Ketamine User Reviews & Ratings (Page 2)

• Kib...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 9, 2020

"Ketamine changed my life, and I believe that it has given me the help I need to feel better. I have PTSD and MDD. It helps me so much with my depression so fast, more so than any other medication. It helps me get through my day, even with the crippling pain of depression and other trauma. I'm noticing fewer symptoms of my PTSD since taking ketamine. In fact, maybe almost no symptoms. Without it, I maybe wouldn't even be here today. This medication saved my life and also helped me with the severe pain I had when I injured my knee. I felt almost no pain at all thanks to the ketamine!"

• Bre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 8, 2022

For Depression "This will be my 3rd treatment so far. I do not feel any differently, but I’m hoping this 3rd one today will be beneficial to my depression problems. And true, it is a real trip while the infusion lasts for about 40 min. Then you come out of it about 15-20 min later. It’s not pleasant to me, but I’m desperate to find something to have my life back, as depression has stolen many years as with social anxiety."

• Amb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 15, 2019

"I have treatment-resistant severe depression and anxiety. I have tried several meds and got to try ketamine. First infusion - peaceful calming. I felt floaty and 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 hour, then back to normal. I cleaned my house, cooked, played with my baby, and 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 well. No nightmares. 8 hours of sleep and 7 hours of sleep on the two nights."

• Pol...
• 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."

• Elb...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 3, 2022

For Depression "Ketamine has been a lifesaver 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."

• Ann...
• 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 but 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 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."

• Loo...
• 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 without extreme pain (even touching my skin hurts!) When you're finally offered something that might help you when nothing else has, you jump at it! Taking lozenges right now & want to 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 then there would be no medicine at all! Don't try to slam on or get rid of the one & only hope some people have!"

• Gad...
• 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 told the nurse that I'm allergic to morphine, and I'm also allergic to 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 watched 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 depths 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."

• Hvw...
• August 30, 2016

For Pain "I have a rare neurological disease that causes an extreme amount of pain every day of my life. My doctors have tried their very best to get my pain level to a tolerable point 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 when 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."

• Lob...
• 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 doctors just laughed it off. The relief to find out I had not died was indescribable."

• cee...
• 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."

• Not...
• 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!"

• lal...
• 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 fewer 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."

• Lin...
• 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 backward 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 for 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."

• Bul...
• March 23, 2019

For Anesthesia "I went to the closest E.R. suffering from an anal abscess; so EXTREME pain and suffering. Once diagnosed, I waited 10 hours for them to take me into the 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 gave 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!"

• Ash...
• 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 anesthetist made the worst 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 until 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 transferred through the placenta in less than 2 minutes and 80% was absorbed by my beautiful baby. My son essentially got 10 times 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!"

• Qaz...
• 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."

• Cas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 27, 2020

For Pain "I went for a ketamine infusion for pain from fibromyalgia. It lasted for eight hours. My blood pressure became elevated, and they gave 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 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 was 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."

• 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 breakthrough 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."

• Jca...
• 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

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."

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

For Pain "I have CRPS and Tarlov Cyst, AA, EDS, hospital gave me a ketamine push, a huge dosage not infused, and I went into a K-hole of hell! Tried the infusions a couple of years later after I finally got over that horror. The infusions are just too mind-blowing and 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."

• Cam...
• 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 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."

• mtn...
• 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 it 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 the intensity of dissociative effects. Improvement was noted by my family after three months, but I did not 'feel' a difference until about eight months. After several trials, I found 0.35 mg/kg in 100 ml saline to be the best-tolerated mix during the infusion, which also encouraged me to stay the course until a positive effect was noted. The cost of ketamine was $15 total for each IV plus physician charges."

• son...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 23, 2023

For Depression "My 14-year-old has been having doctor-administered ketamine IVs for treatment-resistant depression for 4 months. I'm so thankful for this treatment and pray one day it's the first treatment for our teens. He suffered so much more than he should have while having 5+ SSRIs thrown at him. He's now not suicidal, back in school, and playing sports."