
Ketamine: From Party Drug to Prescription Medicine - laurex
https://www.cugmhp.org/2019/03/15/ketamine-from-party-drug-to-prescription-medicine/
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thinkingkong
The suggested price of these treatments is absurd. “And then there is the
cost. It is unclear what insurance companies will cover and treatment
estimates are in the vicinity of $7,000 per month.”

Its been awhile but Im fairly confident this drug doesnt cost anywhere near
that price.

~~~
SpikeDad
Even worse is are the conditions for being prescribed. First you have to have
failed 5 previous medications but still be taking one. The dosages are
delivered only to your psychiatrist. You have to have it injected there and
then you have to wait 2 hours and are not permitted to drive for 24 hours. And
that's for the several injections per week...

So not only will the drug be expensive but you're going to be charged a
doctors visit every time AND you'll have to figure out how to get off from
work for hours each week.

Seems a lot easier to go down to the local high school and buy a bag of K.

~~~
Zircom
My girlfriend did ketamine treatments and her's were once a week for four
weeks with a break period in between(don't remember the exact length of the
break), where are you seeing the several injections per week number?

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patorjk
Reminds me of the research now starting around MDMA as a cure for tinnitus
(ringing in the ears) [1]. Lots of people who use the drug have self reported
a reduction in the ringing they hear. It'd be real interesting if this
eventually led to it being a prescription medicine too.

[1] [http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9806851/Party-drug-link-
to-t...](http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9806851/Party-drug-link-to-tinnitus-
cure)

~~~
simonsaidit
I cured my stress and tinnitus so loud I could hardly hear and sleep with my
own homemade Changa (dmt+hamalas) with one trip. Most amazing drug ever... and
I did them all ;)

~~~
fokinsean
Oh man I have mild tinnitus and wish for a cure, but psychedelics are
intimidating to me. I feel like if I was 5 years younger I would dive right in
but I don't know if I could do it now a days.

~~~
departure
I recommend How to Change Your Mind. [https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Mind-
Consciousness-Transc...](https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Mind-
Consciousness-Transcendence-ebook/dp/B076GPJXWZ)

The author has a great Joe Rogan interview:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz4CrWE_P0g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz4CrWE_P0g)

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rconti
... and people wonder why users turn to black markets. It costs, what, $40 on
the street for a bunch?

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rjurney
I use 10% Ketamine topical cream for nerve pain. It's the business. Irritating
it isn't covered by insurance as the research is favorable.

~~~
long
I've got some nerve issues and would be interested in trying this -- how did
you get a hold of the cream?

~~~
refurb
There is very little evidence that these creams work.[1]

Just one example...

 _CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that KA cream does not decrease CIPN
symptoms in cancer survivors._

[1][https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24531792/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24531792/)

~~~
long
Interesting.

GP seems to say that it worked wonders for them, so I'm still interested in
trying it.

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starpilot
Plug: new subreddit for this,
[https://www.reddit.com/r/spravato](https://www.reddit.com/r/spravato). Has an
AMA from someone who was part of the trial.

Right now it's hard to find a treatment center participating in the REMS, but
spravato.com should have a locator tool up later this month.

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dandigangi
I was considering this to aid my depression/bipolar but the prices just don't
make it worth it if it only provides up to months of benefit. I could see
doing it at around $800-1200 total for the 6 shots, not per shot.

~~~
mrkurt
I have a fair amount of familiarity with Ketamine infusion clinics in the
Chicago area. Prices seem to be $400-600 per treatment. They like people to go
3-6 times in the first two weeks, and then way less frequently after that.

It has been a godsend for my family.

~~~
dandigangi
What places? I am going to a clinic out in NW burbs called Chicago Pain and
Wellness. (If I do it that is)

~~~
mrkurt
We tried that one and didn't really like it, this one has been excellent:
[https://www.optketamine.com/](https://www.optketamine.com/)

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hello_tyler
This is something that I'd try if it wasn't cost prohibited. But no, I'm stuck
on benzos forever. At least they are cheap and they work OK I suppose.

~~~
linuxdude314
As someone who has gone down that road (and managed to get off), I can't
emphasize enough how important it is to not take those drugs forever.

It simply isn't possible, at some point your tolerance will become so high you
will be forced to find something else. The withdrawals from benzodiazapenes
are some of the worst of any drug and will require medical intervention in
order to keep your seizure threshold properly regulated.

The Ashton Method has worked miracles for many including myself.

[https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha02.htm](https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha02.htm)

It is hard to find a doctor who will support you with that treatment, but I
went through it and am successfully benzo free now.

~~~
stordoff
I don't want to downplay it too much (I've seen my grandmother go through
benzodiazapine withdrawal, and it took the best part of a year IIRC), but I
would add withdrawal is highly personal. I've quit drugs that I was told (by
my consultant) that would be "worse than quitting heroin" and stopped cold
turkey, and didn't feel a thing. I also now take regularly take
benzodiazapines, and can stop taking them during good periods without any
noticeable effects (which has the bonus of limiting my tolerance increase).

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skybrian
Slate Star Codex had a good post about this:
[https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/03/11/ketamine-now-by-
prescr...](https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/03/11/ketamine-now-by-
prescription/)

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stiGGG
Is Ketamine really a party drug? I've no experience but i thought the effect
is more like you sit somewhere and won't stand up for a while...

~~~
thatswrong0
In my scene, it’s the drug of choice. I’ve never really understand why but so
it goes

~~~
Scoundreller
Psy-trance?

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random878
Oh look, the perennial 'ketamine as a novel treatment for depression' article.

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KaiserPro
hmm, it'll be interesting to see the prescribing guidelines for this.

Ketamine is not really designed for long term repeated use, mainly because it
shrinks your bladder.([https://www.nhs.uk/news/mental-health/experts-call-for-
ketam...](https://www.nhs.uk/news/mental-health/experts-call-for-ketamine-to-
be-upgraded-to-class-b/))

The NHS has been doing basic research since at least 2014:
[https://www.nhs.uk/news/mental-health/ketamine-tested-as-
sev...](https://www.nhs.uk/news/mental-health/ketamine-tested-as-severe-
depression-treatment/)

If it is approved, it certainly won't be Esketamine thats used.

~~~
starpilot
Esketamine was approved by the FDA two weeks ago, here are the prescribing
guidelines: [http://www.janssenlabels.com/package-insert/product-
monograp...](http://www.janssenlabels.com/package-insert/product-
monograph/prescribing-information/SPRAVATO-pi.pdf)

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mito88
then there was MXE...

~~~
ozzyman700
2f-dck is my grail currently for a ket-a-like

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reneberlin
AI is on the way to create cheaper alternatives for medication. Recreational
or therapeutic use? It'll take the middleman out of the price. it'll be cheap
as chewing gum. My guess.

~~~
k_sh
AI doesn't solve the underlying issue that made ketamine depression treatment
expensive: intellectual property rights on a particular molecule.

If a company achieved AI that can identify effective alternatives, why
wouldn't they just acquire the patents for all of those alternatives and prop
up all the prices?

~~~
kkarakk
There will be AIs to obscure other AIs work and AIs to clarify the obscured
work. The rat race will never end

