? I’m just trying find answers as to what happened. It will haunt me the rest of my life."

• Ubi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 22, 2019

"I was in for a gallbladder removal, not an emergency. The Anesthesia team decided to do an awake intubation because I have a difficult airway. They said they were giving me something to help me relax. What happened next was the farthest thing from relaxing I can imagine. One dose of Ketamine and I was hallucinating, dissociated, delirious, paralyzed, and the one trace of lucidity that I retained told me that I was end of life because I couldn't breathe. I had no sense of time passing, so I have no idea how long this lasted. It was the most terrifyingly awful experience I have ever had, and I'm still an emotional mess two weeks later. Never again! Why would anybody ever dose a non-emergency patient with this stuff without extensive consultation about the effects beforehand? If I could give this drug a negative score, I would."

• Never...
• May 6, 2020

"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."

• Gadget
• March 2, 2021

"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."

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

"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."

• Bulldog
• March 23, 2019

"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 !"

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

"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

"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!!!!"

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

Ketalar (ketamine) "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."

• rubys...
• July 17, 2011

"I have M.S and a syrinx, have had neuropathic pain for 17 yrs. Neurontin being the only thing that helped, but even it didn't remove much of the pain. I have now had Ketamine twice. The first time was I.V. It removed 90% of my neuroppathic pain and lasted for about 8 months. When the pain came back I was shocked at how bad it was. I have just finished my 2nd dose this time I was given it subcutaneously. I have only the smallest amount of neuropathic pain left. The whole thing went very well so now when the pain is back I will go back and have another infusion. This time I only have a very small amount of pain left. I feel this has been the biggest thing that has helped my quality of life. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others."

• bitch...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 30, 2015

"I was given Ketamine for out patient surgery. Never again will I agree to this anesthesia. I had the worst experience, I am positive I died and made myself come back! I was paralyzed body and voice. I finally let out a awful scream, hoping the doctors and nurses would hear, but I could tell they didn't. I am so mad, furious is the word, that they used it without letting me know the side effects. I am home now, but I still have nightmares of that terrible experience!"

• Archie
• August 6, 2020

Ketalar (ketamine) "I was given Ketamine as a general anaesthetic for a surgical procedure but the recovery from the Ketamine was truly horrendous. I had abdominal hallucinations that I was about the die and called aloud to God to save me from imminent death. So bad a terrifying was the experience that I had a Medi-bracelet made with Ketamine clearly listed as "never to be given"."

• Country...
• August 31, 2019

"I was given this for a EGD, I was hullicinating, felt weighed down like I was in cement, couldn't move my limbs ,couldn't talk, very nauseous, horrible experience it lasted for almost an hour, was the next day before I really felt over it..never again!!!!!"

• GdGram
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 7, 2017

"I was taken to the ER with a dislocated shoulder... severe pain. I was given this drug so they could put the shoulder back into place, and had some of the same reactions described as others as having horrific hallucinations, trying to wake myself up, moving my head and talking and yelling. Nurses holding me still and saying it is almost over. Why is this still being used as an anesthetic when there are so many others out there? This is going on my list of allergies right next to the Iodine allergy."

• Unhappy...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 8, 2020

"I had extremely adverse reaction to ketamine so asked the anesthesiologist what drug it was this morning when I saw him so I NEVER get it again. Was actually supposed to go home yesterday after a routine arthroscope of knee. I woke up from the procedure with Hallucinations and screaming the "I AM DYING, I AM DYING". They then had to give me Ativan to calm me down and caused my vitals to go crazy. Horrendous experience - can't believe this drug is still being used."

• Nordic...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 13, 2021

Ketalar (ketamine) "I was administered ketamine before surgery in 2020 to repair a broken arm and install a metal plate. It was a horrendous experience that left me with lasting terrifying images and strong suicidal thoughts that have endured for more than one year. I am alarmed by medical people who are advocating use of this drug."

• Aussi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2015

"I was given Ketamine along with propofol to induce anaesthesia for a recent operation and never again. I experienced acute dysphoria and felt like I was going to die. Never again, this drug is bad news. I've now had 35 major surgeries and this was the first time ketamine was used. Also had very low BP on waking. It seems to be the new in-thing drug. No idea why all of a sudden it's become popular?"

• Bitty...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 14, 2015

"Having both Post traumatic stress disorder and chronic severe back pain due to 2 unsuccessful back surgeries, I was the perfect candidate for anesthesia using ketamine for my last 3 surgeries. For both the PTSD and chronic back pain, symptomolgy has been reduced by at least 75%. I could not be happier! Finally and again!"

• Stephen
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 25, 2021

"I dislocated my elbow playing football. They needed to put me to sleep in order to relocate it. I was familiar with General Anesthesia having had my wisdom tooth removal not too long before, so I wasn't scared or nervous too much. But this drug ketamine, holy moly it was possibly worse than the pain I experienced from the dislocation itself. After being administered the drug, I remember thinking to myself I had actually died, and what I saw is pretty hard to explain but I was floating away from my consciousness, with both my mom and dad looking over my body. After that I kept coming in and out of consciousness. It looked as if I flying through neurons in my brain, zooming closer, further, and all around them. That wasn't even the worst part about that drug, when I finally woke up, I had the worst vertigo EVER. Anytime I would move my head a little bit to the left or right, I would feel nauseous and throw up. Worst nightmare of my life, would not recommend."

• Hallu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 29, 2017

"Used in conjunction with having a spinal tap during artery disease surgery nursing staff referred to my experience upon awaking in recovery as "NITE TERRORS" I had horrific hallucinations of violently spinning photo graphs that made me scream, cry huge tears, yell obscenities, repeatedly say I wanted to kill myself, or die, and yelling I would be afraid to go to sleep again. Nurses had to take my face and tell me over and over it would be over soon. Had I not had a spinal and couldn't move I fear I would have deliberately hurt myself."

• No...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 9, 2017

"Woke up from anesthesia with headache, extremely dizzy, and unable to coordinate my eyes together. I could not sleep for 32 hours. Two days after surgery I started having heart palpitations and seeing flashes in one eye. I needed to be checked with EKG and eyes checked for possible tear of the retina. It took 10 days for dizziness and eye coordination to return to normal."

• Saman...
• February 5, 2021

"I was given ketamine to put a dislocated shoulder back in place. I am 73 years old and experienced all the frightening things that others have experienced. I felt like I was in a kaleidoscope, I felt like I was dying and I couldn't breathe, I said to myself if this is dying then please let it be over. When I came out of it I told the physician's assistant how scary it was and he said do not let anyone give it to me again. Of course no one says anything to you before they administer it to you about the possible side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 8, 2022

Ketalar (ketamine) "I was given ketalar in the emergency room following hip surgery and the hip had dislocated twice at the point. I had never had such a terrifying experience in my life. I thought I was dying and that I was leaving this world. I felt as though my body was hurtling through a tunnel and I saw large objects swirling above me. And I could hear voices in the distance but couldn’t speak. When I was emerging from this nightmare, I grabbed my cousin’s hand as tight as I could because I didn’t want to die."

• JRJAMJ
• August 4, 2021

"I was given ketamine for a nerve ablation in my lumbar spine and had horrific hallucinations, not sure if I felt pain and screamed out or was dreaming but I remember the Dr saying that's not supposed to happen and could hear the nurses talking. It took me forever to "wake up". The nurse felt I was given too much as I was so dizzy and numb, my eyeballs felt like balloons about to pop out of my head, my head felt like a heavy balloon my neck couldn't support and could barely talk an hour later. I spent over an hour and a half in recovery when they had to finally let me go. My husband had to support me I was so dizzy and my legs were like noodles. It has been days now and I feel like crud. Can't concentrate, my entire body aches so bad and the dreams, no, the nightmares - planes crashing around the house, house being burned down, being hunted by gang or some sort of bad people then I'm so freaked out I can't sleep and depression. I feel so depressed and I have never felt like this before."

• Gasby
• September 28, 2017

"I had a severe reaction to Ketamine which included horrifying hallucinations, and instead of knocking me out, I tried to move during the procedure, and didn't stop talking throughout the entire procedure."