Hi - and welcome. Sorry you are having a bad flare.

I just read your "disability" post to my husband - thanks for such great information, it was very well written. Definitely something that might be applicable to me if I fall with the 30% of patients that doesn't get pain relief from the ketamine infusions... but I am trying to stay positive right now!

The ketamine coma is done in Mexico (Dr. Kirkpatrick from Tampa) and used to be done in Germany (Dr. Schwartzman from Drexel in Philly). That is when really high doses of ketamine are given to RSDers such that a coma is induced. The Germany site has been closed for a while because of a serious complication with one of their patients involving the "Mersa" bacteria. The ketamine coma remains the most effective way to relieve the pain of RSD, in the opinion of my new doctor in NYC.

The ketamine infusions are done in about 20 locations in the US and have an effectiveness rate of about 70%. The ketamine is infused at a much lower dose than the coma. A list of where the infusions are available can be obtained from Jim Broatch at the RSDSA (go to RSDSA.org) or on FB at Ketamine Klub. Or send me a private message and I'd be happy to mail you a copy. I got the list from Jim Broatch and called a number of locations closest to Rhode Island that provided the infusions and made appointments where I could. After an extremely painful rejection at the Beth Israel hospital in Boston on June 1st (after which I flared for a long time), I was finally accepted just last week, 4 months later, into New York City's St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital. It will be another 3 months or so before I can get in because I am worker's comp - my attorney will need to take this matter to a judge because the insurance company has already denied the expense. In addition, I need psych and cardiac clearance.

Take care, and please let me know if you have any other questions.

Sandy