PRE-INFUSION: First, you will have a consultation with one of our licensed clinic medical professionals to obtain and review your health history. This is to ensure you don’t have any contraindications to the Ketamine infusion. If you are a good candidate for this type of treatment, they’ll figure out the appropriate dose and you’ll either schedule your first treatment or you can get started after your consultation (based on availability) – and your anesthesia provider will oversee your first infusion and answer any further questions you have about the process.
INFUSION: During the infusion we want you to be comfortable, so we strive to provide you with a very relaxing environment. Feel free to bring anything to make you more comfortable – a blanket, eye mask, relaxing music, etc. You will be connected to devices that monitor your vital signs. This helps the provider track your physical responses to the treatment. Your experienced and trained anesthesia provider will insert a needle into your arm to get your IV started. As the Ketamine starts, you’ll feel a deep sense of relaxation. You should expect to have some feelings of disassociation. Some people describe it as a dream-like state. Your provider will adjust your Ketamine infusion as needed, depending on how your experience is going. Each infusion takes anywhere between 45-60 minutes. Please note: to ensure patient safety, our clinic is fully equipped and our team is fully trained, in the rare event of an emergency. Some people do experience dizziness or nausea as side effects during their treatment, these typically go away shortly after your treatment.
POST-INFUSION: After the infusion is complete, we will continue to monitor your vital signs until you are completely recovered. Ketamine has a very short half-life, so if you experience any side effects, they should be gone within 10 minutes of completing your infusion. Your IV will be removed prior to your discharge home. You will need a driver home after each infusion, and we suggest telling them the process is roughly 1.5 – 2 hours per infusion. Your driver doesn’t need to stay for the duration of your infusion.
Important things to note, if you are wanting to do a Ketamine IV Infusion:
You will need a driver home, unless you would like to take an Uber – that is also an acceptable option.
We suggest eating a light meal 4-6 hours before your appointment and hydrate with clear liquids up to your appointment time.
Bring anything to make you more comfortable and relaxed, people commonly bring their personal eye masks and headphones with a peaceful, instrumental playlist ready to go. We will provide a blanket and a comfortable chair for you to relax in during you treatment.
What about after my series of infusions? Is there Ketamine maintenance?
This is based on the patient and their treatment outcomes with Ketamine. Every patient varies and treatment plans are tailored to your specific needs. Most patients get a “booster” (one single infusion) every 3-4 months, some patients do every 6 months. If you require a more intense regiment, we do offer monthly maintenance – for example with suicide ideation to ensure optimal results. This maintenance plan is up to you, but it will be something you discuss with your provider. We suggest that you don’t go more than six months without a booster; however, if it has been longer than six months, you may require a mini-series.
Frequently Asked Questions
While we covered a lot above, you may still have some questions. We put together some of the most frequently asked questions for you on all of our services. And if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, head on over to our contact page and send us an email. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.