People living with untreatable depression call on Sask. government to cover ketamine therapy

Sammy Paquette believes ketamineassisted therapy can savepeople living with untreatable depression.

She has experienced the "life-saving" nature of the therapy.

"It made me feel like I had my happiness back again. I felt like a brand new person," said the Saskatoon woman. "It was a great feeling, but it was also weird because I just don't think I ever felt so good in my life."

The anesthetic drug has been known in popular culture asa party drug, but it has also been proven to help untreatable and resistant depression when clinically administered in low doses.

Paquette said she's faced suicidal thoughts and attempts, and depression thatmakes day-to-day living impossible.

"I would stay in my pyjamas. I wouldn't brush my hair. I wouldn't brush my teeth, I wouldn't shower. I would need people to come and help me clean my house and take me to appointments."

Paquette said she tried every option to deal with the depression: counselling, GPs, psychiatrists, multiple medications andemergency room admissions. Then she accessed ketamine assisted therapy through the Dub Centre at Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital (patients suffering major mental health problems are admitted by a psychiatrist).

It seemed to work. She said it finally felt like she had been lifted out of the depression.

She hasn't been able to maintain that feeling. Outpatient treatment is expensive.

Private treatments costly

The Linden Medical Centre in Saskatoon is Saskatchewan's only private clinic offering ketamine treatment for people living with PTSD or depression. A package of six sessions of intranasal ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and five hours of prep can cost$4,260. Maintenance sessions to follow up are hundreds of dollars.

The clinic manager previously told CBCthe costs to staff the clinic and pay the non-hospital designation fee are steep. Apsychiatrist, an anesthesiologist and a registered nurse are all required for the treatment.

There used to be a more affordable optionat the Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert, whichhad been providing ketamine treatments free of charge since 2012. However, it stopped accepting new patients after the head of that program, Dr. Mohammad Hussain, died in October 2019.

The SaskatchewanHealth Authority has offered ketamine assisted therapy at the DubCentre since late 2019.The treatment is not available in any other SHA facility.

Paquette's family is trying to raise money for private treatment.She's fearful as she waits, worrying that the mental illness willprevent her from pursuing her post-secondary dreams.

Katamine treatment is not covered by the provincial health-care system and isnot under consideration for coverage at this time.

Paquette thinks it should be covered.

"It will save a lot of lives," she said.

Clinical counsellor advocates for coverage

Paquette isnot alone.

Wendy Kritzer said the treatment can save lives by preventing suicides inpeople living with depression that doesn't respond to anything else.She's alsocalling on the government to provide coverage.

"We're losing people," Kritzersaid. "We need to help the people with these extraordinary medication costs and for the people that can't afford it. If it's going to save their life, then we need to do it."

Kritzer isa registered clinical social worker who offers counselling. Shealsosaw what thegoodthe drug can do, having had a family member undergo the treatment.

She understands why the costs at the private clinic are so high. That doesn't stop her worry for people who are low-income or don't have families that can help raise money to access private treatment.

Kritzer said ketamine treatment for admitted patients at the Dub Centre costs about $100 for a handful of treatments, which is much more attainable. However, admission to the centre is complex and meant for patients in crisis.

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Kritzer said ketamine treatments beingmore accessiblewould relieve pressure on Saskatoon's mental health services.

The people who need it have depression that's proven unresponsive to other treatments.Theypatients go through a never-ending list of referrals, appointments and medications in search of something that works, andoften cycle through the emergency room in crisis.

Kritzer has seen people pulled out ofunthinkable darkness by the treatment. She said it's theonly hope for some patients.

Dallas Billette feels that way.She was surprised the treatment worked for her because nothing elseever has. Like Paquette, she had four rounds of ketamine treatment after being admitted to the Dub Centre.

"It was fantastic," she said. "It worked for me."

The therapy quieted her feelings of hopelessness, severe anxiety and low mood.She said it lifted the paralysis she felt and lessened her need forisolation. The sense of contentment and of calm brought about by the treatment seemed priceless to her.

She hasn't been able to feel that again. Just like Paquette, she can't afford it.

"I don't have the money for that. It's not covered. I'm full treaty and it's not covered by any of that."

She said saving up the thousands of dollars feels impossible.