I am participating in a medical study involving Ketamine to treat depression, fibromyalgia and chronic pain. Have you ever done ketamine for pain?
What is ketamine?
Ketamine is an anesthetic that has been used since the 1960’s to treat chronic pain and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). It is not approved for OTC (over the counter) consumption in the U.S. by the FDA because it’s a schedule 3 drug as per the DEA- it’s a controlled substance.
In the U.S., ketamine is classified as a schedule III drug under the DEA Controlled Substances Act; however, it is not classified as an opioid (narcotic) or barbiturate.
https://www.drugs.com/illicit/ketamine.html
Although ketamine is not an opioid or barbiturate, it is controlled because of its hallucinogenic effects (among other side effects, but this one being the main one). In other words, it is a potent substance that should not be used for recreational purposes or unsupervised without a medical professional.
The Study
So the study I’m taking part in aims to use ketamine to assist psychotherapy. It consists of 6 sessions (1 session per week). Each ketamine session is followed by a therapy session to discuss symbols, the trip itself, and ultimately address the emotional issues that make chronic pain worse.
The ketamine aims to dampen the amygdala’s response to stressful stimuli, and hypersensitivity of my overactive CNS (central nervous system), which will allow me to diminish the intensity of my neuropathic pain. Results still pending.
I was so lucky to find Dr. Michelle Weiner- who’s managing the study out of her practices in Hollywood, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Boca Raton, Florida.
A little more about Dr. Weiner:
DR. MICHELLE WEINER, DO, MPH
DOUBLE BOARD CERTIFIED
Interventional Pain Medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Interventional Pain Medicine Physician at Spine and Wellness Centers of America
Find more information here: https://www.spinewellnessamerica.com/dr-michelle-weiner
The 1st Session
I arrived at the Hollywood location and was taken into a therapy room containing a recliner. The lights were dim and the overall atmosphere was very relaxing.
Dr. Weiner handed me an eye mask and headphones which we connected to listen to a Ketamine playlist on Spotify. There are many ketamine playlists to choose from on Spotify.
Ketamine can cause nausea and so Dr. Weiner administered a shot of Zofran with a small amount of Ketamine for the first part of the session. I closed my eyes and tried to relax. This first part lasted 30 minutes, and I felt a sense of weightlessness and relaxation. The entire experience felt like the state of being almost asleep, yet not fully immersed in the dream world.
The doctor came in and administered the second dose of Ketamine (plus Zofran) for the second portion of the session which lasted about 45 minutes. During this time I focused on my intention, but my thoughts were fleeting and turned into shapes.
At one point I saw a thick liquid filled with stars dripping into another container- but this all took place in the cosmos. My thoughts were about past lives and reincarnation… as if the water dripped into a previous consciousness. Although I couldn’t see further into that image, I felt a deep sense of safety and relaxation like I’ve never experienced.
I am one of those people who can’t relax easily- I hold onto reality too much. Once the ketamine effect started to dissipate and I could once again feel my body, I could feel a tingling sensation emanating from the center of my chest and spreading to my ribs, shoulders, and arms. It was as if my anxiety had settled back into my body- almost like a sticky parasite that won’t let go.
It should be noted that upon arrival at the office my anxiety was quite high because of the drive from our home to the center. Driving gives me severe anxiety. Although my husband drove me, just being on the road in the traffic had me uncomfortably uneasy. After the session, my anxiety was unquestionably lower and felt manageable.
I was very nauseous after the session and got sick in the car ride back home. I spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping and resting.
You must have a driver to return home since you’ll still be under the influence and cannot possibly drive yourself like that.
I have scheduled the rest of the ketamine sessions on Tuesdays and will write more about my experience. I can’t wait to share more amazing news from my journey into ketamine assisted therapy! I do this in hopes it will help someone out there struggling with pain like me.
Have you used ketamine for chronic pain before? or for PTSD? If you have, please share your experience with me. I’m hoping this works because I am exhausted from the chronic pain.
I’m on Instagram as @ana_vsg_miami if you wish to connect further.
XOXO
Ana MC
More on ketamine here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4014022/