3 ms·

Do you have to take it via an IV? Can taking it orally have similar benefits? I'm just curious why you need an IV.

• wavefunction 11y ago
  You'd probably have to insufflate (snort) it. That's the recreational method for most users, at least.
  • 1024core 11y ago
    Can't you just take a pill?
    • joeyo 11y ago
      Many drugs undergo first-pass metabolism by the liver and their metabolites are much less active or much more non-specific. I don't know if that is the case for ketamine, but I suspect that it must be.
• jschwartzi 11y ago
  When you administer it to horses, it's also done IV but using a syringe. It may not necessarily be done using a bag and a drip.
• dfraser992 11y ago
  Oral works as well - no pain in the nose, etc - but it does take more ketamine. As for the IV... these are doctors administrating it. An IV allows for more precision, and a point of the treatment, it seems, is to avoid the K-hole effect - which would seriously disturb a lot of patients. If I was using opiates for a medical purpose, I would want to be precise - heroin vs making poppy tea.