Hur Länge Finns Ketamin Kvar I Kroppen?

Ketamine is a powerful hallucinogenic drug. Some common designations are ”keta”, ”K”, ”spesh” and ”K special”. Ketamine can be snorted as a powder or swallowed as tablets, but can also be injected in liquid form. This drug was originally a drug intended for pain relief in humans and animals in general medical and veterinary care. Ketamine thus also has a strong pain-relieving effect.

In this blog, we go through how long ketamine can be detected in saliva, blood, urine and hair after ingestion and which factors can affect this. We will also look at how long the effects of ketamine can last and how ketamine withdrawal feels.

How long does ketamine stay in the body?

Ketamine has a half-life of approximately 2.5 to 3 hours in adults. After this time, the drug has reached its maximum effect and you can start to feel a release. Some people may then take more of the drug to avoid the unpleasant withdrawal and maintain their euphoric state.  

2.5 to 3 hours may seem like a short time, but drug tests can show traces of ketamine in the body for much longer than that.

Ketamine can be detected in the body using a number of different tests:

• Saliva – ketamine can be detected in saliva for up to 24 hours after ingestion.
• Blood – ketamine can be detected in the blood for up to three days after ingestion, but the test is most effective in the first 24 hours.
• Urine – ketamine can be detected in urine for up to 14 days after the last intake. However, some studies suggest that ketamine can be detected in the urine for as long as 30 days after using the drug.
• Hair – traces of ketamine can remain in the hair and hair follicles for up to four months after a single use.

What factors affect how long ketamine remains in the body?

There are many different factors that can affect how long ketamine stays in the body.

Age and general health

Young, healthy people can usually get rid of ketamine from the body faster than older people due to their faster metabolism.

Level of hydration

Most of the ketamine is excreted in the urine. If you drink a lot so that you urinate more often, the ketamine will leave the body a little faster. 

Metabolism

In people with fast metabolisms, substances like ketamine will be broken down and eliminated more quickly than in those with slower metabolisms.

Kidney and liver function

It is the kidneys and liver that are responsible for removing the ketamine from the system. If the kidneys or liver are functioning worse than normal for some reason, it may take longer to get rid of the ketamine.

Body weight

If you have a high body weight, this may mean that you break down the ketamine faster than a person with a lower body weight. This is because the amount of ketamine you have taken is a smaller percentage of your total body weight. A person who weighs more can therefore get rid of the same amount of ketamine faster.

Ketamindos

The higher the dose of ketamine you have taken, the more your body has to work to get rid of it and the longer it will take.

How often you use ketamine

If you regularly use ketamine, this may eventually mean that you take another dose before the last one has completely left your system. This can lead to an accumulation in the body and that it takes longer to eliminate the drug completely.

If you mix ketamine with other drugs

If you take ketamine with other drugs, it means that the body has to break down all of these substances at the same time, which can make the process take longer.

How long do the effects of ketamine last?

If you sniff ketamine, the effects usually come after about 10-15 minutes. If it is taken as a tablet, it takes a little longer for the effects to show – around 20 minutes. If ketamine is injected directly into the bloodstream, the effects can be felt almost immediately.

The effects of ketamine can last between 30 minutes and an hour, depending on how much you’ve taken – higher doses make the effects last longer.

Some effects are:

• euphoria, relaxation and enjoyment
• a feeling of being separated from the body and surroundings
• hallucinations
• altered perception of space and time
• pain relief.

Ketamine abstinent

If you have been taking ketamine regularly for a while, your body has become accustomed to the drug. If you stop taking ketamine of your own volition or are unable to get hold of it, you will likely experience a range of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Some psychological symptoms are severe depression and anxiety, aggressiveness, irritability, paranoia, psychosis, panic attacks, insomnia and suicidal thoughts.

Physical symptoms of ketamine withdrawal can include stomach cramps, vision and hearing problems, bladder pain, sweating, increased heart rate, and intense cravings for ketamine.

Treatment for ketamine addiction

If you are concerned about your ketamine use and think you may be addicted to ketamine, it is important that you seek professional help.