Esketamine and Dizziness: What Users Say

• MIS...
• October 31, 2020

Esketamine for Depression "I have mixed feelings about this drug. This has taken the suicidal thoughts and squashed it. My depression is very little. I really don't like the treatment - feeling spaced out for 45 mins. I've had high heart rate, dizzy, sickness, headaches. The BIGGEST most important part of this treatment is to take no medications the night before and day of treatment, don't drink the night before or you will pay for it with super sickness, panic attacks, and high heart rate. Everyone is different with this treatment, don't think it's going to be fun because it's not. But versus being dead, it was worth the try! I had to find this out on my own, the doctors don't tell you much about what and what not to do when you take this medication. Most important, put yourself in a calm state during, I found playing soft music is a must, and try not to get up during, or it will cause you to be dizzy and sick. Wait at least 45 mins after when it wears off. I hope this helps someone."

• Fir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 23, 2020

Esketamine for Major Depressive Disorder "Had my first Spravato treatment today. The high feeling lasted about 45 minutes. It felt like my legs were separated from my body. I felt really happy. Coming down was not very fun. I started to feel sad again. I’m not giving up though. Going to keep going."

• ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 26, 2019

Esketamine for Depression "I had my first experience with Spravato yesterday, and the side effects were just awful. Felt extremely drunk-dissociation, severe nausea and sweating, dizziness, tiredness. Could barely make it home (I got a ride) and get myself into bed to lie there for the rest of the night. The next morning-extremely tired, nauseous. Felt hungover. No effect on my TRD (treatment-resistant depression) after 1 treatment. I will continue as long as I can stand it because I am pretty much out of options. But I am dreading it more than I did with ECT."

• Anonymous
• August 27, 2019

Esketamine for Depression "I posted my experience earlier, and now I have done a total of 10 treatments of the nasal spray Spravato: 2 at 56 mg and the rest at 84 mg. After session 6, I started to feel a little lighter and less depressed, but this lasted very shortly. The treatments after that did nothing for me. They are very intense, and you get awful disassociation, dizziness, numbness. It's a complete out-of-body experience. For me, the feelings were very bothersome, and after I would leave, I was done for the day. I couldn’t do anything, just lay around. I guess if it worked for me, I would have sucked it up and continued even though the side effects were so bothersome. Unfortunately for me, this didn’t work, and it cost me a fortune. Personally, I wouldn’t advise others to do this until there is more research about it. It is still very new, and doctors are still learning by experimenting on us! However, the one done by IV is not as new. I will continue to fight the fight, but will never do Spravato again."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2022

Esketamine for Depression "Spravato was recommended by my psychiatric nurse practitioner for MDD because I have struggled for more than 30 years. I was well informed of the side effects, but no one reported that anything like what I experienced. I think it’s important for anyone who is considering using Spravato to hear about as many different experiences as possible. While most experiences are positive, mine was not. After I administered the second dose, about 10 minutes or so, I began to feel like I was falling, spinning, and losing my mind, completely out of control. I sat there for almost 4 hours, absolutely terrified. Terrified that I would never feel “normal” again, that I would die, I would lose everything that I cared about. I cried in fear and begged the person who gave me the medicine to make it stop. I begged her to tell me that it would stop and that I would feel normal again. I’m still traumatized by the experience and feel like some of the effects are still happening 3 months later."

• Kar...
• August 8, 2019

Esketamine for Depression "I have had 3 sessions of 56 mg. First time had the most dramatic side effects, very strong dizziness and dissociation. Next day I felt great. Second session had the worst reaction. Side effects last through the evening, dizziness and nausea. Next day I felt like my head was full of mud, couldn't make any decisions, had a blank look on my face all day... didn't feel like I was in this world. And the third session seemed to be somewhere in the middle. The side effects during and the evening of weren't too bad. The next day I functioned and went to work like a typical day. I can't say I have seen relief from my depression. Dr. thinks I should still give it a few more times. But I am going through a difficult time in my life, so maybe my depression would be way worse if I didn't have the Spravato treatments?"

• Emm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 16, 2022

Esketamine for Major Depressive Disorder "Ok, so I have only done it twice - the first time was 56 mg, the second was 84 mgs or whatever. I want to start off by saying I have a very long history of substance abuse, so something like “tripping” or “dosing” was not something I hadn’t experienced. Being on Spravato - I’ve never been so messed up in my life. Seriously, what in the world… At one point, I thought I melted into a pool of something on the floor, and I could hear the air twitching. For me, the initial “high” lasts about 2 hours, where you trip the hell out, hallucinate, and completely dissociate - but the extreme dizziness and nausea is enough to knock me on my ass for an entire 2 days afterwards. I’m trying to decide since I have not yet felt any relief - if I’m going to continue. My doc says to give her a month of trying it before I stop, but the entire day of and next day I’m sick as anything. Hope some of you find relief with this stuff."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 22, 2019

Esketamine for Depression "So far, I am on my 3rd time doing the Spravato nasal spray. 2x I did 56 mg and one time the 82 mg, I believe. I feel exactly the same. No change at all!! My Dr told me to at least give it to the one month mark. It makes me feel awful during it, I get the disassociation and dizziness along with every other side effect, and I will say it takes me more than 2 hours to wear off. Pretty much the whole day. I am hoping the next few treatments work, otherwise, I have wasted a lot of time and money :-("

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 16, 2022

For Depression "I tried 4 doses of high-dose esketamine. It was absolutely useless! Waste of time! Waste of money! The only effect I experienced was that it tasted bitter when it dripped down my throat. I did not have dissociations, hallucinations, nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, or anything else. My vital signs also never changed at all. I simply got angry because I was forced to sit in an empty room, bored silly for 2 hours each time. It did nothing for my depression, suicidal ideation, or panic attacks. Giving me bad-tasting saline would have the same effects as esketamine (and be much cheaper). I think it works purely on a placebo effect! I also haven't responded to numerous antidepressants, CBT, or any other treatments either."