In the last decade, ketamine use has increased. According to latest figures, an estimated 264,000 had used ketamine in the last year, around a 100,000 increase from a decade before.
There are risks to using ketamine, and people worry about how long it may stay in their system. Whilst ketamine levels fall over hours, ketamine metabolites can remain detectable by tests long after, even after noticeable effects have ended.
We’re going to explore the estimates of detection times, as there is no guaranteed timeline to get a negative result back from a test.
What Happens to Ketamine in the Body
Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic with painkilling properties, used in human and veterinary medicine. The risks that come with the drug occur when it is misused outside of strict clinical supervision.
You shouldn’t confuse ketamine with esketamine, a nasal spray used to treat treatment-resistant depression in the US.
After ketamine enters your body, it starts to get broken down primarily by the liver, creating byproducts known as metabolites. The primary ketamine metabolite is norketamine. Unlike other byproducts, it is not inactive and can still cause effects like sedation and dissociation.
Once processed by the liver, metabolites are mostly eliminated from the body via urine.
Ketamine Half-Life Vs Complete Clearance
The half-life of a substance is the time it takes for the concentration of it to halve. Clearance is when all traces of a substance are no longer present in the body.
The elimination half-life of ketamine is around 2 to 3 hours. This is for the form of ketamine product used in medical settings. After several half-lives, the amount of ketamine in your system will substantially reduce, but it might not mean complete elimination.
Metabolites may remain, and ketamine detection times depend on many factors, including the source of the substance, repeated doses and how it was administered.
How Long Do the Effects of Ketamine Last?
Before using ketamine, there is no way to know how it will affect you and for how long. The noticeable effects you experience, and any residual impairment, will depend on the amount you take, how you take it, if you take it repeatedly and whether you are using other substances at the same time.
On average, if you snort ketamine, it takes around 15 minutes to kick in. The noticeable effects tend to last from 30 minutes to an hour, but this is not definite. For days after, you may feel in a low mood.
Even if you feel normal, that doesn’t mean that ketamine has cleared from your system, and you shouldn’t drive or do any other activities that could put you at risk.
How Long Does It Take Ketamine to Leave Your System?
There are various types of drug tests you can do. Some tests may target ketamine, norketamine, or both, while test sensitivity and cut-off values (the minimum concentration of drug or metabolite needed for a positive result) affect detection.
Ketamine can be detected in urine for roughly 3-5 days after taking it.
Blood tests can be used to see if ketamine is in the bloodstream, though the body rapidly clears ketamine from circulation. Oral fluid tests with saliva can detect recent use and provide rapid results. Hair tests can have a larger detection window to discover past use but don’t indicate that active ketamine remains in the bloodstream.
Not every drug test includes ketamine, and a positive result doesn’t definitively prove that you are currently impaired by the drug.
Why Detection and Elimination Times Vary
Ketamine detection time and elimination will vary from person to person.
As stated above, there are many factors that can influence these windows. They include:
- The amount of ketamine taken
- Frequency of use
- Time since last use
- Individual metabolism
- Liver function
It’s not just down to your biology or actions, though. The type of sample taken, the analyte measured (substance/byproduct that the test will identify), and the detection threshold can all make a difference.
Illegal ketamine may contain unknown substances, complicating any estimates.
Can You Make Ketamine Leave Your System Faster
There is no shortcut to improving detection time or guaranteeing a negative test result. You cannot make ketamine leave your system faster by attempting to flush it out by drinking lots of water, exercising, going to a sauna to sweat it out or taking any commercial detox product.
These methods can be dangerous to you. The only way for ketamine to leave your system is time. If you have any concerns about your health and ketamine use, get medical advice and don’t attempt to flush the drug out.
Health Risks and When to Seek Help
Ketamine can be a dangerous drug to use. It can cause disorientation, affecting your balance and coordination, which can increase the risk of you getting into an accident and injuring yourself.
These risks can increase if you use ketamine with other substances like alcohol or sedating drugs such as opioids.
Repeated use of ketamine can cause bladder and urinary problems, meaning you can’t control your urination or your bladder shrinks. You should go to the doctor if you are experiencing symptoms such as pain when urinating, doing it often and finding blood in your urine.
If in an emergency, do not delay in getting help. Call 999 Call 999 if you’re with someone experiencing breathing difficulties, they have collapsed and are unresponsive, or are having seizures. Follow dispatcher instructions and wait for help to arrive.
Get Ketamine Addiction Support Today with Rehab Clinics Group
If you are using ketamine regularly and experiencing cravings, have lost control over your use or are continuing to take it despite the harm it is causing, you may have an addiction. Speak to your GP or a local drug service for an assessment.
Rehab Clinics Group offers ketamine addiction treatment to those who are struggling. After a comprehensive assessment, we can provide you with treatment options to address your addiction problems, including psychological support as a major part of rehab and aftercare for continued support once you complete your recovery programme.
If you or someone you know is ready to get help for their ketamine addiction, contact the team today for a confidential discussion about your options.
