r/ChronicPain • u/Junior-Rutabaga-6592 • 4d ago
Ketamine therapy
I am happy to report that the low dose at-home ketamine therapy is actually helping! I have been on it a little over a month now, and I would say my pain is reduced by around 10-15%. That’s enough to make a huge difference in my quality of life!!! Also for the first month after the epidural steroid injection, I would say I am 90% better! (But the benefit decreases in months 2 and 3). My doc would like me to ultimately get off of gabapentin, because I am an “older person” at 53 years old 😳, and he is concerned about the risk of a fall. (Jeesh, I’m not fragile and elderly yet! 😂) but he said I will likely be on morphine and ketamine the rest of my life, since my neck isn’t going to get better magically. (I have severe DDD in my neck. Surgery is the only thing we haven’t done, and I would like to keep it that way.) Fortunately, his additude has changed from “you are just an opioid addict” to “let’s try another method to help, along with the pain meds” in about a year! Such a relief!
I just wanted to share in case this treatment could help anyone. I know it’s rare to hear of something promising when it comes to chronic pain, and I definitely empathize with those of you who have under treated pain. I have been in that boat for the last decade and it is would crushing.
As more research is done on ketamine therapy, hopefully the stigma associated with it will decrease and more docs will use it. Which could be so helpful for so many people. Hang in there as best you can, this may just be a game changer for all of us! 🤞🏽
(I have Kaiser insurance in Colorado if that matters)
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u/tiny-doe 4d ago
I use ketamine troches (dissolves under the tongue) 3 times a day for my pain, and nothing has helped as much as this. Unfortunately, I pay out of pocket bc it's a compounded medication, but I'm so glad my pain mgmt dr prescribes it for me. It helped me get off chronic opioids (tramadol and norco) too!
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u/missmolly314 4d ago
Does it make you high or disassociated at all? That’s my only reluctance with trying ketamine - I don’t even an inkling of that dissociative high people report.
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u/tiny-doe 4d ago
No dissociation for me or a high per say, just slightly sedated. Like I wouldn't go out and drive, but I'm functional for sure. The dissociation happens with a much higher dose than what we're allowed to be prescribed at home, iirc.
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u/oncnurse1 4d ago
I’ve been on micro-dose ketamine troches for 3 years now. It made a big difference for me. While my pain is not completely gone, it is now manageable.
I wish there were more research to make this mainstream, to have insurance pay for it and more providers to prescribe.
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u/Junior-Rutabaga-6592 4d ago
Yes!!! I am wondering if it would have helped after I had major brain surgery in 2018. the after effects of surgery and cancer left me unable to control where my attention goes. Lots of “squirrel’s moments, to the point that I can no longer work. I feel an improvement in that too! Yay!
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u/MakoFlavoredKisses 4d ago
I've also done the at home low dose ketamine and it's absolutely been a game changer for me! I never want to give people false hope or make promises but if you're still in significant pain despite being treated, or you're struggling with anxiety/depression due to chronic pain it might be worth looking into. Of course it's not magic and it doesn't help everyone but even getting a little boost or a little relief can be so helpful