Reset Ketamine Interview - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression, and Insomnia

We will be posting a series of interviews from patients who have been treated at Reset Ketamine. To protect patient privacy, all responses are anonymous. We hope their answers will provide you some insights about ketamine treatments.

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT KETAMINE INFUSION TREATMENTS, AND HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO CHOOSE THIS AS A TREATMENT OPTION?

Everyone has times of feeling “blue,” but I hit a point where I was convinced I had fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. Insomnia had me self medicating to a level of concern. The simplest of tasks felt overwhelming and I could hardly get out of bed. I had to fess up my depression to my friends in explanation of my social withdrawal. My”normal” is fairly gregarious and connected. I had web searched treatments for depression and found anecdotal comments about ketamine, and its potential for being a breakthrough treatment. I started asking for it during two outpatient procedures and it was administered. The feelings were a bit scary at first, but once I relaxed and became curious, it was very pleasurable experience. Consequently (miraculously) I was searching ketamine treatments and found Reset Ketamine!

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, AND WHAT OTHER TREATMENTS DID YOU TRY BEFORE KETAMINE?

I have been diagnosed twice (15-20 years apart) with ADD. I had seen two psychiatrists for depression as well. I also have had Obstructive Sleep Apnea with excessive daytime sleepiness.

I had tried Effexor, Zoloft, Emsam patch, Provigil, and Nuvigil with lackluster results. Finally, Vyvanse worked well for many years treating in treating ADD, depression and excessive daytime sleepiness with a single medication.

WHAT WAS YOUR INTENTION OR GOAL FOR THE KETAMINE INFUSIONS?

I needed to get out of my unease. I felt like I was just waiting to die. After having a very successful career, it came to a standstill. People often use two words to describe me, “intuitive” and “creative,” but these gifts had disappeared. I yearned to experience energy and accomplishment again.

HOW DID YOU FEEL GOING INTO YOUR FIRST INFUSION?

I was excited about trying therapeutic ketamine. In many ways, it turned out to be therapy with ketamine. Dr. Ko and staff are awesome listeners. I felt completely safe and just needed to accept the adventure I had signed up to complete. I was skeptical and nervous in a normal way.

DID YOU EXPERIENCE ANY SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE TREATMENT?

The only adverse side effects could be described as “emotional headaches” which I historically feel after crying at funerals, and a desire to fall asleep early without any medications, getting two to three hours of sleep more than usual, and waking up earlier. I’d fall asleep around 8:30 PM and awaken around 5:30 AM. However, I experienced an immediate improvement in memory and focus.

WHAT WAS THE KETAMINE INFUSION EXPERIENCE LIKE FOR YOU?

It was like watching a movie with headphones playing new age music while feeling movement and smelling calming scents. The movie was either the mechanics of my inner brain’s building blocks, or, visions which would reveal themselves, kind of like looking at clouds and deciding what you see. Occasionally I’d giggle at my thoughts. Each session felt like an adventure and an opportunity to re-wire my thought patterns as new neural connections. At times I would feel pulled to a particular thought pattern with intense curiosity, or I would focus on the words which were my intent for the outcome of the session.

WHAT WAS ONE OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES DURING THE TREATMENT?

My intended outcome was a breakthrough in acceptance and completion. Acceptance of self and others, and completion with my past and acknowledging the present. As the infusion started, I thought Acceptance and Completion to myself. Almost immediately, I had the thought that I also needed Connection (to the world) and Love. After the infusion for the next few days, Accept, Complete, Connect, Love were like a song that I could not get out of my thoughts. These four words began showing up all around me. My life perspective changed.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS CONSIDERING KETAMINE INFUSION TREATMENTS?

At the risk of sounding overly mystical, think about what you’d like to feel more of in your life, and then ask the infusion to give you these as gifts. Even if it’s a self fulfilling prophecy, who cares if you end up experiencing more of what you want.

WHAT STANDS OUT IN YOUR MIND ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH DR. KO AND RESET KETAMINE?

Dr. Ko listens very carefully. At the end of my fifth session, Dr. Ko asked if I’d ever heard of “Complex PTSD?” It is when you have symptoms of PTSD, but the trauma was series of repeated childhood incidents where you could not escape. I did a lot of immediate research and discovered that indeed, it was clear to me that my entire life has been based in lack of self worth in response to numerous incidents of trauma with no emotional support. The inappropriate behaviors by others became my “I am not OK. I am not worthy of respect.” and shame. When I saw that my life was totally driven by avoiding confrontation and pleasing others as a childhood defense mechanism, I felt an immediate sense of control and empowerment over my life. During my last session, I saw my adult self walking down a road holding the hand of myself as a child, as we were in a dream.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

The insomnia is gone (it’s part of the hyper-vigilance that occurs with Complex PTSD). I have identified where I need boundaries. My anxiety around needing to please others to make myself appear to be okay (knowing that it came at a hefty emotional cost to me) is gone. Acceptance, completion, connection, and love are feelings I can now create. I do not feel like I have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue any longer. I am finally whole.

If you’d like to read more patient interviews, click here to see a list of them all .

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CONTACT RESET KETAMINE

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS SUFFERING FROM ANXIETY, PTSD, DEPRESSION, OR CHRONIC PAIN, PLEASE CONTACT US NOW FOR A CONSULTATION TO SEE IF YOU WOULD BE AN IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR KETAMINE INFUSIONS.

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