Spravato

I'll do 6 treatments over three weeks - today was my fourth, so I have one week to go. My appts next week are wednesday and friday.

At that point we will reassess. I may need to do a treatment a week for 4 weeks after this. It's my understanding that from that point on I only have to go when I feel the depression coming back.

Overall, it's not too bad tho I would not call it fun, it is definitely an experience. The only real side effect I seem to have is extreme fatigue. I'm as weak as a newborn kitten at times and just running errands with my husband is enough to wipe me out. Other than that, I don't really know for sure if I am actually at death's door during the treatments, I just know it feels that way, but not in a scary way, if that makes any sense. Again, it's really difficult to describe.

WW

Oh. And it's really freaky walking out of the place when I can't even feel my feet! It took longer to wear off which makes me think they really upped the dosage, but until I talk to the doctor, I won't know for sure but I'm going to find out. .

I would try basically anything short of a prefrontal lobotomy as long as it was recommended by a medical doctor. I wish you the best of luck in your path. I hope it continues to work and that you become well.

I know the feeling. I'm so desperate. My diagnoses reads like alphabet soup. ADHD, PTSD, OCD, GAD, AND BIPOLAR 2. That's all I can remember. I've had 4 incidences of suicidal intentions just this year. I was hospitalized in May. The last time I attempted it was in 2016. I've tried to kill myself 4 times. I was 15 the first time. I'm now 57 and I won't live to see 60 at this rate.

My son tells me I'm the strongest person he's ever known. He said when your carrying around 500 lbs on your back, you have to expect that your going to fall down occasionally.

If I fall down again, i doubt I'll get back up again. I'm very, very tired of my own brain.

I am starting to feel better. It's very subtle, though. I noticed that while i still have some anxiety, i no longer feel like there's an elephant sitting on my chest. I'll take it! I've not had a depressive episode since starting the infusions, but Its only been 2 weeks

Thank you for the update Werewoman. i am scared to try anything new anymore ... nothing works for me.

Nothing ever worked for me either. That's why I chose ketamine infusions as a last resort. The Spravato, I think, is for people not quite as severe as I am. The doctor mentioned we might go over to Spravato in the future as maintenance.

I'm going in tomorrow morning for my 5th treatment. I'm trying not to get nervous about it. The last time was so intense, I have to keep telling myself that this will not kill me.

I did the 5th infusion today. I'm actually starting to get used to it. This time they bumped me up to 75. I found out they start you out at 35, so they were upping it every time I went in. I'm not sure what the unit of measure is - I think it's in micrograms. This time I definitely felt like I was having an out of body experience though it doesn't last long. I am starting to feel better. My mind is not so cluttered anymore. I can think straight without a lot of negative emotions weighing me down.

Right now my life is a wreck. I doubt my marriage will last much longer. I can't handle fighting anymore. I'm not going to fight with him, I'm done with that. It would be better if my life were better I'm sure.

Werewomen you are so very strong and I hope you continue to feel even better, I would be so very scared.

Looking forward to your next update.

If you don't mind I will say a prayer for you and me to, and others who suffer.

Prayers are always welcome. My dad prayed that I would find a cure. I may have. I've discovered I can't cry. Literally. I cannot.

Freaky.

Yeah is bad as I feel I can't cry either. I will keep the prayers coming even though I have been losing my faith because of the turmoil my lift has become - why all the suffering ?

Hope your 6th infusion tomorrow helps - are you feeling better than before you started ? I wonder how long these feelings will last, I hope it's a true cure ?

Why all the suffering? It serves no useful purpose as far as I can see. Yeah, maybe it does make you stronger, but if that's the only way to learn to be stronger, I'd rather be weak, thank you very much.

I am definitely better. Before I was severely depressed and extremely suicidal. Now I'm happier I think. I haven't had a major depressive episode since starting the treatments and I rarely go two weeks without one, so there's that. My OCD seems better and so does my anxiety, though both are still bad enough to be disruptive.

Overall though, I have to say, I am glad I'm doing this. It may not be The Cure, but its damn close. I'll take any improvement I can get.

Find Ketamine Infusion Clinics | Ketamine Clinics Directory | The leading source of ketamine clinics, news, and information

If you have TRD, treatment resistant depression, don't walk, RUN to the nearest ketamine clinic. Cost varies quite a bit. The clinic I go to is $500 per infusion. I had to pay $170 for each treatment. Insurance covered the rest. Yes, it's expensive. Borrow the money, run up your credit cards, whatever it takes, but get to a clinic.

It was scary at first because I didn't know what to expect. Ketamine is a powerful drug. It's my understanding that it's used as a street drug. I can't imagine anyone abusing it. It literally numbs your body and your emotions. It takes you to the place where nothing hurts.

I hope this thread has been helpful for anyone suffering as I once did. Feel free to post your experience.

Find Ketamine Infusion Clinics | Ketamine Clinics Directory | The leading source of ketamine clinics, news, and information

If you have TRD, treatment resistant depression, don't walk, RUN to the nearest ketamine clinic. Cost varies quite a bit. The clinic I go to is $500 per infusion. I had to pay $170 for each treatment. Insurance covered the rest. Yes, it's expensive. Borrow the money, run up your credit cards, whatever it takes, but get to a clinic.

It was scary at first because I didn't know what to expect. Ketamine is a powerful drug. It's my understanding that it's used as a street drug. I can't imagine anyone abusing it. It literally numbs your body and your emotions. It takes you to the place where nothing hurts.

I hope this thread has been helpful for anyone suffering as I once did. Feel free to post your experience.

That's great news I hope it last, PLEASE keep us posted on how you feel over the next few weeks, I am vert curious but concerned since it does not work for everyone and I might be one of those.

Were you on any meds. and if so did they allow you to remain on them ?

I'm on 3 anti-depressants , 3 anti-anxiety, and an antipsychotic. The plan is to get me down to one anti-depressants.

From here on out, I only do it as I need it. I scheduled for next week already.

if you don't mind me asking what three anti-anxiety meds are you on ? I am on 150mg zoloft, 300mg serequel and .5mg klonopin 3 X a day

I take Klonopin 1 mg as needed, buspar 15 mg x3, and hydroxyzine 100 mg x2.

I think I'm going to try seroquel. I took it years ago, but I think the dosage was too high. I'm hoping it will help with my insomnia.

I was told being on a benzo is not a good when getting ketamine

True. I'm not taking it currently though. They told me not to take the klonopin at all while undergoing the treatments if I could help it. They also told me not to take any of my other anti-anxiety meds or my adderall on the days that I have an infusion. The only meds I take on those days are my anti-depressants. They said that helps. They also gave me magnesium supplements, its believed to boost the ketamine.

I also quit smoking weed while I'm doing this simply because it's never been studied to see if pot and ketamine react to each other. Better safe than sorry.

How do you feel today ? When do you do the spravsto ?

I'm up to 80 micrograms (I think its micrograms) which I think is the maximum dosage. It literally took all day for the numbness to wear off completely. It's weird when you cant tell if you're touching your own face.

I feel better. Calmer and more relaxed. My depression is nearly gone now.

I was given the option of taking Spravato or doing the infusions. The doctor said Spravato was much easier - it's a nasal spray instead of an I.V. , but not as effective and required more dosages. In the end, I chose to do the infusions, for several reasons.
All the research is using straight up ketamine. Spravato is similar to ketamine, but not exactly the same. That was the reason for my decision.

hows your anxiety ?

A little better, but not much. That's why I decided to keep going with the infusions for another 3 weeks, only once a week instead of twice. It should improve after that. I'll give it a few weeks to see if there's any improvement. When I read through the packet they gave me at the clinic, it stated that it works for anxiety as well as depression, ptsd, and ocd. Personally, I think it takes more infusions when you're symptoms are as severe and acute as mine are. According to the packet, the more serious your condition, the more infusions you will need. I'm okay with that. Now I'm used to it, so it's not scary anymore.

Today I go for my eighth infusion.

Right now my personal life is a mess, but even with that I am seeing improvement.

I'll report my experience later.

I'm getting more and more comfortable with it. This was my second booster, as maintenance treatments are called, and I'm happy to report that I came out of it feeling like a whole new person.

I was pretty anxious and depressed because of personal problems when I went in but I came out calm as a cucumber and very clearheaded. Again, it just makes you so [I]AWARE[I] of everything. It's like, your body and brain are so anesthetized that you can't help but let go and be at peace as you "fall" into the ketamine and just go where your mind takes you. It's quite the trip.

I suppose I should mention it causes severe nausea in some people although I haven't had that problem myself.

I should also mention the importance of a protein in your brain called BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) and how to raise yours. There are many ways to do this. Intense exercise (I do), intermittent fasting or caloric restriction (I need to do better at this one), cut diwn on all refined sugar and saturated fat (I totally suck at this one), Vitamin D in the form if sunlight (I do), Curcumin - a supplement (nope), drink only green tea (I do), Omega 3 fatty acids ( I eat fish), Resveratrol, a supplement (nope), Lose any excess weight (uh-oh - I've gained 8 lbs since starting the infusiond), SSRI's (I take), and stay socially engaged - don't isolate yourself, it's very important to consistently raise your BDNF levels using as many of these suggestions as possible to improve your results.

Also, I was given magnesium supplements at the clinic. I only take the ones they give me instead of buying the drug store stuff - better quality at the clinic. I started taking 1 100mg caplet a day. Now they want me to start taking two a day at bedtime. The magnesium is vital to the success of the treatment, btw.

I'm sure there's more to tell, and as I learn new things I will post here.

Thanks to everyone who reads this thread. If it helps even just one person, my work here is done.