Possible Ketamine (spray) treatment

[Ecdysis]

I've been offered a Ketamine Spray treatment by a clinic at the local hospital. I'm not sure if it'll work out - my pdoc needs to approve it and I have to work out some issues re insurance covering it.

I can't get much info on it before the actual intake appointment, so at the moment I'm just guessing... But it sounds a bit like you go there, get administered the Ketamine spray and go home again (i.e. no talk therapy to go with it).

I'm wondering how helpful that will be, if that's the case and wondering whether to bother getting my hopes up about it at all.

 

[Sideways]

I don’t know how it’s being used elsewhere, but here in Australia, ketamine is used as an alternative to medication for depression. It’s (normally) administered by IV or nasal spray.

While you have to attend a clinic to get your dose (being a very low dose of anaesthetic, they like to observe you for a short period before letting you go home), it isn’t typically administered with psychotherapy.

That’s something done in psilocybin trials, which works entirely differently.

There’s no more reason to have a psychotherapy session with the administration of ketamine than there with other antidepressants like prozac.

 

[Ecdysis]

Thanks @Sideways I didn't know that. Do you know how often/ for how long the treatment generally lasts? I've been trying to work out whether I'll be able to drive or will need to organise some other kind of transportation. Unfortunately, I can't ask any of this stuff until the intake appointment.

 

[Sideways]

Do you know how often/ for how long the treatment generally lasts?

Off the top of my head, I think I was offered monthly treatments? I can’t actually recall. I do know that it apparently tends to work quicker than other medications, and you simply top it up based on how effective it is, and how long you decide you need it.

I’d email the clinic about whether you can drive home afterwards. That’s usually staple info that they’d hand out.

 

[Ecdysis]

So, I've progressed with this a bit... It's taken a while because my pdoc was off sick with Covid.

The clinic that will be administering the treatment is calling me next week to set up the intake appointment.

I guess there may still be issues that could arise during the intake process that somehow disqualify me from being accepted into their programme - some medical condition I have or medication I take that's incompatible with their programme...?

Other than that my pdoc was very enthusiastic about me trying this.

Personally I'm in two minds about it. Sort of hopeful, sort of sceptical.

And a bit worried about the logistics - the clinic is about 20 km from where I live and you're not allowed to drive on the day of getting the treatment so that's going to be a headache to figure out.

Anyone here who has tried Ketamine treatment for PTSD/ depression?