For years ketamine has been used for anesthesia during surgeries and has been administered to many patients. However, there are some side effects that should be considered before using ketamine.
Ketamine works by suppressing the transmission of pain sensations to the brain, this is why it is regularly used as an anesthetic in medical settings. Ketamine also induces drowsiness but does not cause complete sleep like other types of anesthesia.
What Is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a drug made of a type of dissociative anesthetic, which is used by many as a recreational drug. The drug gained popularity in the 1990s and 2000s as a club drug because it induces hallucinations and provides the user with out-of-body experiences.
In the late 1970s, a new use for ketamine was discovered that could help treat depression. Patients being treated with the drug have been reported to show an improvement in their symptoms.
In addition, patients who have been administered ketamine have also shown a reduction in suicidal thoughts and tendencies. As a result, medical professionals are interested in studying the effects of ketamine on treating other psychological problems such as schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
While the results from trials regarding different uses for ketamine continue to be evaluated, there are some side effects that may occur after taking this medication.
Ketamine And Dissociative Anesthetics
Dissociative anesthetics are drugs that make people feel detached from their sensations and surroundings like they are floating outside their bodies.
A few other types of dissociative anesthetics include PCP, DXM (dextromethorphan), nitrous oxide (laughing gas), and dextromethorphan. These drugs act on the NMDA glutamate receptor complexes in order to inhibit the interaction between various neurotransmitters in the brain.
Ketamine and dissociative anesthetics are different from other types of drugs in that they do not necessarily cause sedation or relaxation, in fact, ketamine can make patients feel quite agitated and anxious due to the hallucinations and feelings of detachment it produces.
Some people even report feeling like their soul is leaving their body when on ketamine. Hence is the reason why Ketamine was used for suicide in some cultures when the drug became widely available.
While there are many benefits associated with using ketamine as a dissociative anesthetic (it does not depress respiratory function like other types of anesthetics), there are still side effects that should be considered before making any decisions about taking this type of drug. Some people find themselves feeling nauseous, agitated, or anxious on ketamine.
What Are The Side Effects?
Ketamine can be very dangerous if not given the right dosage. Most of its side effects are undesirable and can be fatal especially if abused or taken for an extended time period. The most common side effects include:
- Nausea
Ketamine is often used as an anesthetic medicine because it does not depress respiratory function, unlike other anesthetics. However, patients who have taken ketamine during surgery have experienced nausea later on.
- Dizziness
Some people also experience vertigo after taking ketamine that may lead to fainting. This is caused by the drug’s ability to enlarge blood vessels thereby causing more blood flow in certain parts of your body, which leads to dizziness and possible loss of consciousness if you stand up too quickly.
- Dry mouth
Ketamine can cause dry mouth which is caused by the drug’s tendency to produce more saliva in your mouth. This, in turn, leads to drooling and other dental hygiene problems. The same reaction goes for people who have taken fentanyl or other opiate drugs that are used as painkillers.
- Respiratory Arrest
Some people may experience respiratory depression when taking ketamine because the drug affects the breathing patterns of its users. It slows down breathing rate thus resulting in hypoxia or insufficient oxygen supply in vital organs such as the brain, heart, lungs, and kidneys among others. If not given immediate medical attention, this condition could lead to coma or even death.
- Vomiting
The reason why ketamine causes nausea and vomiting is that it interferes with the signals sent by your brain to your stomach. This, in turn, triggers the production of digestive acids which can lead to diarrhea or vomiting. The same reaction is experienced by people who have taken fentanyl and other opioid drugs.
- Hepatic Toxicity
Ketamine can also cause hepatic toxicity because it causes the contraction of blood vessels in your liver that may lead to swelling and even death due to liver failure or stroke. Hepatic toxicity can occur after taking ketamine for a long time, which is why doctors recommend stopping its use after only 5 days maximum. It also increases pressure inside the brain which leads to a high risk of hemorrhage.
There are reports where people have experienced other problems such as bleeding into the spinal canal prior to surgery which could lead to paralysis. This can be a result of having too high doses of anesthesia or it could be because the patient has serious medical conditions such as bleeding disorders.
The above-mentioned side effects are the most common ones associated with ketamine usage but there are those who experience other unusual reactions such as blurry vision, feeling like you cannot control parts of the body (especially arms), hallucinations, and dream-like feelings.
You should also be aware that ketamine can cause memory loss, confusion, and anxiety even if you don’t take enough of the drug to affect your breathing or heart rate. The same Fentanyl Affect On The Brain is experienced by people who have taken fentanyl and other opioid drugs along with heroin as well as those who have been given high doses of morphine without a doctor’s order.
It should also be noted that ketamine can cause severe bladder problems such as cystitis, which is a type of urinary tract infection that causes swelling in the lining of your bladder. The same condition can also lead to kidney damage or failure.
While some people have experienced only mild side effects when taking ketamine for medical reasons, you still need to consider its risks carefully before deciding whether or not you are willing to take it. It’s important to note the medical conditions associated with the drug so you will know what precautions you need to take when using it in order to prevent further complications in the future.
How To Take Ketamine Safely
As with any type of substance, it is important to remember that you should not take ketamine more often than your doctor recommends or in doses higher than what was prescribed.
If you feel like you cannot control your use of ketamine even after trying to do so multiple times, talk to your doctor about rehab options for yourself.
In general, the minimal dose is about 0.5 mg/kg of ketamine, but the maximum is about 1.0 mg/kg. Some people have adverse reactions to ketamine so increasing doses do not necessarily increase effectiveness or reduce side effects, so don’t just take more without talking to your doctor first!
Because of potential side effects, you should only take ketamine in a supervised setting by someone who is experienced with it and can monitor your vital signs regularly while you are under its influence.
People often wonder about the dosage and frequency of dosing with ketamine and whether or not tolerance to ketamine can be developed.
For example, a dose of 0.5 mg/kg may increase blood pressure and heart rate in some people but decrease it in others. Taking the drug every two days versus every six hours would have different effects on your body based on how much you take or how often you take it.
Ketamine is a powerful medication that has many benefits when used under proper supervision by a medical professional for therapeutic purposes, but unfortunately, there are also many side effects associated with its use because it acts on multiple neurotransmitters within the brain.
It’s important to understand what these side effects are so that patients know what to expect from the treatment and so doctors know if there should be closer monitoring during treatment.
Bottom Line…
If you are thinking about using ketamine recreationally, talk to your doctor about the potential risks involved with taking this drug. Some people find that they become addicted to Ketamine after only a few uses due to its tendency to induce cravings for more of the drug. ketaminetherapyhq.com has a list of clinics you can visit to get Ketamine treatment if you choose to or if your doctor approves. Feel free to check them out.
People who use ketamine regularly may also begin to experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it. These symptoms are not limited to confusion, anxiety, depression, and hallucinations.
Staying safe is the only way to enjoy ketamine. As with any medication, there are risks to taking ketamine and possible side effects. It is best to consult your doctor before taking ketamine for any reason.
Doctors may also prescribe ketamine off-label to treat depression or anxiety for people who don’t respond well to other medications or therapies.
The medication works by giving the brain enough energy so that it will begin producing chemical neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine which can affect mood, motivation, happiness, and pain responses.
