The actual procedure:
It really doesn’t matter how you decide to start. On some occasions, I’d take a recreational dose, and after that, work from there. Other times, I simply start with the smallest dose possible. The bottom line is that what is done in the first couple of days seems to be of little consequence to the regimen, as long as some amount of Ketamine is constantly supplied. (This is what leads me to believe that the desired effect is a result of some kind of receptor saturation).
Here is my own thought on this: A recreational dose for a start may allow for some introspection , or even just a bit of fun to take one’s mind off things. The follow up would then be a maintained and controlled intake of small doses to achieve a very specific state (lets call it “a state of balance”), completely different from the usual effects of Ketamine.
Going back to what was said earlier, I say what happens in the first few days seems of little consequence because it has become apparent to me that this “state of balance” will simply not manifest until after a few days of constant use. So here is what I do:
After the initial dose, I wait until I feel completely sober, and I take my first dose (from here on, “dose” will mean 2 bumps, one in each nostril). I then wait an hour and take the dose again. If I feel I got too buzzed, I wait two hours until I redose. Don’t worry – eventually one will only need 4 – 5 doses per day, but the beginning is always a tricky calibration between a buzz and “tuning in” to that state of balance. [EDIT: Later experimentation with precise dosing via IM showed that several tiny doses per day are more effective than a few big ones]. This first stage is the most difficult one, and one that admittedly resembles simple abuse and denial thereof, (but bear with me)... in fact it may cause negative side effects such as headache, ataxia, confusion, and even nausea (none of which should be too severe – if they are, you’re abusing it!). All these effects should subside by the end of the second day (Edit: this is definitely consistent, I made two experiments since writing the first draft and reproduced this faithfully).
EDIT: In the two years following the writing of this document, I underwent this procedure many times, with a number of them using precise dosing via IM. All is still consistent, but I have noted that in some cases the nausea CAN be severe enough to cause vomiting, generally intensifying at the end of day 1, yet also consistent is the fact that as soon as it is purged, it goes and never returns, no matter how much you take or how long I take it for. The fact that I experienced this most severely when I was severely depressed suggests that it could very well be psychosomatic and that the purging is a cathartic experience.
This goes on until that state of balance is attained. It will become apparent after the fact that one feels clear-headed, motivated, content (note: content, not manic or euphoric) and completely sober and NORMAL (a word very rare in the world of bipolar people), and that those effects now seem independent of the exact moment one takes a new dose (you were that way, and you simply continue to be that way after you dose rather than experiencing a shift in consciousness). At that point, it seems like a certain saturation is attained, and this state of balance becomes one’s new “baseline”. It truly feels as though some switches have been switched off and a couple of new ones have been switched on.
And from here, one can dose less frequently per day. The trick is not to fall into the trap of trying to catch a buzz while maintaining this state – because you can, by simply taking a higher dose than usual. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. What is fascinating is that if I willingly decide to catch a buzz or even an entheogenic experience, when I return to baseline, my baseline will actually be that state of balance, not my bipolar “sobriety”.
I REPEAT: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THIS WHOLE PROCEDURE IS RESISTING THE URGE TO GET HIGH. Two years after writing this articles, I received nothing but good reports except from two people, and both admitted to having succumbed to abusing the drug by binging on recreational doses.
Another pointer that that state as been attained is that one can maintain it overnight while one sleeps without the need to wake up for a scheduled dose. One’s sleeping patterns are no longer affected (as use of small doses of K can cause amphetamine-like stimulation), and one wakes up feeling fine, not hung-over, or manic, or depressed - just fine. Of course, a morning dose is definitely recommended to maintain that. How many times a day one must redose seems to be entirely dependent on one’s brain chemistry. Eventually it always balances out.
Once that week is over (or the limited amount of Ketamine is depleted), this state of balance should remain for at least 2-3 weeks, assuming no other drugs were taken. I have no idea how this would turn out for the chronic cannabis smoker, since I do not partake in cannabis regularly.
One thing I recently discovered accidentally is that Gabapentin seems to "fortify" and maintain the state of balance for longer (it potentiates Ketamine for me anyway), but I'd have to try this again on my next regimen.
EDIT: Gabapentin was used in two regimens since the first draft was written, and has proven to be a fantastic tool in this regard. Gabapentin has become second only to Ketamine as a wonder-drug in my world.
EDIT2: I have absolutely no doubt that Gabapenin works wonders to "Rekindle" the effect. I have also found that using Hydergine concurrently with the procedure tends to enhance the effects.
Some checkpoints to make sure you're on the right track:
- By day 4, are you still stumbling when you walk, dizzy, slurring your speech, or getting any other clear symptoms of intoxication? If so, STOP! You've been abusing.
- By day 5, if you feel "loopy", then you're abusing.
- Panic Attack? While K is known to be a panic-free drug. Getting a panic attack as a direct result of taking K is, IME, a sign of having binged on very high doses. The best thing to do, IME, is if you've taken a high dose to taper down to a 10mg or so dose.
- Are you drinking more often, or taking more drugs than you used to? Another bad sign. I have found that the above procedure has an anti-addictive property, and I have actually used it to help myself quit benzos and codeine. I don't yet have enough info to make the claim that it definitely cures addiction, though.
- A seemingly universal (ie. from everyone that gave me feedback) effect of this procedure is that it makes one a more pleasant person to deal with. If you've been getting complaints about some serious personality changes, then look back and make sure you're doing everything properly.
- By day 7, do you notice no improvement, despite having followed this procedure faithfully, calibrated your weights, and followed the checkpoints? Then perhaps this is simply not for you.
In conclusion, I sincerely hope this is helpful to you. If you have any questions, please post them in this thread.
PART III: Some Idiosyncrasies and Intrigues
My personal experience w.r.t. the method of action, without getting into biochemical jargon which I am simply not qualified enough to discuss, is as follows:
It appears that Ketamine interacts with two separate "systems" or "circuits" (nerve-related). One is excitatory, the other inhibitory (let as call them a and b). The body, in turn, reacts as Ketamine wears off, with inhibitory and an excitatory reactions in the respective systems (let's call them x and y). It appears that this can be "harmonically" exploited by re-dosing the ketamine as these reactions start up such that Ketamine's inhibitory action (b) synergizes with excitatory reaction (x), and Ketamine's excitatory action (a) synergizes with the body's inhibitoryreaction (y).
I am sorry if this is confusing, but it is the best I can articulate what my body is telling me.
Interestingly, while I have never had a particular interest in Chinese medicine, it appears that the Taoist model is more helpful in this particular instance: from my limited understanding, the Chinese posit that the body had active currents (Yin) and Passive ones (Yang), and that good health is obtained by balancing these two currents through a healthy lifestyle (cf. Chia).
My experience has repeatedly shown me that a successful Ketamine therapy course will, at its best, result not only in a sense of contentment and balance, but also a moment of clarity when the body feels absolutely at peace, as though a gentle wave of frothy, lukewarm (just right) water has washed upon it. Incidentally, much later, I realized that the Chinese use this very metaphor to explain the state of balanced health.
Does this prove the Chinese model correct? I have no idea. But here is to hoping Ketamine bridges the gap between Modern and Traditional medicines!
[More to be added]
PART IV: First-hand Accounts Feedback
[To Do]
PART V: Bibliography.
[To Do]
Update History:
- November 22nd, 2008: Finally gave it a proofread (heh, about time), fleshed out some parts, and added several updates (some important) since the first draft.
- November 20th, 2010: Updated with several edits. To be ironed out and rewritten soon.
- November 22nd, 2010: 2 Year Anniversary!! Added entire new section (Part I), and edited typos out of Part II.
[/QUOTE]
mTOR-Dependent Synapse Formation Underlies the Rapid Antidepressant Effects of NMDA Antagonists
Nanxin Li, Boyoung Lee, Rong-Jian Liu, Mounira Banasr, Jason M. Dwyer, Masaaki Iwata, Xiao-Yuan Li, George Aghajanian and Ronald S. Duman*
+ Author Affiliations
Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Center for Genes and Behavior, Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06508, USA.
*To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
ronald.duman@yale.edu
ABSTRACT
The rapid antidepressant response after ketamine administration in treatment-resistant depressed patients suggests a possible new approach for treating mood disorders compared to the weeks or months required for standard medications. However, the mechanisms underlying this action of ketamine [a glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist] have not been identified. We observed that ketamine rapidly activated the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, leading to increased synaptic signaling proteins and increased number and function of new spine synapses in the prefrontal cortex of rats. Moreover, blockade of mTOR signaling completely blocked ketamine induction of synaptogenesis and behavioral responses in models of depression. Our results demonstrate that these effects of ketamine are opposite to the synaptic deficits that result from exposure to stress and could contribute to the fast antidepressant actions of ketamine.
I hope this helps, bit thx to jamshyd on bluelight