Ketamine For Depression? (Page 37)

It was recommended by the members of a separate thread that one be started that directly relates to ketamine and it's use to treat depression.

If anyone besides myself would like to discuss it's use as a treatment for depression, feel free to post your questions, answers and experiences here.

This thread is an offshoot of a related one that discussed a treatment of Scopolamine for depression.

REPLY

REPORT

I have not tried abilify, but had a student who was put on it. You might want to look at a discussion thread relating to that medication more specifically.

Best of Luck,
Cai

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Dear Caig,

Thank you for your reply. It turned out it was definitely the ketamine that caused ketamine bladder syndrome and effected my uterus. My doctor upon me arriving in Texas immediately switched me back on my Oxycodone and within a few weeks that part of my life was fine. Unfortunetely Texas was not so welcoming to me. Since being here I have been robbed and assaulted and am getting ready to come back to New York. My depression is out of hand because my PTSD was compounded during the assault. Texas doesn't believe in benzos. After telling two different doctors what happened to me, they thought it would be a good idea to cut me down from 10mg of Ativan to 4mgs. Thought I would die. I called my doctor in NY who at least raised me up to 6mgs which is still hard but manageable. I've been on Ativan for about 20 years. Now just have to start looking for a doctor to prescribe the Oxycodone in NY. It's like an uphill battle everyday of my life.
I'm sorry to here the TMS is not available to you anymore. I realize ketamine doesn't harm everyone and I received an extremely high dose during infusions and taking the 300mg of trouches a day. I believe if I wasn't given so much I would not of had these problems. If it's working for you, no matter how hard it is for me to endorse ketamine, it did help my mind tremendously. In fact I miss feeling that good. Almost feels like a really good dream I had that turned into a nightmare. I wish you all the luck in the world and everyone else that has been here for me. I keep you all in my prayers all the time. Mary

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Mary,

I'm so sorry to hear about your compounding problems. A genuine and good person like you doesn't deserve to be in such a place and it's most unfortunate. Have you tried Brintellix for your depression? It's an advanced version of Lexapro and is an excellent drug overall. I highly recommend it as it has helped me personally. I've tried Ativan but with no help as my PTSD symptoms before Ketamine were bad. Ketamine did help with reducing my PTSD symptoms.

Do you really have a lot of back pain? I would refrain from oxycodone if I could due to the potential of addiction...

Best wishes to you and hope you feel better. Thanks for keeping everyone in your kind prayers. Please know that you are in mine.

Please let me know if there's anything I could do to help you. I'd be more than happy to help.

Chai, I hope you are doing well. I'm grateful to you for helping me and the rest of the folks here. Your enthusiasm and support is commendable.

Best wishes to all,
Taz (formerly ironshiekh)

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Mary,

I hope New York turns out better. I know you are struggling, but it is amazing how strong you are to keep going. Best wishes, and hope you find someone who can help you manage the pain as well as depression, or find some treatable underlying cause to both. I'm still taking ketamine periodically, when the rTMS is too infrequent, and it helps. I think part of the problem has been that depression symptoms overlap with so many other conditions that if I can fix a few other things in my life (better sleep hygiene, normalize thyroid and vitamin levels), then the depression treatments will be more effective and last longer. While I am saddened to hear that you haven't found an effective treatment yet, I am glad you are not doing more damage to your bladder. Hang in there, and best wishes for a not-to-bumpy return to New York.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

My depression is not doing that great right now. I had a blood test last week and my Vit D levels came to 19 (deficient). I'm definitely going to be taking supplements to get those levels up. Meanwhile, I'm taking Brintellix 20 mg at night, Fenofibrate 145 mg at night, Valsartan 80 mg in the day and CoQ 50 mg at night. I'm contemplating getting Ketamine IV for the depression but was wondering whether I should wait for Vit D levels to come up? Ketamine has helped by getting me more active. I am already due for my shot which I haven't taken so far. Any thoughts?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Taz,

What did your doctor recommend? Does she/he want you taking it while you are on the other meds? Were you told to take it on a regular schedule, or at a certain interval as needed?

If your vitamin D is low, I suspect you are not spending much time outside, as skin in sunlight would increase this. Would taking the ketamine help you get out more? If so, it might help with the vitamin D levels.

Hang in there,
Cai

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Does Ketamine help with depression, and if so, how can I get a prescription for some?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Tiffany,
Ketamine is generally only used to treat depression (alleviate symptoms) in cases of severely treatment resistant depression. Many, if not most, people find that traditional antidepressants help them. Doctors will usually try a course of treatment with a SSRI, and if that does not work, try another antidepressant from a slightly different category, then try another, then try adjunctive medications (adding a mood stabilizer or anxiety med). The people who do not find any or enough relief with a number of trials of different antidepressants may (and this is my suspicion) have a different type of depression than those who find conventional treatments work.

That was my long-winded prelude to asking if you are trying to find information on ketamine treatment for depression because you have tried most of the other antidepressant categories, and are looking at a relatively experimental/new treatment like ketamine because nothing else works...or you've heard it can provide relief from depression quickly, or because it is one of the newer treatments it sounds like it must be an improvement. I'll try to check my email over the next few days, and respond once I know more about your situation. In the meantime, let me say that for a significant portion of those with treatment-resistant depression, ketamine therapy provides temporary relief from symptoms.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Wow. Just chiming in to say that caiguise is 100% right and obviously knows what's what. So good to see solid information and advice on message boards! As a patient, I'm grateful.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I had my first dose of IV Ketamine at a doctor's office. We will not know until after third treatment if it is going to work. My doctor said the big pharma companies are trying to get into this treatment in the form of pills or nasal sprays, but he doesn't think it will work and that IV is the only way. Worth looking into. I'm hopeful that it will help; will post after treatment #3.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

This sounds ridiculously expensive for treatment that is not IV.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Ok so I've had one infusion, and my doctor was adamant that I get on 8000 units of vitamin D asap as it's cheap and does help with depression. Also he said sunlight can't give you enough so you really need supplements. Good luck, keep digging for info and treatments. Will write back as I get more IV Ketamine.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Just weighing in here: changing everything in your life does not cure depression, not the kind where Ketamine infusions become the last hope. No one really knows what it is, why it is, and why IV Ketamine can work. If just moving or turning on a light or changing diet would work, wouldn't we all find relief in this? We don't seek Ketamine for any reason accept nothing else has worked. It's super expensive and the IV is scary and not euphoric; on the contrary it's scary and unsettling and takes real perseverance if you're lucky enough to be able to get it. Even now, I don't know if it's going to work as I've only been in for one treatment. I won't know until treatment 3. I think people who think it might be fixed by environmental factors are not experiencing the same thing many of us have, which have lead us to Ketamine IV, which is really the end of the highway.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Hi I am desperate I live in Hamilton but will travel to Toronto or anywhere in Ontario, who can I contact about Ketamine I know of no Doctors here but I need a name so I can get a referral from my G.P. I have done everything drugs therapy, ECT, CBT but have had no relief please I need something thank you. This may save my life.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

NurseNancy,

If you contact the rTMS clinic at Toronto Western Hospital they have a set of three documents which can be emailed to your GP. The neuropsychiatrist there worked out the parameters for safe use, but his time is focused on rTMS therapy and he no longer uses it to treat patients. The information is detailed, and written with the understanding that a GP or psychiatrist can manage patients on this therapy. The info should include either compounded tablets or nasal inhaler. I've tried both, and did not find much difference, except that it is hard to find a place where you can get one nasal aspirator. Hang in there.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Thank you so much, I need some hope have tried everything Homewood twice, All the drug groups ECT.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hi. Ive had severe recursive major depressive disorder for 20 years and have exhausted all treatment options. I just completed my 7th electric shock treatment at northwestern medicine in il. It wasn't effective enough and now i need to try ketamine. Someone please tell me where i can receive ketamine nasal spray treatment?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

WHERE ARE YOU FROM??????
Need to know if Canada?//where or USA where....we are also looking

We are Canadian

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Julie (or anyone), I'd be happy to talk if you want to. I've been taking intranasal ketamine for almost 18 months following a clinical trial of six infusions in July 2014. I've also done self-administered intramuscular injections. My phone number is {edited for privacy}

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Massachusetts General Hospital's Depression Clinical & Research Program (DCRP) now offers intranasal-spray ketamine treatment for treatment-resistant depression. I've been receiving treatment for about 18 months, was one of the very few first patients, but now they're accepting more. There's a waitlist of over 60 people (much shorter if you can self-pay; still early days on funding). I don't know too much about it, but I wanted to let folks know it's an option now despite the crazy waitlist.

massgeneral.org/psychiatry/services/dcrp_clinical.aspx

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I will go to the states to take ketamine treatment for depression. Ketamine is probably a great pill for depression, as ...

34 REPLIES

## What is Cispin? ## Cispin is a common misspelling for the antidepressant called Zispin SolTab. Active Ingredient: Mir...

3 REPLIES

My friend was prescribed Haldol for depression. My friend suffers from being addicted to Perocets, and because he was go...

1 REPLY

My Son went to the Dr. for anxiety and depression, pristiq created more problems for him, panic attacks, insomnia, loss ...

13 REPLIES

Has anyone started taking Rexulti, if so how is it going so far. I just started 1 mg today and will phase out abilify? #...

8 REPLIES

After being on every imaginable antidepressant over the past twenty-five years and undergoing ect, I have found that Rit...

4 REPLIES

This thread is to discuss Ibogaine as a means to treat Depression and Pain Management, including, but not limited to, an...

34 REPLIES

DOES ANYONE KNOW A MD WHO PRESCRIBES SUBOXONE FOR DEPRESSION IT HELPS ME TREMENDOUSLY ## HAVE YOU FOUND A DOC TAT WILL W...

2 REPLIES

is colozapam for anxiety and depression ? ## The pill in description is Clonazepam; which is a benzodiazepine derivative...

2 REPLIES

anyone with experience using riluzole for treatment resistant depression ## Hello, Pance! How are you? I've not take...

1 REPLY