What are the side effects? Will I stop breathing?
You will not stop breathing. Ketamine has a very reassuring safety profile. There have been case reports of brief periods of apnea (no breathing) with a rapid push of a large amount of ketamine such as might be used to induce anesthesia in an operating room. With a low dose drip at Klarisana there is no respiratory depression. Our patients are responsive and able to talk throughout the infusion. The most common side effect is mild nausea in some patients. We do offer anti-nausea medication prior to infusions. We feel that the alterations in perception with ketamine should not be categorized as “side effects.” As we describe elsewhere in the FAQ, they are part of the therapy.