Have any of you had success with ketamine after being incapacitated/bedridden by your depression?
I’m about to start IV ketamine because of massive anxiety and depression which has had me laying in bed for three weeks. I will likely continue to lay in bed while I do my infusions over the next three weeks. I know it’s better if you do positive things between infusions but I’m just not there.
Last time I had a major episode of anxiety and depression, I did six IV ketamine sessions over about three and a half weeks. I had a pretty good breakthrough after session four, but then went back to not feeling good. About five or six days after the last session, I suddenly had a major change. I was able to go back to work and get re-engaged in life.
Did anyone else have a similar experience? I'm hoping it really was the ketamine because I'm back in another episode and I really need help.
I recently spiraled into a major anxiety/depression that has me on leave from work laying in bed all day doing absolutely nothing for the last 2.5 weeks. Major anhedonia. The days are SO LONG when you’re just squeezing your eyes shut waiting for nighttime and sleep.
I decided to do IV ketamine which seemed to help last time I had these same issues but I don’t start until three days from now. I wish I had set them up right when I started feeling off. Last time it took 6 treatments over three weeks. That’s a really long time to spend in bed.
No real question but any encouragement is welcome.
I read so many stories on here of people who've had great success. I'm wondering: for most of you, did it feel like a switch flipped on a certain day, or did you feel gradually better? What did you feel like in the days between starting the med and when you could say you felt actually good again?
In my last big depression, I stopped being able to use any edible cannabis because it just made things worse. After doing several sessions of ketamine, I was able to use cannabis again and have the benefits of a calmer mind. Have any of you had a similar experience of not being able to use cannabis when depressed and then finding it possible after doing ketamine infusions?
In 2024, I had a major depressive episode. I did six sessions of ketamine during the four weeks I was on leave from work. I remember feeling some improvement after session four, but I don't remember a lot after that. After four weeks of leave (and finishing my 5th and 6th sessions) I was able to return to work and slowly got back to normal.
I distinctly remember, however, that I also started taking edible cannabis twice a day just before returning to work, which helped a lot. I hadn't been able to use cannabis during the worst of the depression because it made me feel worse, but after the leave and the ketamine, it seemed to make me feel better again. I don't know if it was because of the ketamine or if something else had changed. It was all a blur.
I'm asking all this because I'm in another major depression/anxiety hole that has incapacitated me, and I'm about to start taking another leave from work. I'm trying to decide if I should do some ketamine again. Curious to hear people's thoughts.
I just started today and was hoping for the miracle some people talk about. I’m in really bad shape and need something to change.
My latest spiral started with major anxiety which has now mixed with depression. I just started Auvelity today and am hoping for good results. Did anyone have success improving anxiety?
I'm worried I will feel like I'm on drugs and not really myself. Can people tell me what their experiences have been?
I have spiraled into a deep depression with anxiety. I've been lying in bed doing nothing for about a week. I'm getting my Auvelity prescription today. Any tips for success?
Over the last four to five weeks, I've spiraled down into one of the worst depressions I've ever had. I'm lying in bed all day, doing nothing, avoiding my family and friends. Everything seems very bleak and hopeless. My psychiatrist prescribed Auvelity today, but I'm having a hard time getting it because of administrative stuff. I hope to be able to pick it up tomorrow or within a couple of days. I sure hope it helps. Any words of encouragement are appreciated.
I'm dealing with sudden major anxiety, and I'm now at the point where I lie in bed all day long doing nothing. I don't watch TV, read books, or listen to music. I just try to zone out to let the time pass until it is time to go to sleep at night. I have no desire to do anything. I take a shower and get up to eat, but I can't figure out how to get my motivation going again. Help and advice are appreciated.
I'm wondering if anyone here dealt with major anxiety and depression earlier in their life and were able to overcome it or at least reduce its frequency and severity by dedicating themselves to mindfulness. I would love to hear your story. I'm in the middle of a pretty big dip of depression and anxiety right now, and I want to try to figure out how to keep my mind healthy even once I get back to feeling normal. I've always felt like a focused mindfulness practice is key, but I've never kept up with it. Any perspective or encouragement would be appreciated. Thanks.
I’ve been dealing with a huge surge of all day anxiety lately. It has me laying on bed doing nothing most of the day. One of my biggest problems is I have no desire to do anything when I’m anxious. I feel so blank. Things that usually interest me seem overwhelming or not interesting. I hate unplanned time like weekends because of this. Any advice?
I have really severe anxiety all day long, all of a sudden, that is making it almost impossible for me to work. It's keeping me bedridden. I tried Ativan years ago for a similar situation but quickly became dependent, so I don't think that's an option. I also tried Buspar, but found it to make me feel like I was going to pass out. Does anything else work?
About three weeks ago, I suddenly started having debilitating anxiety. Over the course of the last three weeks, I've gone from being calm and confident to pretty much bedridden. I have constant racing thoughts and I feel agitated all day long. The only relief I get is to lie in bed, but I'm starting to let things drop at work, and pretty soon I'm going to have to let them know and probably go on leave. I've had this happen twice before, and each time I was out for a month or two. I'm on Paxil, and I've increased my dose, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I don't think there are any other medications that are able to help me. I'm feeling very hopeless and frustrated. I wish there was a medication that would reduce the symptoms so I could get back to work and get back to my life. I'm very worried that this is going to ruin things.
I’ve been taking 10 mg edibles of THC twice a day for the past couple years. It helps calm my mind and be more present. Just recently I started having major anxiety. I’ve had this happen a couple times before and had pretty big breakdowns each time. I don’t think the cannabis caused the anxiety but I’ve stopped it because when I’m like this it tends to make it worse. Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips on overcoming persistent anxiety?
A little over two weeks ago, I suddenly started having intense anxiety. I think it might have been kicked off because I was getting ready to start some new projects at work that were making me feel like an imposter. Prior to this, I had been feeling almost the best I've ever felt. I was calm, confident, and engaged in my life. Now I'm feeling anxious at work, anxious around friends and family. I feel uncomfortable in my own skin.
I've had this happen two times before, and each time it resulted in a pretty significant breakdown where I had to take time off of work and even went into inpatient psych. I'm terrified that this will happen again.
I don’t have any reason to feel this bad. I have a wonderful, supportive wife and two wonderful daughters. Im a good husband and a good dad. I have a good job. But when I get like this I just want to lie in bed all day and avoid everything.
Last time it happened, I had major stress from caring for my elderly mom and I hated my job. It feels like a program got written back then that has gotten triggered. It’s so hard to snap out of it.
I hate how uncomfortable this makes me feel in my own skin. It makes me feel self conscious about not having anything to talk about with people because my mind is so focused on the anxiety. I just feel so blah.
I'm not sure what I'm asking for here other than just encouragement that it will get better. Thanks for any kind words you can offer.