Ketamine Treatments
I apologize for how long it has taken me to write this finally. Truthfully, it’s hard to remember everything in complete detail, which is how I usually like to explain things. I mean, I am a poet. However, I will tell you in fact how I got my ketamine treatments and how you can too.
I went to Mountain View Headache and Spine in Central Phoenix and their website is here!
I have AHCCCS so the process can be a little longer but I am sure most places require a referral.
I have talked about how I survived cruel and unusual punishment before which resulted in me developing BPD, PTSD, and Fibromyalgia. I have done a lot of therapy and psychical therapy to help with my pain. I currently go to Spooner Physical Therapy and that’s where I received the referral for the Ketamine treatments. Exactly a minute after I left my appointment they gave me a call and scheduled an appointment. The building is right next to my PT office and is a “Medical Mall” so it is easy to find and has a lot of parking. The office is on the first floor and the staff is really nice. I met with the Doctor but I never seemed to have many questions so it went by really fast. He said he wanted to do an examination, so I stood up and faced the wall since that’s what he motioned to. As I was facing the wall, he stood behind me and asked “Is it okay if I touch you?”, I kind of laughed when I replied “Yes, and thank you!” because I am not used to Doctors really asking for consent in that way. I think I took more notice of it since someone standing directly behind me at that close of proximity is a trigger that is connected to a childhood traumatic event. Once he finished the exam he confirmed that I have fibromyalgia, which is something I have known for a while but this appointment was validation. He prescribed me something my insurance wouldn’t give me so I don’t know the name and said I could start the treatments next week. I was recommended for 5 days, Monday thru Friday, but they are also open on Saturdays.
I was scheduled for 11 am to 12 pm but I had to arrive by 10:30 am so they could set up and recommend that you leave around 12:15-20 pm to recover from the loopiness. I follow too many true crime stories to feel 100% secure in an establishment that moves this quickly but I figured that I would schedule and do my research. I don’t think I did much research but I knew I was in pain and trusted my physical therapist. Plus, a lot of people wanted my feedback.
You cannot drive yourself so they will ask for the name and number of who will be driving you. If you use a ride-sharing app then you can just write that down but someone from the staff will escort you to the car. It doesn’t matter if you eat before which was a question I asked.
Monday came and I was both nervous and excited. I came as comfy as possible and even brought a little blanket. They called me back and sat me down in a hospital chair or the big chairs you sit in when you’re donating blood. There are rooms with doors and I was only able to be in one on only one day, for the rest, I was in a room with only curtains. There are medical assistants and a registered nurse there who administers the treatments. They insert the IV which is how you receive the Ketamine, fluids, and anti-anxiety and anti-nausea medication. They apply the stickers for the EKG on your stomach and chest. I felt bad because I had no bra on since I don’t like to wear them and we all just had to deal with my boobs at that moment. They monitor your oxygen with the finger clip and you wait for the RN to come in. The ketamine comes in a huge plastic syringe inserted into a machine that will time the infusion for about an hour. They try to keep it to the 11 am - 12 pm time frame.
Before they started they told me that someone comes in and checks on me every ten minutes. That I will feel really cold and my mouth may go numb. I brought my noise-canceling headphones and tried to listen to instrumentals or something soothing. They turned down the lights, closed back the curtain, and the treatment started.
It instantly started, the feeling of being high and relieved. It was super intense but also soothing at the same time. I’ve done psychedelics before so the feeling wasn’t scary for me but it made me wonder how the other people there took it. I heard someone speak on the phone who did not do Ketamine treatments, I'm not sure what it was, but she was explaining how she didn’t like it.
The first time my mouth did go numb and I felt like a potted plant. I was so cold so I was very grateful I brought my own blanket and pillow. Your eyelids grow so heavy and when you try to open them during the treatment it makes everything so dizzy. Once the Ketamine has run out those feelings go away as instantly as they came. But it is hard to walk so they help you out. They make the person who is picking you up come to get you or they can walk you out.
Once I went home I fell asleep for about 3 hours almost every time. It took about 5 hours to feel back to normal, which went on for the whole week. Each time they upped the dosage it would be harder to walk me out and the last few days they would take me out in a wheelchair. The visions would also get stronger and stronger and I would make a playlist for them. It felt at times like I lived inside a lava lamp or floating on bubbles. I wish I could explain in great detail what I saw and felt but it truly is indescribable.
Right after I went on a trip to Guadalajara with my Yaya and the treatments really did help me. I had to sleep on a hard couch, walk for long periods of time, and sit too long. I was able to handle it and since they knew I was going on a trip I had only 1 round when I came back. I would say after a week or two my pain came back again. But I noticed that it changed my mood completely and my outlook on life. My sudden boost of happiness also helped with the pain. I did not have reliable help when I was going through these treatments so that is one thing I highly recommend, support. Having a good support system is such an important ingredient to healing.
Comments
Post a Comment