Hi Sandy,

Thanks for the encouragement, and I am glad that ketamine has given you so much relief!

Subanesthetic and i.v. treatments are synonymous, as far as I know. By that I mean -- not anesthetic (the coma protocol) and not oral. Outpatient intravenous infusion.

I am assuming that you had positive results, though, somewhat early on... and based on that, you chose to continue.

I would surely do the same were I getting even a hint of relief. But I am not. Just as it would have been ludicrous to continue getting sympathetic blocks when they never worked, I won't pour more money, time, and effort into something that is not effective for me. Like everyone, too, I have to think of the people in my life who rearrange their schedules and activities in order to help me. It's not fair to them, either.

About four years ago, I chose to cut my narcotic intake by about 70% and have stayed on the same doses since then. Well, that's not true -- I have lowered my methadone dose an additional 25% but it's a secret! I also take "drug holidays" every 4-6 weeks -- again, it's top secret. heh!

I learned a long time ago that meds will only help so much. I don't have any problem taking them for the relief they afford, but I never expect them to take me to some alternate reality where I have no pain.

Probably what I will do next is that old pain management trick of the "lateral shift"! Moving from the long-acting opiate I've been on to another, but at a lower equivalent dose.

I've followed the ketamine craze since its inception and have read everything I can find. I wish the science were much, much stronger than it is. CRPS is the only disease/syndrome I know of that is treated almost entirely by protocols developed from anecdotal evidence, and sustained by what is little more than scientistic gossip. It's infuriating... but, as the wise-*** kids love to say, it is what it is!

Thanks for your kindness and I hope you continue to improve.

Prof