Ketamine for Depression User Reviews

• CAR
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 14, 2021

"Ketamine therapy saved my life. I had been put on every medication for depression since I was 11, and nothing worked. I tried ECT, medications, TMS, and had been in and out of treatment centers for depression and self-harm for 10 years. About a month into ketamine treatments, I started noticing slight differences - I wasn’t hoping a car would hit me. I was able to say that I feel okay today, instead of “I’m fine” (while dying on the inside). I did 12 sessions and two maintenance. I wish I could have been a case study so I could show that this WORKS. I’m able to live a life where I don’t want to die every day. I have a beautiful daughter, haven’t self-harmed in two years, and genuinely feel okay on a day-to-day basis."

• Caryn
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2022

"My goodness, did this therapy help me SO MUCH! After TEN YEARS of anxiety, panic attacks, and depression - I painted my nails, I dyed my hair, I went and bought arts and crafts materials to start some art projects, I cooked meals, I did my dishes... It gave me back my personality. And it's all thanks to my doctors and the ketamine clinics. THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart."

• Dorthea
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 21, 2022

"I would not be alive today if I had not been prescribed ketamine infusions by my doctor in 2016. Ketamine is my primary antidepressant and between the time of my first infusion and the time when a dorky doctor suddenly decreased my dose “because” (?), ALL (100%) of my suicidal thoughts and desires/attempts went away. Ketamine was my safety net. That net is in tatters now, I fear I won’t ever get it back, yet still ketamine is my main antidepressant. I’ve been on EVERYTHING for depression for 25+ years, individually and with adjunct meds. Also, in nonstop talk, CBT, and related therapies. Also, VNS. All except ECT, which has bad science behind it. I’ve been on at-home sublingual troches twice daily for years now. Works MUCH better than IV, IM, or nasal (which are done in-clinic so doctors get $$$ off a dirt-cheap, low-risk, life-saving drug—total scam, shame on them). I was born with depression and will die WITH it, but thanks to ketamine: I WON’T die by my own hand."

• Richard
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 24, 2023

"There are so many new options for ketamine coming to market. That's good, it has by far done more for my 40 years of living with MDD than any other medication. It is truly changing my life. I've been on a bupropion/mirtazapine combo for what seems like forever. It's done nothing but mute the triggered lows and zap the joys in life and kept me trudging on through a world of gray. While I would have liked to have started with Spravato, there was no way for me to take the required time off from work along with having someone drive me to appointments. I discovered one of the newer forms of ketamine treatment that fits my life from Joyous. It's a daily micro-dose of ketamine. You experience some mild dissociative effects but otherwise nothing objectionable. At its peak, your body might feel like you had a drink or two but the entire effect is gone in an hour and there are no lingering effects and no cognitive intoxicating effect unlike alcohol. So much more to say, it's truly life-changing."

• Serge
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 27, 2022

"I have used ketamine injections administered in a medical setting by a psychiatrist for major depressive disorder, after trying more than a dozen medications over the past 30 years. I also have chronic headaches and brain fog, and have chronic pain from arthritis in my neck and peripheral neuropathy. My experience has been nothing short of remarkable. I experienced short-term and immediate relief from depression, augmented with antidepressants for longer-term treatment. A mild euphoric feeling after the first treatments diminishes over hours and days and I no longer get this. I have had improvement in depression, pain. Ketamine has given me an ability to be objective or explore recurrent negative thought patterns and get out of self-defeating "loops". It has given me confidence, a feeling of relaxation, focus, energy. Dose started low (0.25 g/kg body weight) and have been more beneficial (but more dissociative) at 0.8g/kg of body weight."

• cheer...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 19, 2022

"Did two infusions for depression at 0.7mg/kg. The infusions went fine, but my suicidal thoughts got really bad following treatment. It also caused me to start self harming again. If I had done a third infusion, I would’ve ended up in the psych ward. Please be careful with this stuff."

• Eloise...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 5, 2022

"This medication saved my life. I have struggled with depression my entire lift. I have taken over a dozen different meds- Lexapro, Zoloft, Welbutrin, Lamicatal, Prozac... nothing worked. This past spring, I thought mundane is all life would ever feel. I dreamed of never waking up again. Then after the sudden death of my best friend, I woke up and realized, I have to give life one more fighting chance. I contacted my local ketamine clinic, told them my circumstances, and they got me in the next day for my first infusion of 6. It felt like a warm hug. The fractals and visuals I was seeing were incredible. I couldn't stop laughing, giggling, crying. I saw my best friend for the last time to have one more conversation in heaven. I came out of the K-Hole saying "I believe life is kind." I woke up the next morning, and I felt ok. Not just ok, I had the desire to live. After 6 infusions, my depression is totally gone. Now I'm starting my own clinic. Ketamine is a gift from God."

• Lap
• April 29, 2022

"I was bipolar two for decades and this changed my life after 9 treatments. To the person who suffered suicidal tendencies after treatment – that happened to me as well, and the solution was *more* ketamine. It worked beautifully."

• VET
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2022

"Excellent a real life saver if you went through all the rubbish psycho drugs Zoloft Prozac but you have to try them even if they hurt you like they did me this is the first thing that has gotten me out of the nightmare the VA AND GIESSINGER left me in. I have my life back after only one treatment, six more to go. the treatment can be a little in nerving but compared to Depression and Anxiety it’s nothing"

• Brenda
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 8, 2022

"This will be my 3rd treatment so far I do not feel any differently but I’m hoping this 3rd one today will be beneficial to my depression problems. And true it is a real trip while the infusion last for about 40 min. Then you come out of it about 15-20 min later. It’s not pleasant to me but I’m desperate to find something to have my life back as depression has stolen many years as with social anxiety."

• Elbarto
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 3, 2022

"Ketamine has been a life saver for me. It is the only medicine that can pull me out of deep, depressive, suicidal despair nearly instantly. It really is miraculous how quickly and completely it improves my overall mood, outlook and demeanor. Ketamine also provides me with deep, often profound insights into my psyche. These insights help me to understand, process and let go of past trauma I sometimes wasn’t even aware was affecting me. Finally, it is comforting to know that, per numerous scientific publications, Ketamine actually heals and encourages new growth within the brain. The only downsides of Ketamine are that it is fairly expensive, and the positive effects tend to fade after a few weeks (making follow-up infusions desirable). Because of this, I take a low dose of Lexapro (a medicine which didn’t help me much on its own) to extend the benefits I feel from Ketamine. I am so thankful to have found this treatment."

• ceeec...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2023

"It was horrible. I do not recommend this. Please do research for the place you receive this drug. I had horrible suicidal ideations, excessive vomiting, migraines, and overall discomfort throughout this entire process. I cannot describe how terrible it was."

• NotDe...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 3, 2022

"I've been given ketamine treatments now for between 6 to 8 months. My depression medication wasn't helping much and I was having a really bad depressive episode where I had a plan to end my time here on earth. I decided to give myself one more chance. I researched treatment resistant depression and ketamine popped up. I learned as much as I could before getting in with the clinic to discuss options. I was approved for treatment and since then my life has actually been pretty great as far as depression goes. It took away the suicidal thoughts immediately after my first injection. I finished my initial treatments and go back for maintenance treatments and it's been 6 weeks since my last. I can tell I need it because the negative thinking and thoughts of not wanting to be here creep back in. So I'll go in Friday and get topped up and be right as rain for a while!"

• Linus
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 5, 2022

"I tried a ketamine infusion with a nurse practitioner supervising and a very kind therapist who did a pre-session with me, focusing on three words: courage, confidence (I think) and another word. It felt like I was sinking downwards in a pool, seeing blurry figures up top. Then I kept moving backwards into my own mind until I was forced into a corner with less than three dimensions. I felt fuzzy and was no longer even a person. I'm not sure what I was. It was the MOST TERRIFYING and terrible experience of my life. I went in to treatment to help PTSD and now have PTSD from this treatment. I feel nauseated, especially when I think of the images I saw in treatment. It was hell. It was disassociative and destructive. Never again. I am a redhead and most meds don't work on me. This one unhinged me. I am still freaking out about it. We recorded our session and I somehow was able to talk and I could hear my own voice saying "scared" in a distorted way. Did not work for me."

• lala
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 10, 2023

"Ketamine truly saved my life. I had been dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts/ideation/attempts for 10 years and it just kept getting increasingly worse. I had tried more psychotropic medications than I can count and it was getting to the point where I felt like I wouldn’t survive another year. I was at the end of my rope and my doctor suggested that my last two options were ECT or Ketamine, at that point I would’ve gotten a lobotomy if I thought it would take away the pain I was feeling. I opted to go the route of Ketamine because there were less side effects than ECT and I am SO glad I did. It completely changed my life, I feel like a different person. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I’m scared of death and not praying for it. I urge anyone who has struggled with depression to talk to their doctor about ketamine and seriously consider it. I owe my life to that drug and my mental health team for guiding me through it."

• Rachael
• December 20, 2022

"Did 6 IV ketamine infusions over the course of 3 weeks. The treatment itself was not unpleasant, only a small groggy feeling that lasted a few hours after. However, no changes in depression symptoms during or after the treatment."

• Steph
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2022

"If you’re on the fence about whether or not to try ketamine please just give it a try! I have read so many reviews on so many different drugs over the last 10 years that I’ve been majorly depressed constantly, having panic attacks, Dealing with horrible intrusive thoughts, And wanting nothing but to stay in bed. I got a text message this morning, two days after my ketamine treatment that would normally have push me into a complete horrible main space. A picture of a girl that my daughters father is dating like a week out of jail. And I had really no reaction to it I felt calm and peaceful and was able to decide the best way to react to it. I have not felt any depression symptoms over the last two day. It’s like all of the bad stuff it’s just gone. This has been a godsend to me. I felt better immediately. I feel like a different person I can’t even explain how dramatic these results are and how fast! The treatment itself is very pleasant!! Feels like your giving God a hug!"

• Mindy
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 8, 2022

"I was diagnosed with BiPolar Disorder at age 15. In my 40+ years of treatment, I have been on every medication available...multiple at the same time. After a traumatic event in my 30s, I also developed PTSD. I got to a point in my life that I stopped taking the meds because they didn't work. I moved to a different place and very recently had another horrible month long episode of severe depression. My PCP referred me to a Psychiatrist. He told me about Ketamine infusion treatments to treat my Drug Resistant Depression. I did my research and decided to try it...what did I have to lose? There are no words to adequately describe the treatment but I was in total control. The effects were immediate. I felt normal again. I told my Dr I didn't need any more infusions. He explained to me the need for the additional treatments. By day 3 post 1st infusion, I felt my symptoms returning. I just finished my 2nd infusion and I'm excited about the outcome. I fell normal without a plethora of pills."

• Obses...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 10, 2022

"I have been using ketamine sublingual troches, at home treatments for a few months now and have seen really positive results with minimal side effects once the treatment time is over. I am on 200mg and currently am prescribed to take it every 3 days due to anxiety, but know it’s weekly for depression. My depressed mood was immediately noticeably better with treatment and my anxiety has been improving over time. I take mine with zofran because I’m prone to nausea and this form of ketamine can often cause nausea, and I’ve thus not had issues getting sick to my stomach. During treatment I feel very sedated and afterwards cannot go back to normal functioning until several hours later. Ketamine has reduced my appetite and I subsequently have been slowly losing weight. It’s easy to take in sublingual form."

• Laura
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 20, 2022

"I started with 6 sessions of intramuscular ketamine. The first two sessions I felt absolutely awful but thankfully decided to persevere. 3rd and 4th session were okay. 5th and 6th session I experienced a lift and could finally get out of bed and had the will to do things again. I found myself taking a walk to the beach with my camera, easily doing chores around the house. I started substitute teaching as I had quit my job because my depression was so debilitating. I am on maintenance therapy now so will go for my 9th infusion two weeks apart. I do feel it starts to wear off after ten days but it’s put me on an upward trajectory and taken me out of a very dark space. It definitely works. How my maintenance plan is going to continue I am unsure of but for now, it gave me the relief I so desperately needed."

• sonsmom
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 23, 2023

"My 14 yr old has been having doctor administered ketamine IVs for treatment resistant depression for 4 months. I'm so thankful for this treatment and pray one day it's the first treatment for our teens. He suffered so much more than he should have while having 5+ ssri thrown at him. He's now not suicidal, back in school and playing sports."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 13, 2023

"Not as effective as I had hoped. It worked somewhat and provided some improvement, but over time that improvement decreased. Overall I did not find it worked that much better than other common, less expensive meds."

• Marg
• March 26, 2023

"I have had five infusions of IV ketamine. The antidepressant and anxiolytic effects are strong and immediate. After the first infusion, I felt immediate relief, as if the turbulent sea of emotion and dread had subsided. However, two days after my fifth infusion, my depressive thoughts and feelings returned with vengeance. My hunch is that ketamine is a powerful short-term antidepressant. Whether it provides long-term relief, I am not sure."

• Bill
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 30, 2022

"After 20+ years of depression I decided to pay for the treatment myself hoping for some relief. I had 5 treatments over the course of 5 days. At the end of day 5, nothing had changed at all… no effect"

• Steph...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 13, 2023

"I just completed a Ketamine infusion course with 6 sessions over the course of a month at a center with a high level of therapy support. It was life-changing as my depression over past trauma and anxiety completely disappeared. It was also spiritual and yes, while the sessions were mind-blowing from anything I could have imagined, I really began to know myself and trust being in the moment of my everyday life. I suggest this for anyone curious about Ketamine-assisted therapy, but do your homework."