[lazerjet]

I recently read an article that discussed the benefits of ketamine in fighting depression in people who don't respond to conventional medicine. My question is there any way I can get my hands on that? I've just about exhausted all options.

[Jeanette]

lazerjet, on Nov 16 2009, 10:03 PM, said:

I recently read an article that discussed the benefits of ketamine in fighting depression in people who don't respond to conventional medicine. My question is there any way I can get my hands on that? I've just about exhausted all options.

Why not discuss it with whoever is treating your depression?

Refuah shleima. Hope you feel better soon.

[lazerjet]

I lost my job. I can't afford treatment. I have no doctor.

[Savannah]

Ketamine is illegal. Contact various Jewish social services organizations and they'll help set up you up with free or low-cost treatment.

[lazerjet]

Savannah, on Nov 16 2009, 10:14 PM, said:

Ketamine is illegal. Contact various Jewish social services organizations and they'll help set up you up with free or low-cost treatment.

Of course it's illegal because that's probably the only thing that would help me.

[Jeanette]

I'm sorry to hear that.

I would really not recommend anyone to use ketamine (or any controlled substance) without a doctor's prescription. You could be lookng at side effects that make your depression look like happy days.

[Savannah]

lazerjet, on Nov 16 2009, 10:15 PM, said:

Of course it's illegal because that's probably the only thing that would help me.

Nonsense. How long were you in treatment before you decided it was hopeless? What meds did you take?

I just read about the following treatment, which sounds very promising.

http://psychcentral....tment/9392.html

Quote

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a FDA-approved, non-invasive antidepressant device-based treatment clinically proven for treatment of depression.

[krumlikeapretzel]

lazerjet, on Nov 16 2009, 10:03 PM, said:

I recently read an article that discussed the benefits of ketamine in fighting depression in people who don't respond to conventional medicine. My question is there any way I can get my hands on that? I've just about exhausted all options.

lazerjet, on Nov 16 2009, 10:10 PM, said:

I lost my job. I can't afford treatment. I have no doctor.

Wow. I don't know what to say. I don't know how you could buy ketamine legally unless you get a prescription, and I don't really know if they prescribe it in the US...
I've also had long battles with depression, and SSRIs didn't really work. (yes, I'm a shrink by training...) You might benefit from something stronger, but you'll need a prescription (from a psychiatrist or at last some doctor).
Tramadol is an option that might work if you get a prescription. (It's a pain killer -synthetic opioid- but it's non-addictive and it's been used successfully as an anti-depressant in patients that don't respond to other medication)

Savannah, on Nov 16 2009, 10:18 PM, said:

I just read about the following treatment, which sounds very promising.

http://psychcentral....tment/9392.html

It might work... I've heard good things about it.

[lazerjet]

Savannah, on Nov 16 2009, 10:18 PM, said:

Nonsense. How long were you in treatment before you decided it was hopeless? What meds did you take?

I just read about the following treatment, which sounds very promising.

http://psychcentral....tment/9392.html

Let's see from what I can remember:

Lexapro
Prozac (destroyed my stomach)
Paxil
Wellbutrin
and some others that i can't remember.

[krumlikeapretzel]

lazerjet, on Nov 16 2009, 10:27 PM, said:

Let's see from what I can remember:

Lexapro
Prozac (destroyed my stomach)
Paxil
Wellbutrin
and some others that i can't remember.

Lexapro, Prozac and Paxil are all SSRIs, so if any one of them didn't work the chances of any of the others working wasn't very high. Wellbutrin didn't work? That's a strong drug. Did they try giving you a higher dose of it?

[lazerjet]

krumlikeapretzel, on Nov 16 2009, 10:32 PM, said:

Lexapro, Prozac and Paxil are all SSRIs, so if any one of them didn't work the chances of any of the others working wasn't very high. Wellbutrin didn't work? That's a strong drug. Did they try giving you a higher dose of it?

nope. the sexual side effects don't work for me.

[krumlikeapretzel]

lazerjet, on Nov 16 2009, 10:36 PM, said:

nope. the sexual side effects don't work for me.

But, otherwise, did it work on your mood?

The question is, do you need a different NDRI without sexual side effects, or do you need a stronger drug like a tricyclic or tetracyclic antidepressant?

[lazerjet]

Savannah, on Nov 16 2009, 10:14 PM, said:

Ketamine is illegal. Contact various Jewish social services organizations and they'll help set up you up with free or low-cost treatment.

Thanks. I'm gonna try that tomorrow.

krumlikeapretzel, on Nov 16 2009, 10:38 PM, said:

But, otherwise, did it work on your mood?

The question is, do you need a different NDRI without sexual side effects, or do you need a stronger drug like a tricyclic or tetracyclic antidepressant?

It's been a while so I don't remember. I vaguely remember some slight improvement but I really can't handle the side effects.
No doctor has diagnosed me definitively with anything. I suspected that I was bipolar after reading about it in a book about Alternative Health. At that time this was all new to me. I seemed to suffer most of the symptoms. . But then again no doctor has diagnosed me with anything (One doctor told me that it takes 10 years to definitively diagnose someone with bipolar). I feel hopeless. You know, knowing what the hell is wrong with me would mean half a victory right there.

[krumlikeapretzel]

lazerjet, on Nov 16 2009, 10:40 PM, said:

Thanks. I'm gonna try that tomorrow.



It's been a while so I don't remember. I vaguely remember some slight improvement but I really can't handle the side effects.

So when you do go for treatment remember to tell them you had slight improvement with Wellbutrin but that it you couldn't handle the side effects.

By the way, are you sure that it gave you sexual side effects? It's not supposed to do that... (with the caveat that drugs sometimes do things they "arent' supposed to do") Are you sure you're not confusing it with some other drug?

[lazerjet]

wellbutrin definitely heightened my sex drive dramatically (which is high as it is). The other medications had the complete opposite effect on me.

[krumlikeapretzel]

lazerjet, on Nov 16 2009, 10:48 PM, said:

wellbutrin definitely heightened my sex drive dramatically (which is high as it is). The other medications had the complete opposite effect on me.

Oh, I see...
Well, there's plenty of stuff that's stronger than Wellbutrin without those side-effects, so seriously go see a physician and get a prescription.

One drug you might benefit from is Pristiq (relatively new, relatively strong too). Anyway, it's up to whoever writes you the prescription.

Refuah Shleimah

[lazerjet]

krumlikeapretzel, on Nov 16 2009, 10:56 PM, said:

Oh, I see...
Well, there's plenty of stuff that's stronger than Wellbutrin without those side-effects, so seriously go see a physician and get a prescription.

One drug you might benefit from is Pristiq (relatively new, relatively strong too). Anyway, it's up to whoever writes you the prescription.

Refuah Shleimah

thanks i'm gonna look into this. i just hope my financial situation doesn't impede on my efforts to get help.

[Rentsy]

Is there something you can do to change the situation around you?

[motcha]

lazerjet, on Nov 16 2009, 10:58 PM, said:

thanks i'm gonna look into this. i just hope my financial situation doesn't impede on my efforts to get help.

Hey lazerjet. Can you afford $50 for an hour of therapy? I may have someone for you.
If you search my name on this site you'll see I have had depression too. Remember that not being employed may make your depression feel worse. I had a temporary job for the last 2 months. I never even had time for h.com. This is my first post in ages. I felt great. Now that I have no job my old depression is knocking at the door. But I'm not gonna let him in baezras Hashem.
When I was unemployed I had Familly Health Plus. They covered my meds and gave me 60 therapy sessions if in network a year. Why don't you get that. Are you in NY? Perhaps you can even get Medicaide.
Don't give up on the meds. I went through a longer list than you (not that its a competition). Finally Trileptal and Abilify helped alot. There are always MAO's but thats complicated. You need a good psychiatrist and therapist. And you need a life.
As crazy as this sounds- try an AA meeting. I'm not alcoholic BH but I go to the OPEN meetings. Those people had it so bad and they discuss recovery. Very inspiring. Alot of the program is helpful for depression too.
Good luck.

[Kalashnikover_Rebbe]

You CAN get ketamine on the street in NY pretty easily (or as least you COULD "back in the day") but I STRONGLY recommend against using it for such purposes...
Not to mention you have no idea what you're ACTUALLY getting, or the potency of it.

But at the same time be VERY wary of shrinks who will use you as a human guinea pig for their drug experiments under the guise of "treatment".