wswells,
Ketamine is just a treatment like the other treatments...like blocks, or SCS or therapy. Some people are able to come off meds with some treatments and some can't. The thing is ketamine is a treatment, it is not a cure. It has been proven that ketamine does not stay in the body. I have been told the ketamine coma would be best for me- to me it is too risky for not being a cure. Coma, then 2xweek boosters, then 1xweek, then every other week then every month. Its like a total of 5 months of treatment that might only give 3-6months help and the cost is ridiculous. I dont want to have to go thru weeks & months of boosters that wont last in my body. I think it would be more of a hassle needing someone to drive me a distance, stay for the infusion and then drive home again. It just doesnt seem worth it to me. I would rather get up and take my meds and not be bothered. Yes i hate meds. Unfortunately, meds have side effects that i hate but so does ketamine. I am hopeful that someday they will mix ketamine and another drug so that the results will last longer in the body.

Hi Wendy,

I have not had ketamine treatments. I only know what I've read here and researched on it.

I would think the reason your doc says you are not a candidate is because ketamine works best when used early in the RSD course. If you are alreay internal/full body, I would think it's too late for the ketamine to make a marked difference for you, which stinks.

Hang in there.....

[QUOTE=wswells;734217]You have been thru alot too but seem to be on the right track.

I think you are right, that maybe I was thinking this was ,not a cure all, but the closest thing to it.

The meds I'm on just take the edge off I'm still a good 7-8 but I refuse to take any more. too many side effects. I was also thinking that maybe because my B/P is always very high even on the B/P meds that I take, that this might be one reason maybe that the Dr.,s don't want me to do the ketamine. Have you ever heard of this?

How long have you had RSD? I know too long,right. You have a great attitude about the realities of RSD, I do most of the time, but being rejected for the ketamine discouraged me especially because I still don't know exactly why, I see my Dr. Friday and we will be figuring this question out, the reasons that no one wants me to even try the ketamine.

Congrats to you for really getting relief and being able to stay off the bad meds. and for explaining to me some of the questions I had I am still a little confused about all of this but glad that you had a good experience.

Thanks Wendy


Wendy,
I've actually had RSD for about ten years but was only diagnosed at the Hospital for Special Surgery this past fall. Before that, I had 3 cervical surgeries (disc fusions, laminectomies, etc, both posterior and anterior) and lumbar laminectomies. I had a surgeon who thought he was a god and never stopped to consider that maybe my problem wasn't one his repeated surgeries could fix. When he should have referred me to pain management, he instead performed more surgery.

Other then those surgeries and my RSD which has spread from my head to my toes on the left side, I'm the picture of great health. I don't know if any medical conditions you may have could be a factor. My primary RSD doctor also felt I would be an excellent candidate due to my age (38) and my past responses to anesthesia. Each time I had it for different surgeries, I had full relief for about 6 weeks (which I thought was from the surgery). Turned out is was from the anesthesia because the pain returned each time with a vengeance.

Before the ketamine, my pain levels were off the scale to the point ER doctors could no longer get my pain under control without risking my life. Ketamine has been a godsend for me but I do also know it isn't a cure and what's more important than anything in fighting this is understanding it and yourself as well as you can.

Collect as much information as possible, read the articles,pay attention to your triggers and find what you can do to counteract them.

Most importantly, never give up hope.

Wendy,

I have had 3 -5 day inpatient ketamine procedures and used the same doctor's mentioned , Dr. Richman for inpatient and he was my PM doctor also and Dr. Schwartzman for my boosters. The ketamine did a tremendous job for most of the symtoms. During my treatments I did get all of my normal pain meds. and it was not even expected of me or even asked if I wanted to try.I was also going through surgeries to correct a injuired arm/elbow, that might have been the thinking. It could also have something to do with all the changes in the medication arena when it comes to narcotics. I believe it's the new laws that are being forced on doctors currently. I also have heard that there has been some problems with patients taking to much medication while going through ketamine treatments and problems have arose. Currently I am on really nothing to speak of. I have gone off most of everything over the years. I also believe patients have other lingering issues that might result in the ketamine not giving the best results. So it's a combination of many, many things. The best advise I can give is to find the best in the field if you are considering ketamine before you begin any treatments.



Gabbycakes

Dear Wendy and Finz,

I wouldn't let anyone tell you that if you want to try a treatment that it might not work for you. How are you ever going to know if you don't at least give it a shot???? Ketamine gave me my life back. I tried so many other things first, spent endless hours on the road and at doctors' offices....

Some people don't get a chance to try ketamine until they are 10 years into RSD. And they find that they get relief from it. Have you sought another opinion.

Finz - Since you are from N.E, I thought you might want to know that there is doctor in Pawtucket, RI doing ketamine now. Let me know if you would like his contact info.

Peace, Sandy