Ketamine is a dissociative class medication that is considered a schedule III-controlled substance. It is predominately used in the emergency department and in the operating room as an anesthetic medication. Ketamine is FDA approved for anesthesia and for pain relief during procedures. Ketamine is not considered FDA approved to treat depression, PTSD, acute or chronic pain, or any additional conditions outside of anesthesia and pain relief during procedures.
The use of ketamine to treat the above conditions is “off label” by the FDA. That means that although the FDA has approved ketamine to be used for anesthesia in a medical setting, the FDA has not yet approved the use of the medicine in this treatment context. This is a common medication status -- a large percentage of medication prescribed in the United States is for “off label” use.
Ketamine has been used safely for over 50 years. Ketamine has been shown to improve the symptoms of various psychiatric conditions and pain in certain populations. Everyone’s response to treatment will be different. While most individuals report improvements in psychiatric symptoms and pain, symptom relief cannot be guaranteed. You need to be aware that symptom relief can last from days to months, therefore multiple treatments might be recommended or required for long term symptom relief. There are no long-term studies to show the safety or effectiveness of repeated ketamine treatments, therefore the potential long-term risks or treatment efficacy cannot be established for the treatment of chronic pain disorders, depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions.
Any procedure or medication carries with it possible risks and side effects. Even though significant side effects are rare, you need to be aware of all the possible risks and side effects before starting treatment. Unknown or unexpected side effects or risks could also occur.
Most side effects are mild in nature.
Possible side effects include but are not limited to:
· Bitter Taste in Mouth · Sedation · Somnolence · Headache · Dizziness · Sensory Illusions · Delirium · Tonic clonic movements resembling seizures · Elevations in blood pressure and heart rate. · Laryngospasm · Urinary frequency, urgency, hesitancy, or burning. · Increased saliva production · Restlessness · Impaired coordination · “Out of body” experiences · Twitching of arms and legs · Decreased appetite · Nausea and vomiting
More rare and serious side effects include, but are not limited to:
· Blurred or double vision · Hives and allergic reaction · Increased ocular (eye) pressure · Hallucinations and flashbacks · Increased mania or hypomania in bipolar disorder · Increased suicidal thoughts and ideation · Cystitis · Slowing of heart rate · Irregular heart rhythm · Low blood pressure · Trouble breathing · Decreased respirations.
Ketamine also carries with it a risk of abuse and tolerance, especially if you have a history of drug abuse or dependence. This is rare though as ketamine does not have a physiological withdrawal syndrome associated with it and most patients do not develop cravings for ketamine.
As with the administration of any type of medication, especially an anesthetic, there is a risk of dosing errors, drug interactions, and rare serious side effects that could require intubation, anaphylactic treatment, and/or hospitalization. These can be serious and life threatening. For this reason, it is imperative to be truthful with your medical history and all medications, supplements, or illicit drugs you are taking.
You should not receive ketamine if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, could be pregnant, or trying to get pregnant as ketamine could harm the developing fetus.
Side effects of ketamine can include confusion or disorientation. To ensure safety you need a responsible adult with you during the treatment and the 3 hours that follow.
If you need assistance please message the physician via our Osmind application. You many also reach our admin team during normal business hours by calling 623-847-6652.
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