Ketamine for chronic pain video link.

I am posting this on it's own so many can see it and I'm interested to hear what everone thinks of it.

It is highly controversial and can kill you or leave you with complete memory loss. That being said, MANY have been completely cured from life long chronic pain after going through the five day infusion. It is done in Germany and only as a LAST RESORT.

http://www.webmd.com/video/ketamine-chronic

[NoMoMeth4me]

http://www.webmd.com/video/ketamine-chronic-pain

[saynono]

I know someone who had that treatment done in Germany for chronic pain from a dental injury.  It costs about $50K and is not covered by insurance.  She was a doctor and desparate and it did not help her.

My local news had a story on someone who recently had it done in Mexico (I can't find the news link) and it did not help her either.  I believe her pain was in her legs.

Some time ago I found a CNN report where a girl lost the use of her legs from a bug bite and had it done.  It got her out of a wheelchair.  Somewhere about that same time I read about another person that it helped but when she was getting onto the airplane she bumped her foot and the pain came back again.

I haven't heard of any stories of where it really makes you loose your memory but it does seem odd that it can make your brain forget about your pain and leave everything else intact.   I have heard that it can cause severe halluciniations withdrawing from the ketamine but there is supposed to be a drug that they now use to help that.  My neuro told me that they also do it in England.  

Too extreme and expensive for me to attempt and I'm likely not a candidate because medications do help me....however, not nearly enough.  This coma is supposed to be a last resort option...

There was supposed to be a study of this started in Florida a couple of years ago but I haven't heard anything past that.  There still may be....I would think it would be listed as a clinical trial if it did.  

[geminigirl1963]

I haven't heard of any "real" people having this done, but it was the topic of an episode of the tv program House (this may only be a US show, so not sure if everyone is familiar with it).  Greg House (the physician and patient) underwent the ketamine coma/treatment for chronic severe pain for which he was addicted to vicodin.  In the episode, as soon as he awoke from the coma, he was totally pain free and was able to immediately discard the cane that he had been using.  However, his pain free lifestyle did not last - his pain returned with a vengeance and he was back to having to use his cane to get around.

When I saw the episode I thought it had strictly been written for "tv entertainment" - I had no idea that this was a true medical procedure/treatment!

I agree that, at least at this point, this is way too extreme and expensive for me to seriously look into - however, there are those days when my pain meds are not even getting CLOSE to even touching my pain that I would try ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING to get just a little relief.  I'm wondering if they do find that it does work and there aren't any long-term negative effects from it if they will end up doing a clinical trial on it and also if it gets "approved" and used more often, if the cost of it will go down and/or be covered by insurance.  You would think that if it does work and doesn't cause any long term effects that the insurance companies would want to cover something like this so they wouldn't have to be constantly "paying" for medications and other treatments.  It actually could end up cheaper for the insurance companies, but you also know how they are -- they want to KEEP getting our money!!

[Tuckamore]

Geminigirl I saw the episode of House also. I knew of the experimentation's they are preforming with Ketamine. I think they are just that at this point.

Sorry, I don't trust the media to give the entire picture. That includes the video that was posted. Making informed decisions is always best which requires a lot of shifting through the "junk" that's out there. It's tough for us and tougher still on the medical professionals.

[geminigirl1963]

Very true!

[concerned621]

I pray it's something that becomes mainstream. I would try it. I would try anything to be able to stop medication and to never feel like this again.  I'd find a way to pay for it. I just would want more clinical trials and would like to see the Cleveland Clinic, Johhs Hokins or Mayo Clinic signing off on it prior to trying the protocol myself.  I think it's all subjective. Age, overall health.
I do think building up our bodies in other ways, exercise, eating right and keeping our health as strong as possible is so important so if therapies like this become available we are strong enough to handle them.

[tresa47]

I've heard of low dose outpatient ketamine therapy..I know a women in my area..northern new jersey who has had it and it has seemed to help with her rsd pain..I am not sure. I asked my pain management dr about it and he said he wouldn't recommend it. There are alot of side effects to it. But then, there are alot of side efffects to all the medications those of us who suffer from chronic pain have to take.  You'd have to do alot of research and ask alot of questions..weigh the benefits against the risks....I pray that there would be just a clear cut answer to this. take care all...Theresa

[tshabbychic]

Hello I actually just completed a ten day ketamine infusion for chronic pain,going into the infusions I was terrified because of everything I had heard of ketamine. It actually worked the 1st day. During the infusions they put me on namenda which seemed to counteract the benefits of the ketamine and it made me sick. Its now 5 days after my infusions and Im starting to some pain so I am again trying the Namenda. I would tell anyone with chronic pain & or depression issues that even if the results dont last for me(I just started to feel the pain again five days after the treatments were done & hope the namenda helps) it REALLY helps with the depression and I would gladly do it again knowing what I know now.