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The Effects of Special K

Ketamine hydrochloride, also known as Special K, is employed as a general anesthetic in veterinary medicine and for children or people with health issues. Distributed in liquid form in pharmaceutical bottles, ketamine is a Schedule III substance, like nitrous oxide and PCP. This controlled substance can cause a dissociative experience, in which perception and sensation split.

  1. Low Doses

    • Clubgoers typically snort ketamine to achieve a soothing, dreamy state. As a low-level stimulant, ketamine will boost heart rate and blood pressure. Once the drug hits the blood stream, users notice the effects quickly. Users report the feeling of floating outside of their bodies, according to the Points of Health Project website. They also experience numbness in their arms and legs.

    High Doses

    • Users that take high doses of ketamine experience the effects of a potent psychedelic drug, resembling a mix of marijuana, cocaine, nitrous oxide, opium and alcohol. A 100 mg dose of ketamine is enough to cause visual hallucinations, such as falling or flying, in which the mind disassociates from the body, says the Points of Health Project website. Referred to as the "K-hole," tripping on ketamine has been described as comparable to a near death experience and is paralyzing. Users typically stay seated or prone. While some users may enter a trance state, others may settle into strange bodily positions. A ketamine-induced trip lasts anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.

    Side Effects

    • After taking ketamine, users may feel nauseous or even vomit. Some users feel drowsy, tired and achy, as if they have just come out from under a general anesthetic. Others feel vibrant and want to stretch or move their bodies. If the user has endured a potent ketamine experience, he may feel unbalanced and may not be able to recall the hallucinations from the trip.

    Frequent Use

    • According to the BBC News, a team at the University College London conducted a spectrum of psychological and memory tests on 120 subjects. Habitual users of ketamine failed to recall conversations, names and patterns. Ketamine also impacts the liver via metabolism. If users combine protease inhibitors, which are prescribed for anti-HIV treatment, with ketamine, the mix can inflame the liver and lead to jaundice. Frequent use of ketamine can lead to addiction and cause various neuroses.

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