Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimking
I have a question and need advice for my wife who has suffered with RSD for 7 years. After years of searching for a pain specialist to treat her we finally found one a couple of years ago. She's been very good treating my wife's pain but we are a little puzzled on one procedure the doc insists on. A year ago she started giving my wife one shot of ketamine every two weeks in the arm. After several months she said she felt no relief from the shots and on top of that I had to carry her home because it threw her for a loop, very very stoned! The fact that she wasn't feeling any better the Dr. referred her to GW hospital for a ketamine infusion. The infusions lasted 4 days, 4-5 hours per day, outpatient. No relief was found and then a 1 day lidocaine infusion with no relief also. When we mentioned to the doctor at the hospital about my wife's biweekly shot of ketamine the doctor got a surprise look on her face and ask the wife did she handle it well and she responded that it didn't work and it made her very intoxicated. The doctor stated that the pain specialist is using a different form of kedamine and that this form of ketamine was not stripped of its most intoxicating effects. The distilled form is used for infusions.
The pain specialist knows the infusions did not work, of course, but is now insisting Suzy take the biweekly shot in which she does not want to do at all and feels no benefit but a hangover and another shot in the arm. The doctor is being forceful. What are your opinions on this and what would you do? Thanks for the responses!  |
Hi JimKing,
I'm sure you have heard the expression "A doctor's practice" It's sounds like your wife's doctor may be doing just that with the single shot of ketamine. You and your wife have every right to ask questions and request to see information supporting the single shot.
Your are right about seeing so many doctors before you get the one you trust. We have all been through that and it's a tough and frustrating process.
Be a paticipant in you/your wife's care not a spectator. Finding the right cocktail of meds is as long and frustrating as finding the right doctors.
Ketamine is a very very strong drug. It's illegal street name is special K. I did 4 hour infusions 10 days a week. It was determined on the 4th day it wasn't helping and the infusions were stopped. I was offered the 5 day coma in Germany. When the 4 hour infusions were done I was given versaid (spelling?) to help with the side effects.
Ketamine is not a fix it puts some people in what is referred to as a stop. You have to get booster infusions from time to time depending on the person.
I commend you on being such a support to your wife. I know what it means to have your spouce be supportive.
I wish you the best of luck as you work toward relief.
Take care,
Sherrie
