Nerve block and ketamine infusion together.
 

Tuesday I will be having the ketamine and nerve block together. Has anyone here done both together. The dr told me I will probably "go on a trip" like drugs. Is this what any of yall have experienced?

Hi Julie,

I have not seen anything about doing them together but I find the concept intriguing. Getting the ganglia calmed down at the source and then following with ketamine...Kinda cool.

As for the trip. Taking soothing music with you is helpful. Also just staying calm through the weirdness. My last infusion was the most "trippy" because we lowered the Versed so I wouldn't be so tired. I had a lot more visual effects of swirly geometric color patterns behind my eyelids (I keep my eyes closed because my vision is so blurry on it). I found a couple times that I wasnt liking it and noticed my heart rate speeding up a little. I made a point to take deep breaths during those times. It was strange but not intolerable and not really agitating for me personally. Feeling more alert the rest of the day was worth the trip.

Relax, know you're in good hands and let the healing come. I will be thinking of you on Tuesday and sending healing love.
:hug:

Julie - When is this scheduled to be done? Have you perhaps done it yet?

IMHO (after going thru 4 Ketamine Infusions already, with more to come! And IMHO it is most definitely an UNREAL Trip that is beyond anything you may have experienced in your lifetime! My a dive - try your very best to go into this treatment with a clear mind and do NOT think of bad thoughts or troubling issues which are bothering you at the time. Be nice and happy with nice thoughts. Calm, cool, easy, clear head, and RELAX! Actually try to sleep. Although the colors and trip may keep you busy wandering WTH is going on. LOL. My next one is gonna be LONG TERM and possibly the 5 day Ketamine induced Coma

Best of luck and please report back- any questions feel free to msg me or post here ok? Lots to tell that Ive probably not mentioned here of course too! Please let us know!

Hi yall my procedure is for Tuesday. I will keep yall posted. Thanks for the help

I am reading more and more on the ketamine infusion. After I have this done and if I'm pain free do I still have to take meds? How long did it last for yall?

Wow!!! It's nice to see that you have a doctor that wants to treat so aggressively. My doctors seem to want to take things slow, dilly dally around, try this, talk about that.... The only reason I can even get an appointment once a month is my orthopedic surgeon keeps pushing them to move my appointments up, probably because he feels somewhat responsible.

I am seeing a new PM on Tuesday to see his treatment plan. Hope he has a more aggressive plan. Otherwise I am going to have to find a way of getting into seeing yet another PM, outside of my PCP's network, but I do know he follows an aggressive and proper treatment plan for treating CRPS/RSD. Even if that means switching my PCP. I'm tired of being in constant pain and would like someone to have a proper but aggressive plan who can provide at least some relief for more than a few days a month.

Sorry for venting on your post but I have had 2, going on 3 really bad days in a row.

I have not heard of both being done together. Sounds like an interesting treatment plan. Hope it provides some relief from your pain and swelling for an extended amount of time. Please let us know how well you handle it.

Hi Julie,

I am back from ketamine infusion 7 and this was actually the least weird of all. The difference is the infusion rate for me. Today they ran it really slowly because my normal infusion nurse wasn't there. The doc set it up himself and he likes to infuse super slow. So if you are feeling too strange they can just back it down.

I didn't notice effects right away, which is in keeping with what other patients at the clinic have said. It seems to be somewhat gradual so you may not notice much the first time.

I have not been able to ditch meds yet. Of course all I take is nortriptyline. Because of my type of nerve injury we are keeping it on board a bit longer. Hopefully you can start to decrease yours soon!

I can't wait to hear how you do. I'm sending loads of hugs and good vibes. :hug:

Don't be sorry about the venting we all need to do it and I'm a great listener. I hope your new pm will be more aggressive. I have been very lucky finding this dr. The first one I went to didn't explain anything and literally told me to google it. Needless to say I did not go back to him. Good luck and keep me posted as I will do the same. Hugs

I have another question as I will probably have many more. I was watching ketamine videos. Do they really ask questions while your doing the infusion and can you have friends or family with you when your getting it done. How long does it usually last?

I haven't been asked questions during, other than an occasional "you still doing okay?"

Our infusion room is small so for me it is two patients in with a nurse who stays the whole time. Not having a friend or family in the room hasn't been an issue because they don't give high enough doses for anyone to really get weird on them. I think though if I really wanted someone there and asked they would say yes. They want you comfortable. My infusions have gone between an hour to two hours. Then again I am low dose at 1mg per kg.

Not to hijack this thread but I had a quick question:

Hi Gunny, I had a pretty trippy infusion last time. I'm wondering what dose you're getting.

I've been getting 500 mg over three to four hours and I'm usually knocked completely out. Not so this time at all. I was only quiet for about 20 minutes out of the four hours. I ran my sister ragged trying to keep me off negative thoughts of my ex husband getting married in a couple of weeks.

I'm always curious about the different protocols people are on and if they're tailored to the specific individual or just standard for that Dr/Clinic/Practice.

Denise

To stay on topic - for your first question: my pain went almost completely away for about five weeks after my first infusion (I get them about every two months and have had three to date). I was able to discontinue the 2400 mg of gabapentin per day I was taking. The only other med I take specifically for CRPS is Effexor for neurogenic pain, which I did keep taking. Between my second and third infusion I started back on a low dose of gabapentin because of migraines. I did have a some CRPS pain by the time for the next infusion but it was tolerable.

As for your second question: I probably saw the same videos you did on line. I believe that Dr. decides how much to give you based on your ability to answer questions and if you start to have nystagmus (when your eyes go quickly back and forth).

After my first infusion they did ask me questions such as was I still seeing double from the nystagmus, like, how many fingers am I holding up, or how many eyes do I have?

This clinic does require that you bring close family members for the entire infusion and to stay with you for about three days after because of the high dose given. In my case, it helped to keep me grounded and it helped to have someone who understood me. There was no listening to soft music, special blankets or video for me during the infusion. I couldn't have noticed anything like that. It was like going in for general anesthesia.

All that said, it hasn't been scary. I mainly just needed a close family member there.

Good luck.

Denise

Thanks for answering. You said family to stay with me for 3 days? Is this going to stay in my system that long after only one infusion? After I get home? Were you like a new person when you walked out of the clinic? If this works do you think I will be able to stand for 8 hours?


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Each clinic and protocol is different. The only reason they want family with me after is because it's such a high dose protocol as outpatient doses go. I sleep and feel feel out of it for at least two days. The ketamine leaves your system within about an hour but the other drugs they give for nausea, halucinations, etc., and the effects of the ketamine on the brain take a little longer to work through your body. The advice is rest and let your body heal even if you feel "like a new person."

I can't walk out of the clinic on that dose. I can't even walk the rest of the day. They take me down to the car in a wheelchair and it's difficult getting me to the bed once home. I use a cane the next couple or more days. However, I have felt no pain right after the infusion. I usually feel no pain the next day though still out of it. I've felt a bit of a flare for several days after that, especially if I try to do too much but then it usually settles back down into no or little pain. I have other problems from the CRPS such as dysautonomia and edema that the ketamine does not help. But it helps the pain quite significantly for me.

I can't answer your question on standing for 8 hours because I also have POTS and can't stay on my feet for very long no matter what.