Ketamine and Hallucinations: What Users Say

• Sha...
• January 14, 2021

For Anesthesia "I pondered whether I should even post this or not, because it sounds so unbelievable, but it really did happen. I had my medi-port placed on January 11th. For some reason, this particular anesthesiologist used the drug Ketamine to put me to sleep. (Which I found out later) The only problem is that I wasn’t really asleep. I was paralyzed. No matter how much I tried screaming for help, I couldn’t. I began to see things very differently too. Almost like I was in a kaleidoscope, or looking at it in 3-D. I could hear and see the nurses and doctors around me, but they all looked upside down. It’s as if I wasn’t in my own body. It’s like I was stuck in some tunnel. There were so many colors too. I felt as though I was dying, and there was nothing I could do about it. It absolutely was the most horrifying experience I’ve ever had. Has anyone else experienced this? I’m just trying to find answers as to what happened. It will haunt me the rest of my life."

• Mom...
• February 8, 2018

For Pain "My daughter took ketamine for depression. She received her first infusion on a Sunday. She had hallucinations of killing herself, stomping herself to death, and other things she wouldn't talk about. She had her second infusion three days later, with the same results. Thursday she took her own life."

• Ubi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 22, 2019

For Anesthesia "I was in for a gallbladder removal, not an emergency. The Anesthesia team decided to do an awake intubation because I have a difficult airway. They said they were giving me something to help me relax. What happened next was the farthest thing from relaxing I can imagine. One dose of Ketamine and I was hallucinating, dissociated, delirious, paralyzed, and the one trace of lucidity that I retained told me that I was the end of life because I couldn't breathe. I had no sense of time passing, so I have no idea how long this lasted. It was the most terrifyingly awful experience I have ever had, and I'm still an emotional mess two weeks later. Never again! Why would anybody ever dose a non-emergency patient with this stuff without extensive consultation about the effects beforehand? If I could give this drug a negative score, I would."

• Chr...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 1, 2019

For Pain "Have had (8) spinal surgeries since 2009, so live with a great deal of pain. Years of pain meds were affecting my liver function and not providing much relief. Found a pain doctor who uses ketamine infusion therapy. Had some crazy experiences in the beginning doing ketamine IV infusions, but worked my way through the dreams and hallucinations as I knew that I must get off the meds affecting my liver and I needed better pain control. I’ve been receiving ketamine IV infusion therapy 4 days a month for the last 3 years as well taking oral ketamine daily and it has made a world of difference in my life! I can do things now that I would never have been able to do before. I’m off 6 other meds and my liver is doing much better now! Ketamine has been a great way to help with my chronic pain condition. My insurance covers the Ketamine IV infusion therapy, but I do have to pay for my oral Ketamine out of pocket. I had a bumpy start but stuck with it and am so glad I did!"

• Nev...
• May 6, 2020

For Anesthesia "I dislocated my elbow & went to ER. They decided to give me something to put me lightly to sleep but not totally under while adjusting my elbow. They chose ketamine since I have low blood pressure & this drug doesn’t lower blood pressure as much as other options. They said I would remember nothing. Hardly! Such a terrible experience. As soon as it was administered I felt a rush of heat through my body, then felt as if I was in a kaleidoscope, only all white. I was in space while various shapes continued to change & fall around me. I heard many voices all at once. I was in another dimension & thought that I had died. I wondered if this was eternity & I could not escape. I wanted it all to stop so badly as my perceptions just continually changed around me. I finally heard the doctors/nurses talking amongst themselves & felt gauze being wrapped around my elbow. I definitely remembered enough of it to know it was a horrific experience & I’ll make note not to EVER have this drug again."

• pop...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2020

For Pain "After a 5 1/2 hour spine surgery, I woke up in the post-op recovery room, on ketamine for pain control. It was ineffective. I was having terrifying hallucinations and started pleading for something that would work. Just when the confusion, dizziness, and hallucinations would begin to subside, they would come up and 'refresh' my IV line with more, perpetuating the side effects. Among the several bizarre hallucinations I recall is looking down at the floor from my bed, which was stuck on the ceiling. It felt like I was defying gravity, and the potential for my bed to come crashing to the floor with me underneath it was very real! It was undoubtedly the most unpleasant and terrifying hospital stay I've ever had!"

• Hav...
• August 8, 2019

"I recently had six medical infusions of ketamine over two weeks' time for depression. First of all, ketamine is a heavy drug, you get so high you hallucinate to the extreme, you see colors, you fly through other worlds, and you are generally high as a kite. There is merit to the experience in that it is a special journey, and you have great insights. I, for one, remembered long-forgotten abuse during one session, and I did have extreme anxiety during several infusions. I am five days since my last infusion, and I am as depressed as ever. I feel like I am worse, possibly, and I hope I level off soon. In the end, I did meet a patient who thought it was life-changing for the better, so do not let my experience dissuade you. I just wanted to point out that it is a very heavy drug trip, which I did not realize until I did it."

• Cou...
• August 31, 2019

For Anesthesia "I was given this for an EGD. I was hallucinating, felt weighed down like I was in cement, couldn't move my limbs, couldn't talk, very nauseous. Horrible experience, it lasted for almost an hour. It was the next day before I really felt over it. Never again!!!!!"

• Arc...
• August 6, 2020

Ketamine for Anesthesia "I was given ketamine as a general anesthetic for a surgical procedure, but the recovery from the ketamine was truly horrendous. I had abdominal hallucinations that I was about to die and called aloud to God to save me from imminent death. So bad and terrifying was the experience that I had a Medi-bracelet made with ketamine clearly listed as 'never to be given.'"

• GdG...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 7, 2017

For Anesthesia "I was taken to the ER with a dislocated shoulder... severe pain. I was given this drug so they could put the shoulder back into place, and had some of the same reactions described as others as having horrific hallucinations, trying to wake myself up, moving my head and talking and yelling. Nurses holding me still and saying it is almost over. Why is this still being used as an anesthetic when there are so many others out there? This is going on my list of allergies right next to the iodine allergy."

• Unh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 8, 2020

For Anesthesia "I had an extremely adverse reaction to ketamine, so I asked the anesthesiologist what drug it was this morning when I saw him, so I NEVER get it again. I was actually supposed to go home yesterday after a routine arthroscopy of the knee. I woke up from the procedure with hallucinations and screaming, 'I AM DYING, I AM DYING.' They then had to give me Ativan to calm me down, and it caused my vitals to go crazy. Horrendous experience - can't believe this drug is still being used."

• Hal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 29, 2017

For Anesthesia "Used in conjunction with having a spinal tap during artery disease surgery, nursing staff referred to my experience upon awaking in recovery as 'NITE TERRORS.' I had horrific hallucinations of violently spinning photographs that made me scream, cry huge tears, yell obscenities, repeatedly say I wanted to kill myself or die, and yell I would be afraid to go to sleep again. Nurses had to take my face and tell me over and over it would be over soon. Had I not had a spinal and couldn't move, I fear I would have deliberately hurt myself."

• JRJ...
• August 4, 2021

For Anesthesia "I was given ketamine for a nerve ablation in my lumbar spine and had horrific hallucinations, not sure if I felt pain and screamed out or was dreaming, but I remember the Dr. saying that's not supposed to happen and could hear the nurses talking. It took me forever to 'wake up.' The nurse felt I was given too much as I was so dizzy and numb, my eyeballs felt like balloons about to pop out of my head, my head felt like a heavy balloon my neck couldn't support, and could barely talk an hour later. I spent over an hour and a half in recovery when they had to finally let me go. My husband had to support me, I was so dizzy and my legs were like noodles. It has been days now, and I feel like crud. Can't concentrate, my entire body aches so bad, and the dreams, no, the nightmares - planes crashing around the house, house being burned down, being hunted by a gang or some sort of bad people. Then I'm so freaked out I can't sleep and depression. I feel so depressed, and I have never felt like this before."

• Gas...
• September 28, 2017

For Anesthesia "I had a severe reaction to ketamine, which included horrifying hallucinations, and instead of knocking me out, I tried to move during the procedure and didn't stop talking throughout the entire procedure."

• Ale...
• May 25, 2016

For Anesthesia "Ketamine was used as an anesthetic a few times whilst I was having surgery, and I had very bad hallucinations afterwards. Each time, I'd have sworn these were real. I don't think it should be used as an anesthetic."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 24, 2021

For Anesthesia "Worst experience ever. I was flagged for propofol incorrectly, so they used ketamine. It was used to put me to sleep while removing a kidney stone through my male part. When I woke up, it was as if I was in a scene from the Matrix, all digitized. I never felt so horrified and dreaded, but I do not know why. The nurses said I was hallucinating badly. When I did become conscious and recognized someone, I apparently said, 'you're real. Don't leave me,' and kept repeating it. I still remember the recovery as terrifying, but why, I cannot recall."

• Chu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 12, 2021

"I recently had my first dose of IV ketamine for MDD. I was very hesitant, but nothing has helped. I was expecting to be kind of sedated and not aware of things. I was aware of what was going on. I had bad dissociation and thought I was dying. I thought I was going to be trapped in this state of dissociation forever. I was even becoming paranoid of the doctor and RN. I asked for my girlfriend to reorient. I suggest having a trusted person with you. The nurse slowed down the infusion, and I began to return to reality. I was told later by the nurse that ketamine reacts differently with each person. She said it helps to be relaxed before transfusion. I’m going to try another treatment today at a lower dose. If I have a bad “trip,” I’m not going back. I can’t believe anyone would enjoy ketamine recreationally. I’m a retired RN and gave ketamine to a child once. I apologize to that child."

• Kat...
• May 14, 2022

For Pain "I had experienced a terrible headache and anxiety and went to the emergency room. The doctor ordered this drug and gave it to me through an IV. It was the most terrible experience of my life. The hallucinations were so scary I thought I was going to die. It was horrible and lasted 20 minutes, everything in the room was moving. I was flying in the air and then went down into a deep black hole. The hallucinations were really so scary. It didn't do me any good except to scare me to death. I thought I was actually dying."

• zeb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 6, 2015

For Anesthesia "I was psychotic and aggressive and restrained and given ketamine IM in each leg. I went into deep relaxation and lost sense of time, self. I don't remember it all, but it was a positive experience, and it resulted in me going home instead of a psych ward."

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2022

For Pain "I went to the hospital with a headache, and they gave me ketamine. I had the most frightening experience of my life. The hallucinating and out-of-body experience was terrible. I had no control, and I thought I was going to die. I am home and can't stop thinking about what I went through. It was a horrible, horrible experience that I ever had, and I had no control."

• Mik...
• September 5, 2019

For Anesthesia "Woke up during the procedure with major hallucinations."

• Anonymous
• June 25, 2011

For Anesthesia "Very vivid hallucinations afterward. Used for chronic pain management and for anesthesia."