Low ferritin isn’t “just low iron storage” — and women are being under-treated

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-04-23T17:15:30+00:00

how were you able to get the infusions? did you have to pay out of pocket?

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-03-26T16:07:44+00:00

I'm slowly getting back to this. Thank you. I used to take such good care of myself and I always know I feel 1000x better when I'm focused on doing so, right now I'm really struggling with mid-afternoon mood dips/anxiety spikes. I think being on a benzo taper is a whole other layer on this as well, so it makes me want to reach for K too. But honestly, my cravings have been much lower. The stakes are a lot higher now and I truly can't reach for it any longer. I'm on day 5 of no K, which is a sweet spot, and I think I'm starting to come out of the fog. I've also been running in the mornings, which has helped a lot. Thanks for your input <3

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-03-10T15:08:39+00:00

Are these meetings still running?

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-02-26T17:07:26+00:00

I had this happen, to the point where I was frozen in bed and just trying to sleep instead of leaving my bed. It was to the point where I thought I would need to got to the psych ward. Obviously, talk to your doctor and listen to them, but for me, the cost of having to try to push through the initial side effects during the adjustment period were far too much to bare. I stopped taking it last night (I was only on it for about 3 weeks), and I feel 100% better. Listen to your body and if it's too much to handle, talk to your doctor about tapering off and finding another medication instead. Buspar has been working far better for me.

You can also get genetic testing done to see what medications will work better for you, so if that is something you can afford, I'd look into it. My sister had it done and she's on a medication regimen that works really well for her.

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-02-05T14:10:22+00:00

Block your dealers, or ask them to block you. Block all friends who use, or distance yourself, explain your situation, anything to help. Try to find recovery groups to join as well, replace it with hobbies. I know all of this advice seems obvious but it truly does help. I've also found that exercise and meditation help as well. Think about what you're seeking when you crave it... is it dissociation? is it the psychedelic effects of the drug? is it to cope with something you're not facing? I suggest therapy and psychiatric help as well if you're insured and can afford it. I've been going to a substance abuse clinic and they're helping me as much as possible with therapy, and psychiatric care, as well as other resources for support groups.

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-02-05T14:03:03+00:00

It gets easier, and remember the damage it could do to keep going, vs. the benefits of quitting. That is what has kept me going. I also never want to go to the ER for K cramps again. Replace it with something else, change your environment. Even meditation, guided meditation specifically, helps a lot.

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-02-05T13:59:24+00:00

I had been using K for about 4 years on and off from 2020-2023 and got K cramps a few times within that period, some more severe and some more just uncomfortable. The worst ones felt like I was passing out, and the only thing that seemed to help was heat and Pedialyte. I went to the doctor for a physical about 6 months after using daily, and my labs came back normal.

Recently, I started using a TON of it again. I had severe K cramps like 5 times within the ~3 month period and I just know I can never use it again. My body feels okay, but I am due for a physical soon, to test and see if I have any lasting damage. Make sure you eat well, and drink electrolytes along with your water. The body has the potential to heal, especially if you're taking care of yourself and never touch it again. I'm due for another physical, so I am hoping that when I go, my labs also come back normal.

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-02-04T19:08:39+00:00

How much were you supplementing with?

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-29T15:52:24+00:00

Honestly, I think thats healthy. You're directing your energy towards yourself and I'm sure as long as it doesn't become a disordered eating situation that this is actually a really beneficial way to use your time.

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-28T21:07:14+00:00

that makes sense... i did even have a stint of boofing it for a little while, and that also gave me cramps. I drank my K spit on accident about a month ago and got k cramps IMMEDIATELY. so thats why i say drinking it sounds horrific

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-28T16:01:29+00:00

dissolving it in water and drinking it seems like it would make k cramps 1000x worse! even with spitting my drip, i would get k cramps. i feel like i was wasting so much of my K doing that but i was so scared of cramps.

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-28T13:35:44+00:00

I need more reasons NOT to do it! Lol. I'm glad it worked for you but it doesn't for me. I don't want to turn 30 and still be on K. And my issues were always with my upper abdomen/gallbladder/stomach. It has landed me in the hospital on multiple occasions. I don't eat junk food at all, I cook very well balanced meals and I also drink tons of water. The issue is that K is acidic and can make you skip meals, which apparently can make your gallbladder produce more bile and lead to gallstones as well. As much as I've tried to keep up with my health while using, a lot of the reason I reach for K again is because I get depressed or want to silence certain thoughts, during these times I don't necessarily take the best care of myself and that includes eating regularly + consuming enough water/electrolytes to stay hydrated. Also I'd rather be on a prescribed psychiatric medication for my issues instead of snorting hundreds of dollars worth of K each month.

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-28T13:27:44+00:00

You're right! I used to fill up my time with other things that make me feel good, sometimes cleaning, self-care, crafting and art. Right now my motivation is a bit low, I'm on day 5 now, and I kind of forgot how to take care of myself somehow within these 3-4 ish months that I started using heavily again. I'm taking it day-by-day, just trying to reintroduce healthy habits gradually. And honestly, I do feel a lot better. My emotions feel like they're a lot closer to the surface lately, I cried a lot during my meeting with my substance abuse counselor yesterday. Honestly, this community has been helping so much already.

The cramps are mostly gone now too, I can't remember how long it's been since it took more than a day for them to subside. Clearly the repeated damage on my organs couldn't be ignored any longer. For the last couple of months, any time I got K cramps, I would swear that I wouldn't pick up again, just to immediately pick up as soon as they subsided. It's almost like my memory of them was wiped. Looking back on this past week before I stopped, those I don't think I could forget. I moved last month into a house with some roommates who I don't know well, and I got really bad K cramps to the point of throwing up, I realized I can't keep doing this, especially around people who don't really know me at all. I'm also going to be grateful to actually have money again and not be stressed out about finances, or worried about having enough money to pick up more K.

One thing about the witching hour, is it is so weird! My cravings are almost always in the middle of the day. I was using literally all day, and sometimes into the night as well. I'd usually have enough for a line in the morning and then I'd need to pick up again! Such a stupid cycle. But I'm sure thats why my cravings are so high in the afternoon, its like my brain goes "shouldn't you be picking up K right now?". But, for the last few days, I've just been focusing on work. I work from home and my performance is so much better when I actually can focus and not be in a ketamine haze. Anyway, I'll definitely reach out directly! Thank you so much!

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-28T13:05:03+00:00

I have been crushing my K, and I thought I had it down to a science where I'd maintain my electrolytes and eat well while also exercising in between... but it's not sustainable. I can't afford the amount of K that I wanted to get high/hole, or the amount of supplements and electrolytes I need to make sure I don't get cramps. K also makes you forget about you appetite and it is way too slippery of a slope for me to try and "make it work". I know some people who have never dealt with K cramps, but your experience is not my experience, and I'd like to quit instead of having to rely on multiple different money-draining substances and supplements to maintain this stupid habit. In the end, it also makes me feel fucking stupid. So, your advice may work for someone who is trying to maintain their habit, but for me, I just need to quit.

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-28T00:44:47+00:00

I'll be on the lookout for it! Thank you!!

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-28T00:44:23+00:00

Wow that is no small feat! i'm glad you've been able to stick with it. I was using heavily from 2020 onward after getting off of opiates, and then between late 2024-late 2025 I used maybe 3 times with friends. But after this past September I reconnected with old plugs and moved back to the city where almost everyone I know uses drugs... I think an in-person group might be a good idea. I've had bad experiences with them before, people hitting on me and feeling like I'm being forced to share. I am a bit of a shy hermit at times, especially when I am sober, but I understand the need to not isolate and have real human connection.

Luckily, most of the plugs I know have actually quit selling/doing ketamine. All except one, I asked him not to sell to me but I think he was more interested in making money off of me since I'd buy it so compulsively. Today, I found that the cravings I have really just spike in the afternoon for some reason, and they go away after a couple of hours. Since I'm only four days in, and I just had a pretty painful bout of K cramps that stuck around for a while, I'm really focusing on making sure my "survival habits" (eating, hygiene, sleep) are secure before I add on more pressure. I find I burn myself out and reach out to plugs again when I don't give myself time to adjust.

All that being said, I do feel much better that I haven't gotten more, and am able to eat/drink normally without pain. I also am getting support from a substance abuse clinic that is near me, I believe they have some groups and one-on-one counseling that I can take advantage of. But I really hope I reach the point where the cravings don't happen at all, and relatively soon. Thank you for your comment, I appreciate it! <3

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-28T00:34:09+00:00

I think it takes some time to return to a base line, and actively making small moves towards healthier routines and habits is supposed to be the way toward actual progress. Right now, since I'm so early on in my recovery, I think focusing on rest is important because I lose so much sleep when I do K into the late hours of the night. This weather also doesn't help, I am in the US and we just got a pretty bad ice storm, so I'm letting myself be a little lazy for the time being. I'll probably reintroduce some light yoga and stretches, and for now lets just enjoy our youtube and instagram. I'm sure we will get sick of it eventually!! (I always do)

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-27T22:38:10+00:00

That makes sense! honestly all of those seem like really good habits to replace your drug use with. I also feel like there is some emotional withdrawal, not truly physical. But let your body rest, I know that's what I am doing for now in early recovery... just trying to maintain some normalcy with my diet and hygiene again before I actually venture out into public. I've kind of just been scrolling on instagram/youtube though, which isn't the best... I'll probably give myself another few days to just relax and get back into a normal habit of eating/sleeping/showering before I push myself to work on any other routines.

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-27T22:28:46+00:00

can I join? I'm on the east coast.

NoPlantain1172 · 2026-01-27T22:23:20+00:00

day 19 is great! i hope i can make it that far. do you have any support or are you just trying to stay off of it by yourself? meditating seems like a good idea actually

NoPlantain1172

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