Originally Posted by Darcyreid

Hi Gunny, I saw your post here and I am looking for a doctor who treats CRPS in the DC area. My pain doctor in Bethesda retired last year and I've been in a free fall trying to find a new doctor ever since. I was dxed with CRPS in 1990 after hand surgery, but it spread to my right foot now. I read several years ago about ketamine being used for soldiers at Walter Reed, perhaps it was because of your doctor. Would you mind sharing his name? Thanks so much, Darcy

Originally Posted by daylilyfan

I went up to Cleveland Clinic the other day. My doctor there really wants me to try ketamine infusions, once a week for several weeks. I do not think my insurance will cover it. Even if they do, they won't cover doctors fee, or the fee for the outpatient room, and what they will cover will only be 70%. And, I still have nearly $3000 to meet on my deductible.

I have not worked since December, filed for disability in May. When I filed, I went in to the office to do it, and the woman there who helped me file, back dated my filing to well before I stopped working, as my employer had to make a lot of adjustments the last year I was working due to my RSD. I did not quite understand what she was doing, but it sounded like my date of onset of disability would preceed my date of stopping work... which would mean my date of being eligible for medicare would be sooner.

Now I am still on Cobra.

I am wondering if anyone has had Social Security Medicare cover ketamine as outpatient.

I am thinking I will wait to see if I get disability first time (yeah right, I know, chances are slim)... I should hear something end of Oct. or in Nov. Then, if I do, wait to get Medicare before getting ketamine. I've had RSD almost 10 years, what is a few more months wait.

Otherwise, this is going to cost me a lot of money I just do not have.

Originally Posted by daylilyfan

I went up to Cleveland Clinic the other day. My doctor there really wants me to try ketamine infusions, once a week for several weeks. I do not think my insurance will cover it. Even if they do, they won't cover doctors fee, or the fee for the outpatient room, and what they will cover will only be 70%. And, I still have nearly $3000 to meet on my deductible.

I have not worked since December, filed for disability in May. When I filed, I went in to the office to do it, and the woman there who helped me file, back dated my filing to well before I stopped working, as my employer had to make a lot of adjustments the last year I was working due to my RSD. I did not quite understand what she was doing, but it sounded like my date of onset of disability would preceed my date of stopping work... which would mean my date of being eligible for medicare would be sooner.

Now I am still on Cobra.

I am wondering if anyone has had Social Security Medicare cover ketamine as outpatient.

I am thinking I will wait to see if I get disability first time (yeah right, I know, chances are slim)... I should hear something end of Oct. or in Nov. Then, if I do, wait to get Medicare before getting ketamine. I've had RSD almost 10 years, what is a few more months wait.

Otherwise, this is going to cost me a lot of money I just do not have.

Originally Posted by NurseKris

I had a consult for possible Ketamine infusions at the Cleveland Clinic done in May and I wanted to pass along my experience. I saw Dr. Vrooman who works with Dr. Stanton-Hicks. I was told that the waiting list for infusions was 2 years long. They encouraged me to consider a spinal cord stimulator first. Also you may want to check with your insurance company to see if they cover the infusions as some still consider it experimental. I don't know if anything at the clinic has changes since May but just thought I would give a heads up.

Originally Posted by Gunny Fitz

Just got home. Can barely talk or walk on my own at moment n hope I don't say anything bad. Will give details later but OMG OMG OMG it was like NOTHING I've ever done in my life! Both exhilarating and at once terrifying until I was calmed down. Absolutely unreal feeling.
Ttyl.