> Though I'm hoping that cost includes a doctor's supervision and stuff?

Supervision by a nurse. It's usually contracted out.

> $6000 would buy me enough Special K for several life times ...

If it's not the same procedure (IV) with a compound that is pure you might not be getting any of the benefits.

Med grade K pops up for about 140 USD a gram. It's not hard to get insulin needles. There are guides on how to IV on the internet.

This would likely last much shorter then an infusion as there's a limited options for setting a running IV as opposed to just a single injection.

That's US street price. On the dark web you can get medical grade for $20 a gram.

And from a veterinarian in Central America for less than $5 a gram. Is there a difference between "medical grade" and what is used for animals?

I said medical to differentiate it from street k which comes as a powder and is usually cut which is bad for injection.

And there shouldn't be a difference between animal and human ketamine.

Animals rarely sue their doctors.

Your "medical grade" could be fake on the darkweb, who knows what you are getting?

"In the village of Boshe, underground laboratories are producing ketamine cheaply in large amounts." from:

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-china-33472971/inside-...

I also wouldn't be trusting the packaging wasn't fake (or refilled).

The darkweb is generally safer than buying shit from random people in real life

Don't think it'd be worth the trouble.

They'd more likely produce the powder as that's easier to conceal for shipping or more likely just make DCK which is still legal.

Just use a test kit

No you can't. Powder is 60-70 USD, vial liquid is 120-140 USD. If you want to import from South Africa it can be that cheap but that stuff sucks.

> If it's not the same procedure (IV) with a compound that is pure you might not be getting any of the benefits.

At the same time since insurance doesn't cover this the only real option for people who don't have that kind of money (myself included) is black market self-administration or more traditional therapies which may not be as effective.

> or more traditional therapies which may not be as effective.

It's not proven. There are a few articles and a few success stories. It isn't a panacea. The cost is only an issue after someone has tried many traditional therapies.

Street ketamine is usually from vets..

According to my psychiatrist, you are paying for the malpractice insurance of a doctor performing unestablished medical treatments.

That might be misinformed, although $2-6k per infusion is very very high. That price is simply providing a high profit to the provider

There is a group of doctors who provide ketamine therapy and they've created some resources for interested patients. They say cost should be $400-800 per infusion and outline the drivers: http://www.ketamineadvocacynetwork.org/cost/

Fwiw, $800 is the price I was quoted.

You're paying for the risk that the doctor is taking. It's going directly into his pocket though. That's why regional prices are so far apart.