Ketamine studies, anyone?

[hardy har har]

Hello. My 1st post @ NMP.

If some of you are not aware, there have been blinded studies going on for a few yrs using the drug ketamine, or more recently, similar NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist analogs like RO4917523 and RO4995819 to knock out depression the same day after infusion.

I`m going to be volunteering to participate in about 4 weeks from now.
I was wondering if anyone here has gone through a study or knows of someone who has?

I`ve read as much as is available on the subject and it sounds very encouraging. There`s little chance we or the U.K. will see a product out any time soon, but it`s on the horizon.:)

[nicola1980]

Hi my ex my sons father was addicted to ketamine for years and it totally destroyed his life aswell as affecting my son, he is now off it but he looks absolutely horrendous its aged him by years and all his teeth have fell out, i would steer well clear of the stuff x x

[bernie1977]

There was a programme on here recently and it looked at the use of psychedelic drugs in a controlled environment for use in treating depression.

[NoPoet]

Hi, I researched this years ago. Apparently, in trials, a single CONTROLLED dose of ketamine can alleviate severe, treatment-resistant depression within hours and the effects of a single dose can last for days.

You'll get controlled doses of ketamine that are within human tolerance. People who abuse ketamine face severe and disabling side effects, but this trial will be about finding ket's mechanism of action, not pushing the boundaries of endurance like some Japanese game show, and they will be aware of the side effects.

You will probably get mild effects from the ket, nothing to worry about as it is under controlled condition, but I would be really interested for you to PM me your progress.

[hardy har har]

Hi, I researched this years ago. Apparently, in trials, a single CONTROLLED dose of ketamine can alleviate severe, treatment-resistant depression within hours and the effects of a single dose can last for days.

You'll get controlled doses of ketamine that are within human tolerance. People who abuse ketamine face severe and disabling side effects, but this trial will be about finding ket's mechanism of action, not pushing the boundaries of endurance like some Japanese game show, and they will be aware of the side effects.

You will probably get mild effects from the ket, nothing to worry about as it is under controlled condition, but I would be really interested for you to PM me your progress.

Hi PsychoPoet.

Thanks for that info. I`m very aware of it all...but some others may not be, so good that you laid it out.

As for ketamine studies in themselves, they are no longer being studied in the U.S.. There is a high risk of liver damage...as you must know from research. I`ll be in a study using one of the more safe and selective analogs. (if I don`t get placebo.) ...and yes, i`ll remember to post my experience as I go through the 6 week trial.
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@nicola1980

I`m terribly sorry to hear that. I watched a youtube documentary on ketamine abuse, and like heroin,or meth, it`s very ugly.

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@bernie1977

That program sounds fascinating. If you could maybe find it on YouTube or remember just the name, i`d like that. :)

[hardy har har]

Hi PsychoPoet

You asked if I would PM you on my drug trial progress. It took quite a bit longer for me to get indoctrinated into the study `cause it was required I be on an SSRI (fluoxetine) for a full 8 weeks.

Friday I went for the first interview and physical.
Tomorrow i`ll be trying to obtain and deliver a psychiatric record in order to get the ball rolling.

This study is the first i`ve seen which uses tablets/capsules and not infusion. That`s good news! I come in once a week only.
I dose for 6 weeks then they observe me off the med for another eight weeks. I`m ok with that, they`re paying me $75 for each visit, and I can use the stipends.

I haven`t talked to doc about this yet, but I plan to....i`ve seen studies using "ketamine" at similar doses as my drug which bring on schizophrenic like symptoms such as slight delusion,hallucination,derealization and so on.
I want no parts of that...I was told patients are tolerating this drug well...so maybe I won`t see any of that.

I`ve read that ketamine has not yet been successful in maintaining remission. Maybe that`s why I must be on my SSRI...they may be testing it`s augmentation aspect.

I`ll keep you tuned in if your still interested.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hi my ex my sons father was addicted to ketamine for years and it totally destroyed his life aswell as affecting my son, he is now off it but he looks absolutely horrendous its aged him by years and all his teeth have fell out, i would steer well clear of the stuff x x

Sorry to hear about what Ketamine has done to those people that are close to you but I don't think the trial the poster is asking about is going to be abusing the drug or using it in large doses like someone using is for recreational purposes or how an addict would use it.

I have used Ketamine many times on nights out before my anxiety started and can see how it could help. If anything its a hope to some people that there might be a drug that can really help depression and anxiety. Will be great to here how this goes Hardy har har.

[hardy har har]

Hi, just a brief update;
- Things were at a standstill over the holidays. I also ran into a 'volunteer exclusion' mishap with this program. ...long story short, their doctor saw a diagnosis of GERD (reflux disease) in my med records. I don`t have GERD, but had to prove that to him or be disqualified from the study. After jumping through various hoops, I did prove it to him and the pharmaceutical company, giving my word that I will never swallow even one over the counter antacid of any kind over the next 12 weeks of dosing. I have been asked to come in tomorrow to take a depression rating scale test....and if I am deemed depressed enough, will be FINALLY given the drug.

If I have some indigestion at some time over the next 12 weeks, i`ll take an antacid if I damn well please...thank you very much. :)

Let you know what`s up when i`ve taken the drug. Till then, cheers. :)

PS: For anyone interested in relieving their difficult depression, increasing memory and cognitive ability as well, look into any study investigating the drug GLYX-13 .
This one is more interesting then my study drug even...but no studies in my area.