I’ve tried ketamine IV several times and it helped like nothing else.
It helped against anxiety, depression, anhedonia, made my fatigue a lot better.
I’d go as far as to say that it saved my life because there were times when I was so depressed and exhausted that I thought if it continues like this for a few more months, I’ll have to end it.
So yes, ketamine helps. Sorry for bumping up an old thread but I felt the need to express how much it helped me.
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Didn’t do too much for libido etc. But in terms of depression, anhedonia, anxiety etc, it is the only thing I’ve found so far that really helps.
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What dosis? How long does it last?
I tried ketamine for the first time in January 2017 when I was severely depressed, anxious, anhedonic and basically couldn’t handle my life anymore.
I got the treatment that is pretty common in treating depression with ketamine:
6 infusions over two weeks. I don’t recall the exact dosage, but it started around 25mg I think and the dosage was slowly increased with every infusion.
It worked incredibly well. During the first week I noticed some functioning coming back. I suddenly had more impulses to interact with other people, to talk or even joke around a little. After the second week I felt the anxiety and depression lift. I felt cured in terms of depression and anxiety. After that I continued to get a “booster” infusion every 3 months. That’s a pretty long interval for booster infusions. I read that it is common to get a booster every 4-8 weeks.
In 2019 I stopped getting the booster infusions because I was feeling so good that I thought I might not need them anymore. This year, when I was heavily depressed and anhedonic again, I tried a single infusion (55mg ketamine) which didn’t help. That was distressing and a shock for me, because I thought the only thing that really helped with depression didn’t work on me anymore.
But now, I guess I was too deeply in the depression again for one infusion to help. I received 5 infusions over two weeks this July/August and it worked as well as it did in 2017. Depression, anxiety, anhedonia lifted. I feel normal. I feel pretty good.
But I still have to repeat that ketamine infusions didn’t do a lot for my ED and libido. I guess I’ll have to find a different cure for that.
Concerning the dosage: There are two different types of ketamine.
There is ketamine and S-ketamine. The latter is twice as potent as the “normal” ketamine. I used to receive 55mg ketamine (NOT S-ketamine) as a booster.
If depression, anxiety and anhedonia are your main PFS-issues, I’d recommend trying ketamine infusions. It’s expensive. But for me it worked when nothing else did.
You can also check the academic literature. For a few years, there has been a big hype because lots of researchers were baffled by how well ketamine works even in so called “treatment resistant” patients.
Hope my anecdotal evidence is of any help for anyone.
And while I’m here: Did anyone find a cure for low to non-existent libido by now, lol?
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I forgot to answer how long it lasts:
That seems to vary a lot from patient to patient.
For some it lasts only two weeks. For some it lasts three months (like for me).
But to be honest: If I’ll continue to receive ketamine infusions for the rest of my life and will be freed from depression - I’ll go for it. My main concern is to reboot my libido right now. I think I’ll try Buspirone for that. Read some interesting things about it here.
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Can you do the survey please?
Do you mean this one?
Nope, check this topic for more information: Post-Drug Syndrome Survey FAQ. Survey NOW LIVE - Please Participate
If you filled out this survey, that would be really helpful and one step closer to fixing this problem.
Curious if you’re still taking Ketamine boosters. I took Ketamine in the past, and found it helped my mood a lot. I simply couldn’t afford the $350 per dose after 7 treatments and stopped. I’ve been on Wellbutrin the last year or so, and will consider Ketamine again, once I can get off the Wellbutrin.
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Taking oxycodone/percocet has helped me for few days. It’s an opiate, similar to ketamine (just weaker).
can you get ketamine prescribed from a pharmacy?
Ketamine is not considered an opiate. It mainly acts on the NMDA receptors, which is very different from things like oxycodone.
I get 60mg of the racemic ketamine as an infusion every 4 weeks.
Fortunately it’s only 100€ per infusion for me.
I still think it helps with depressive symptoms, including anhedonia.
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I tried Ketamine infusions and unfortunately they did not help. I am a very severe case however. I am sure that Ketamine can be helpful in some cases
MaxWeber, Many thanks for sharing your experiences. Do you have more information on where you can get these treatments done in Germany for 100 euro? Is it in a private clinic?
DO NOT FUCKING TRY BUSPIRONE with PFS.
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Any medication that attenuates anxiety will have its own PFS like sides. Most notably in my experience indifference and/or depersonalization, flat moods. Using these medications makes it harder to tell when you have started to recover from the original PFS symptoms. It prolongs and maybe even makes these symptoms worse in the long run. That said I did all these things to survive my first year but its potentially compounding your problems in the long run.
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sorry for the late reply. I didn’t spend any time in this forum for a while. my psychiatrist in Hamburg is feeling bad for me so she gives me a discount. Usually it would be 200 €.
Initially I got the infusions in Cologne from Dr. Mathers. As far as I know he was the first doctor in Germany to offer ketamine infusions for outpatients.
Why?
For me all it did was make me hallucinate like crazy. No change in my symptoms though