Anyone tried ketamine?

[Tunguska]

Agmatine in 500 mg doses did not seem to produce any noticeable effect for me.

Any AMPA agonists you know of among things you tried that did help you?

The closest to agmatine I tried was sarcosine and it was nice but had side effects I believe are from NMDA agonism - so different profile which muddies the whole thing. Aniracetam helps in unexpected ways but it's subtle and also multiple mechanisms. (then again Agmatine also has other effects like NOS inhibition)

I'd love to try ketamine, but it's not going to happen where I am. I've tried DXM, it's potent, fits the profile (AMPA+/NMDA-) and it can probably substitute for Ketamine, but I'm not taking those products chronically unless I could get pure freebase or HCl legally.

 

[Hip]

Any AMPA agonists you know of among things you tried that did help you?

Looking at this article, it seems that a lot of racetams are positive allosteric modulators of AMPA, and I get significant benefits from racetams in terms of improving brain fog.

 

[Sushi]

Let's say it did provide some benefits; would that then require you to undertake ketamine IVs several times a week to maintain the benefits?

That would be my question for the doctor as the possible benefits are short term. Taking ketamine on a regular basis probably has considerable risk. I'll ask about the intranasal route

 

[Tunguska]

Looking at this article, it seems that a lot of racetams are positive allosteric modulators of AMPA, and I get significant benefits from racetams in terms of improving brain fog.

So hard to say with the Racetams... I think the only one documented to have AMPA as main mechanism is Aniracetam, while the others are more confounded. Much like Tianeptine's on that list (didn't remember), one of the most effective for me for multiple symptoms (even more than brain), but the opioid effect overshadows everything (unless it turned out opioids worked much through AMPA, but I didn't see that... maybe for Tia there's an additive effect).

 

[Jesse2233]

Has anyone had an adverse reaction to IV ketamine?

I'm considering it for depression / anxiety

 

[Sushi]

Has anyone had an adverse reaction to IV ketamine?
I'm considering it for depression / anxiety

The question is how long the effect lasts (reportedly only about a week) and the effects of regular dosing. There are risks I believe. These are questions I am asking too.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I have tried ketamine. I am not sure if someone needs to know something? I have the nasal spray. This was before I was diagnosed with Sjogrens and now I am on a medicine that works for that. I only use it now for pain sporadically. It was a lifesaver at one point and I don't have negative reactions from it.

 

[Misfit Toy]

Has anyone had an adverse reaction to IV ketamine?

This would be a great question to ask on the chronic migraine board on FB, as they have ketamine infusions so much.

 

[Sushi]

as they have ketamine infusions so much.

Do you know how they manage the long term side effects from regular dosing?

 

[Tunguska]

I have tried ketamine. I am not sure if someone needs to know something? I have the nasal spray. This was before I was diagnosed with Sjogrens and now I am on a medicine that works for that. I only use it now for pain sporadically. It was a lifesaver at one point and I don't have negative reactions from it.

I also have a question: does the ketamine keep you awake or are you able to go to sleep on it (like an hour or less before bed) or even help?

 

[Misfit Toy]

Do you know how they manage the long term side effects from regular dosing?

Sushi, of IV? I have no idea but I know in the "Chronic Migraine Awareness" group on FB, those are the people to ask about anything ketamine even if you don't have migraines. For me, the nasal spray did not cause long term effects with regular dosing but I don't know your story. I have no idea why you are taking it. I am not sure if it has long term effects. I know that for most, the benefits are pretty high so I am not sure yet what the consensus is, but that migraine group is where to ask. They answer questions almost immediately.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I also have a question: does the ketamine keep you awake or are you able to go to sleep on it (like an hour or less before bed) or even help?

It can do one or the other. Sometimes it puts me to sleep and sometimes I have a harder time falling asleep. I know, weird answer, but that's my body for you. I like it at times as it really can put me to sleep. I don't use it like I used to, just for breakthrough pain now.

 

[Tunguska]

It can do one or the other. Sometimes it puts me to sleep and sometimes I have a harder time falling asleep. I know, weird answer, but that's my body for you. I like it at times as it really can put me to sleep. I don't use it like I used to, just for breakthrough pain now.

Hmm, a little bit what I expect. You'd hope the quieter NMDA would help you sleep but doesn't always work out, does it. My tries with NMDA antagonists were like that, sometimes they keep me wide awake.

Ketamine's metabolite and some of the others are also AMPA agonist, and those don't seem to be known for sleep (reduced REM in studies?). But then again aniracetam (direct/indirect AMPA agonist although probably has other mechanisms) sometimes improved my sleep quality dramatically with some carbs.

 

[Sushi]

Sushi, of IV? I have no idea but I know in the "Chronic Migraine Awareness" group on FB, those are the people to ask about anything ketamine even if you don't have migraines. For me, the nasal spray did not cause long term effects with regular dosing but I don't know your story. I have no idea why you are taking it.

I requested to join the group. It was suggested to me for nervous system/brain excito-toxicity but apparently an IV is only effective for about a week.

 

[TrixieStix]

I requested to join the group. It was suggested to me for nervous system/brain excito-toxicity but apparently an IV is only effective for about a week.

I did not take it for migraines but rather for chronic nerve pain, but I had a good experience with it. I took 48mg once daily in a capsule pill form (compounded for me). It was inexpensive as well.

 

[eon]

I'm curious where you get your transdermal magnesium? Is it more potent than simply supplementing with 400 mg or higher of oral magnesium?

I have yet to find a domestic seller of xenon gas for human use. I found a Chinese one on Ebay but I'm not sure I trust the source. He told me it's human grade. I don't know how to use it. Do I inhale it?

Regarding Ketamine; lots of people talked about the nasal spray version. Where are you people getting it? I know Ketamine is still a scheduled drug yet ketamine infusion clinics are popping up all over the U.S. with a price tag of $500 (insurance don't cover this). I was told that 500 mg is administered if I'm not mistaken. It's cheaper to just find a good ketamine source and administer it my self. I've seen these in vials going for less than $20. I was also told that powder versions for snorting also exists.

I wonder when the Johnson & Johnson company is going to put out their S-ketamine nasal spray? Last I read about it was about 2 years ago. The article mentioned that in 2017 we will see it in the market.

A while ago, I had a severe problems with mental tension and anxiety, which I think is caused from NMDA overstimulation. I have compiled a list of safe supplements that reduce the sensitivity of the NMDA receptor. If you take several of these together, they do work. They act as anxiolytics.

Here is the list of NMDA inhibitors:

Transdermal Magnesium - potent
Taurine
Guaifenesin
Cats claw - possibly
L-Huperzine A
Zinc
Progesterone (transdermal)

Ibogaine

Amantadine, Ketamine, Riluzole, Memantine, Dextromethorphan

Nitrous oxide, xenon gas

 

[TrixieStix]

@eon you can also take Ketamine in oral form. I took part in a medical study of it's use and then kept taking it afterwards since I found it did benefit me. It was inexpensive as well.

 

[eon]

From what I've read from people was that taking Ketamine orally has low bioavailability, maybe unless what you took was formulated to be taken orally and has good enough bioavailability? What was it that you took exactly?

 

[TrixieStix]

From what I've read from people was that taking Ketamine orally has low bioavailability, maybe unless what you took was formulated to be taken orally and has good enough bioavailability? What was it that you took exactly?

Here is a thread about the study I took part in. Dr. Grande writes about her experience with it here. She has found it works well for chronic pain, depression, etc. This is referring to use of the oral form.

http://www.ketamineadvocacynetwork.org/forums/topic/oral-ketamine-for-chronic-pain/

 

[Hip]

I have yet to find a domestic seller of xenon gas for human use. I found a Chinese one on Ebay but I'm not sure I trust the source. He told me it's human grade. I don't know how to use it. Do I inhale it?

I am not suggesting anyone inhale xenon gas for its NMDA receptor blocking effects; it's only in the list for completeness and curiosity. In any case, xenon gas is very expensive. NMDA receptor blocking can be achieved with high dose transdermal magnesium, and/or the drug memantine. Other NMDA antagonists are given here.

I know one ME/CFS patient who had good results with memantine, but then the benefits stopped appearing after some months of use. It's not unusual in ME/CFS for a drug or supplement to work initially, but then later stop working.

I have not tried memantine myself, but have used transdermal magnesium on and off for many years, and it always works for me (I find it reduces anxiety, mostly likely through its NMDA receptor blocking action).

I'm curious where you get your transdermal magnesium? Is it more potent than simply supplementing with 400 mg or higher of oral magnesium?

Yes, transdermal magnesium is more potent, because orally, when you take doses of magnesium much higher than around 400 mg, you get bowel flushing (diarrhea), which limits how much you can take orally.

However, if you apply magnesium cream to your skin from head to toe, you will absorb much higher doses, and it does not affect you bowels.

Myself, I don't use magnesium cream (which is just magnesium chloride in solution), but rather I make up a saturated solution of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate), and apply that to my skin from head to toe. I find this less itchy than magnesium cream. More info in this post.

I was told that 500 mg is administered if I'm not mistaken.

In studies, 50 mg of ketamine is the typically dose taken intranasally for depression purposes. 500 mg will throw you into a full psychedelic / dissociative trip. Some doctors in the US will prescribe ketamine, but it's use is still quite experimental.