Does anyone here have any experience doing their own Ketamine regimen? If so, how did it go? I've been out of therapy for ~3 years and don't really have much experience with drugs, beyond my prescriptions. My main concern is how I'd adjust my current medications (I've heard SSRIs amplify disassociation), as well as how people generally approached dosing? I'm on diazepam and fluoxetine currently, and get significant withdrawals when I miss a couple of doses. Medically-administered ketamine therapy will do me more bad than good, unfortunately, so I figured I'd ask here since there doesn't seem to be much info on people managing their own ketamine regimen online. I'd really appreciate hearing anyone's experiences, or if there are any resources I've overlooked…
i am saying this as someone who takes psychedelics for the purpose of improving my mental health: the reason why you aren't seeing info online about people managing their own k regimen is because, for most people, it would be a bad idea. a medical professional should be involved somewhere in the process: to make sure you have no health conditions that would make k unsafe, to source medical grade k, to determine the correct dose, to provide the k, and to monitor your health for k complications that sometimes arise from repeated use.
these things don't matter as much for recreational use. but most people who do k treatment are processing trauma or dealing with difficult emotions, so it's more important to do things right. for example, if your dose is too high when you're using k recreationally, it might suck for a while, it might end up being a funny story afterwards. but if your dose is too high when you're processing childhood trauma, it is a much more distressing experience that could cause long term issues. also with k treatment, you take k 2-3 times a week, this is more frequent than most casual recreational users, so it's helpful to have a medical professional to talk to in case health issues/side effects arise.
the caveat is that someone who has extensive experience with dissociatives and hallucinogens could probably manage their own k regimen for the treatment of their mental health. but it wouldn't be as beneficial due to the quality of k they could access and the method of adminstration they'd use. iv infusion is the gold standard because (1) it's the most bioavailable. (2) it continually pumps the same dose into your vein, resulting in a consistent and smooth experience. and (3) if your dose is too high or too low it can be adjusted in the moment. any other method of administration can't provide those things.
if the issue is with doing k treatment in a medical setting, have you looked into at home k treatment instead? and if the issue is with iv k, injections, or interacting irl with medical professionals, there are some telehealth businesses that give you k pills or lozenges, would you consider that option?
regardless, i'll still give some info for the sake of harm reduction. but i strongly recommend against doing this without a medical professional involved.
to start with, you shouldn't take k if you're on diazepam. most k clinics make people taper off benzos before starting k because benzos, even small doses, have repeatedly been shown to substantially reduce the antidepressant effects of k. basically, benzos block the neural process that makes k effective as a long-lasting treatment for depression and other mental health conditions (sources:
one, two, three, four). skipping a dose the day you take k won't change it, because everyday diazepam usage has long term effects on the nervous system that take time to recalibrate.
the dizziness, impaired coordination, and drowsiness that most people get on k would probably be worse if you're also on diazepam. taking k and diazepam can increase the risk of serious side effects like respiratory depression or unconsciousness. this is because both drugs are central nervous system depressants. it's a small risk, assuming both drugs are at a low dose, but it still should be mentioned.
if you want to give yourself the best chances for k to have long-lasting positive effects on your mental health, then you should slowly taper off of diazepam (supervised by a medical professional), wait a couple months, and then start k treatment. some people decide not to do this and still get ok results from k treatment. but the results are less beneficial as found in studies and in anecdotal experiences.
if you have physical health issues like high blood pressure, any cardiovascular issues, kidney issues, liver issues, bladder issues, or a history of seizures, all of these can potentially make k unsafe, so you should have a medical professional check out your health before doing k treatment. also don't do k if you have a history of psychosis.
when you buy k, there is a decent chance that it is actually a weird analogue/rc that has different mental effects, and is more toxic to the body, compared to actual k. and there's always the risk that it'll be laced or contaminated. i'd be on the lookout for speed or similar rcs, and you should ALWAYS test for fent. after you buy the k, you'll need to test it with a test kit, specifically one that catches most k analogues. testing is non negotiable, no matter how confident you are in the source and quality of your k.
then, you will need to determine the dose. dosing depends on the method of administration (nasal or oral). (do not under any circumstacnes inject k that you bought off the street or dh.) also be aware that snorting any substance, including k, can really mess up your nasal passages over time. anyway since most of the resources for therapeutic doses of k (as opposed to recreational doses) are about IV infusions or IM injections, you will probably have to make a rough guess based on the bioavailability of your preferred method. also, you should assume that the k you bought from the street or dh is cut with fillers, making it less pure, which will further complicate your dosing estimations. also, if you take any medications or have underlying health conditions, that might affect the dose as well. this would matter much less for recreational use, but therapeutic use requires more precise doses, because the amount of k you want for a fun time is a much wider range than the amount of k you want for processing traumatic memories.
last thing, you should also have someone in the building who can help you if needed, at least for the first few times, since you don't have much experience with dissociatives and hallucinogens. first because it's possible for k to cause unexpected health issues, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. second because if there's an emergency and you're on k, you might need help to leave your house. third, it's good to have someone there in case you start to experience extreme emotional distress on k. because of the increased neuroplasticity, a bad experience on k can literally rewire your brain and cause long term issues, and having someone there to calm and distract you if needed can prevent that from happening. this person doesn't need to be in the room with you, but they should glance into the room every once in a while to make sure you're alright. i would say this is especially important for the first few times, since you don't know how you'll react to k.
