5 ms·

Another place where ketamine has been used "off label" has been in the treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) formerly called Reflex Sympathetic Dys

by jcr 12y ago

Another place where ketamine has been used "off label" has been in the treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) formerly called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), "causalgia", or Reflex Neurovascular Dystrophy (RND). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_regional_pain_syndrome#Ketamine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_regional_pain_syndrome#... Edit: I'm not sure why this nytimes article is being considered "news" on HN since topic has been discussed here quite a few times over the last three years. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4043198 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4043198 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4615602 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4615602 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5116706 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5116706 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5758647 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5758647 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7522343 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7522343

dang 12y ago
I'd say it's news. It's a recent article, and those other threads are years old.
justinpaulson 12y ago
Still Called RSD by many :) I am upvoting and commenting to spread awareness about CRPS. It is one of the most terrible disorders that a human can ever endure and it is insane that the use of ketamine has not been accepted as a non-expiremental treatment for it. My wife just finished a two day ketamine booster yesterday, and without the use of ketamine she would not be able to walk or even open and close her hands. Nothing else has ever helped her CRPS and ketamine has improved her quality of life in immeasurable ways. Yet we still have to pay for every single dollar of every single treatment out of pocket. So glad we are forced to pay for insurance that won't even acknowledge thousands of dollars a year of medical spending for necessary treatments.
- jcr 12y ago
  Justin, my email address is in my hn profile "about" section where you (and everyone) can read it. If you contact me by email, I'll share with you the research and data I've collected. Needless to say, me happening to know of this other off-label use of ketamine is not a coincidence.
- refurb 12y ago
  Have you tried appealing to your insurance company about coverage? Insurance companies won't cover most drugs when used "off label". However, the doctor is allowed to appeal by providing peer-reviewed article supporting the use. It's a hell of a lot of paper work, but most of the folks at insurance companies (I work with them a lot) are pretty reasonable people. Their default is to deny, but if you can build a strong enough case they will often cover it. It's not like ketamine is all that expensive. Hell, I've seen people get covered for "off-label" use of oncology drugs that are $100K+/yr.
  - justinpaulson 12y ago
    Yes, multiple times to multiple companies. It is not about the cost of the drug itself, it is the cost of administration. This isn't just a bottle of ketamine pills, it is an IV infusion in a hospital setting.
    - refurb 12y ago
      Sorry to hear that! Are you appealing or is your doctor? Just curious.
      - justinpaulson 12y ago
        Both

by jcr 12y ago

dang 12y ago

I'd say it's news. It's a recent article, and those other threads are years old.

justinpaulson 12y ago

Still Called RSD by many :) I am upvoting and commenting to spread awareness about CRPS. It is one of the most terrible disorders that a human can ever endure and it is insane that the use of ketamine has not been accepted as a non-expiremental treatment for it. My wife just finished a two day ketamine booster yesterday, and without the use of ketamine she would not be able to walk or even open and close her hands. Nothing else has ever helped her CRPS and ketamine has improved her quality of life in immeasurable ways. Yet we still have to pay for every single dollar of every single treatment out of pocket. So glad we are forced to pay for insurance that won't even acknowledge thousands of dollars a year of medical spending for necessary treatments.

jcr 12y ago
Justin, my email address is in my hn profile "about" section where you (and everyone) can read it. If you contact me by email, I'll share with you the research and data I've collected. Needless to say, me happening to know of this other off-label use of ketamine is not a coincidence.
refurb 12y ago
Have you tried appealing to your insurance company about coverage? Insurance companies won't cover most drugs when used "off label". However, the doctor is allowed to appeal by providing peer-reviewed article supporting the use. It's a hell of a lot of paper work, but most of the folks at insurance companies (I work with them a lot) are pretty reasonable people. Their default is to deny, but if you can build a strong enough case they will often cover it. It's not like ketamine is all that expensive. Hell, I've seen people get covered for "off-label" use of oncology drugs that are $100K+/yr.
- justinpaulson 12y ago
  Yes, multiple times to multiple companies. It is not about the cost of the drug itself, it is the cost of administration. This isn't just a bottle of ketamine pills, it is an IV infusion in a hospital setting.
  - refurb 12y ago
    Sorry to hear that! Are you appealing or is your doctor? Just curious.
    - justinpaulson 12y ago
      Both