The Ketamine Nasal Spray Ketamine nasal spray the drug is a form of ketamine, a generic drug that’s been used as a form of anaesthesia for many years, Dr. Anand says. The ketamine has also been used for years in smaller doses in IV form for patients with treatment-resistant depression. But as a generic drug, it has not been put through the FDA’s review process for that use. It’s actually a controlled substance (it is sometimes abused as a recreational drug you may have heard it called Special K). The new ketamine nasal spray will only be administered in a doctor’s office or hospital setting. This is literally because it can create feelings of dissociation and hallucination in people who take it. “It’s a slightly different form of ketamine and will be given as nasal puffs, but the effects are essentially the same,” Dr. Anand says. A patient will go to their doctor once or twice a week to get nasal puffs of a dose of ketamine crystal. Because they may experience disorientation or confusion immediately afterward, they will stay at the doctor’s office for two hours. They are also advised not to drive, operate machinery, or undertake a task that requires similar mental effort for the rest of the day. Side Effects Of Ketamine Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat. Trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat. Signs of high or low blood pressure like very bad headache or dizziness, passing out, or change in eyesight. Trouble breathing, slow breathing, or shallow breathing. Slow heartbeat. A heartbeat that does not feel normal.
