My Esketamine Journey

I started esketamine yesterday to treat medication resistant depression. I am also taking trintellix and abilify. The trintellix/abilify combination has worked better than anything thus far but the results are still disappointing and so my doctor added the asketamine. I thought I would journal my experience for anyone else that is interested or curious about it. Of course, your mileage may vary.

So I went into the office yesterday for my first treatment. I will be going twice a week for four weeks, then once a week for four weeks - and then we'll see from there. I was told that I'd need someone to drive me as I wouldn't be able to drive - and that I'd be in the office being monitored for two hours before I could leave. I've heard that before and chalked it up to over-zealousness and assumed I'd be fine to drive. I was wrong. Really wrong.

About ten minutes after they administered the asketamine, I felt drunk. Twenty minutes after administrating it, I felt the kind of drunk you feel after you realized you were drunk ten minutes ago and slammed three more shots in ten minutes. My lips went numb, then my face, then my brain. I thought it was quite funny though and was having a good time poking myself in the face and not feeling it.

I sat in their comfy room for two hours, where they came and took my blood pressure every 40 minutes, until they released me to the ride I told them was here (I fibbed). Then I went outside and waited for another two hours before daring to drive myself home. I will be arranging a ride next time.

Change isn't expected this early but I did notice something significant. I have been craving food - even when I realize I am not hungry. As a result, I've really packed on weight lately. I'm about ten percent more than I am comfortable with. Anyway, immediately after the treatment, I had lost the craving for food. I ate dinner that night because I was hungry, not because I needed to stuff my face. It was smaller portions that I've been eating and I was more satisfied.

My next treatment is on Monday and I'll come back and fill you in.

I am interested in hearing more about how this goes for you. I hope it works well! I should probably know this, but is esketamine given intravenously? Does your insurance cover it?

Esketamine is given in a nasal spray and was covered by my insurance (Medicare) with no co-pay.

Well Monday's visit is in the history books. My appetite is still back to normal and weight is already beginning to fall off. I felt really, really high after the treatment this time - more so than the first treatment. Enough that I was sick to my stomach. They suggest not eating anything two hours before the treatment or drinking anything an hour before - I may have finished my drink about fifteen minutes late which may have led to some of the feelings of nausea, but I was loopy as heck. I believe that I have more energy but it's not so significant that I've ruled out the placebo effect.

I'm at the two treatments a week stage and my second one of the week is today - I was surprised to hear that I could do them on consecutive days but it works better for my schedule so I jumped on it.

So let's see: I've had my second treatment of the week and they've increased my dose. Esketamine is given in 28 unit increments. My first two treatments were 56 units but they upped the dose this last time to 84 units and we'll be continuing at this dose moving forward.

My energy level has increased to a point that I can no longer consider that it's a mind game I'm playing with myself. I woke up at 4:11am this morning (went to bed at 8pm last night, and was up and on the elliptical machine by 4:39am. That's NEVER happened and it wasn't me pushing myself; I WANTED to. <insert shock and awe here> It's now 5:48am and I've cooked and eaten breakfast, made the bed, read the news, started this post and am looking toward the shower. This is truly remarkable. Next week's treatment is on Tuesday and Thursday and so, unless anyone has questions...that'll be my next post.

One last note. It's now 6:37am. In the last 45 minutes I washed a load of clothes (it's in the dryer now) took a shower and got dressed and meditated for 10 minutes. That's one of the remaining issues right there. I used to meditate for an hour twice a day - now I struggle to do ten minutes. The other lingering issue (that I also blame depression for) is that I continue to struggle to concentrate. Before depression, I could easily play a game of chess blindfolded (I'd tell you were I wanted to move, you'd move my piece for me and then tell me where you moved), now I struggle to concentrate sufficiently to even play a game that I can see - and not well enough that I don't make simple blunders.

Anyway, if esketamine fixes these issues, I'll be over the moon.

Does it still hit you the same like it did the first time? To have one's energy back would be joyous. I have heard of Ketamine but never had some-one have such a good result. Hope it lasts. Onwards and Upwards.

It hits me the same was as in I'm still loopy as heck immediately after taking it, but the results are not the same...the results are actually improving and getting better each dose. There is evidence that esketamine causes neurogenesis. In other words, new connections are being formed in the brain and so, it'll take a bit of time for these new pathways to finish construction and become primary thoroughfares. As a result, I expect continued improvements as I move forward.

Excellent news yagr.

Glad it seems to be working out, yagr

Oh my goodness, me too! It's been a long journey out of depression, and while I still have a way to go, I'm so grateful that we seem to have found the gas pedal.

A brief update: I had plans to go out of town last week so I scheduled my two appointments concurrently on Monday and Tuesday. I was a bit frightened that two treatments that close together and the subsequent week wait for my next one (which is tomorrow) might cause some falling off of positive results. That has not turned out to be the case.

Though I'm an introvert, that tendency is so much more exacerbated when I am depressed. Yesterday, for the first time in years, I decided to go play poker. I only lasted a couple of hours but I didn't force myself to go - I wanted to get out and go do something. Weight continues to fall off. In the last eight days, I've lost 6.6 pounds.

Well, I've had both sessions this week and really, nothing new to report. Things continue to go well, no changes that I've been able to identify. My energy continues to do well, my appetite continues to be normal, and I'm still struggling with my concentration. So, unless something unexpectedly major comes, or someone asks a question, I'm going to call this thread.

please keep us updated as you progress though ALL your treatments, THANK YOU yagr for your time and experience,it's very nice of you to post when you feel it's worth it to others to know what you are noticing ?

Although I have never tried ketamine, I was on a related drug for some time. The results were miraculous. My life was transformed. Unfortunately, I. too, had some significant side effects and had to d/c it. Still I have high hopes for this class of medication in resistant depression, both major and bipolar. So happy for you!