# How can a person get ketamine for MDD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 25, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-person-get-ketamine-for-mdd/789860 "2017-06-25T20:26:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-person-get-ketamine-for-mdd/789860/1 "2017-06-25T20:26:18Z")
Got a family member with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. Duloxetine and desipramine have not helped much, but have made a dent in it. How would it be possible to obtain treatment with ketamine? Would this person have to be enrolled in a clinical trial somewhere? How would we go about doing this? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-person-get-ketamine-for-mdd/789860/2 "2017-06-25T20:35:59Z")
I know two people who weren’t responding to medication, and were really desperate, who had electro-convulsive therapy, and swear it saved their lives. I know it seems like a pretty radical treatment, but if you are thinking about ketamine, you’re in the neighborhood already. Maybe you should look into ECT. One person had one session of ECT 10 years ago, and has never needed another. The other has needed to have it repeated about every 3-4 years. Insurance paid in both cases. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-person-get-ketamine-for-mdd/789860/3 "2017-06-25T20:36:12Z")
[This](http://nyketamine.com/depression/faq/) might be a helpful place to start. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-person-get-ketamine-for-mdd/789860/4 "2017-06-25T20:52:51Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > [This](http://nyketamine.com/depression/faq/) might be a helpful place to start. From the link: > [@](#): > > Will I be treated as an outpatient? > > Yes, ketamine infusions for depression are outpatient procedures requiring no hospital admission. > > Do I need a psychiatrists referral for treatment? > > No, any licensed mental health care professional can refer you. Quoted what seems like the relevant info. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-person-get-ketamine-for-mdd/789860/5 "2017-06-26T20:06:53Z")
If unsuccessful either starting treatment with Ketamine, or if it isn’t beneficial, ECT, as barbaric as it seems, does work sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-person-get-ketamine-for-mdd/789860/6 "2017-06-26T22:46:12Z")
ECT is no longer the “barbaric” frankinsteinesque treatment that it was in the 50s. There are many people who are very happy with the results. > [@](#): > > No-one is sure how ECT works, but it is known to change patterns of blood flow in the brain, and also change the way energy is used in parts of the brain that are thought to be involved in depression. It may cause changes in brain chemistry, although how these are related to symptoms is not understood. > > The ECT Accreditation Service (run by the Royal College of Psychiatrists) reported on a survey of 78 ECT clinics in England and Wales in 2012-2013. This reported the results of 1895 courses of treatment in 1789 people: > > improved (‘minimally’, ‘much’ or ‘very much’): 1712 > no change: 113 > worse: 28 > > [https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/electroconvulsive-therapy-ect/#.WVGOe2grKUk](https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/electroconvulsive-therapy-ect/#.WVGOe2grKUk) ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-person-get-ketamine-for-mdd/789860/7 "2017-06-26T22:52:18Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > ECT is no longer the “barbaric” frankinsteinesque treatment that it was in the 50s. There are many people who are very happy with the results. I can’t really go into it, because of confidentiality, but in addition to people I just happen to know who spoke to me freely about it, I once had the occasion to transport someone for it, and witness part of it. The person is comfortable the whole time. There is nothing barbaric about it, and in fact, I don’t know that it ever was as barbaric as it’s portrayed in films. Also, no one gets it without consent-- very much informed consent. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-person-get-ketamine-for-mdd/789860/8 "2017-06-27T00:43:15Z")
Right, they only do one hemisphere at a time now. The patient rarely convulses, and if they do it’s just a mild jump. The technique is far more sophisticated than it was in the past.