Step three: You’ll be informed of all of the benefits, risks, and possible side effects which may occur during or as a result of the treatment, and have an opportunity to ask your doctor any questions before you begin.

Step four: The medicine will be administered slowly through a constant intravenous (IV) drip, over the course of 40-minutes. Most people will leave treatment without side effects and do not experience side effects between treatments. Many patients listen to music and wear sunglasses during treatment. It can be difficult to carry on a conversation during an infusion session, so we encourage most people to simply relax. Most of our patients report feeling tired or tingly during treatment.

Step five: You’ll be kept for a short period after your infusion for observation. Once you’re cleared to leave by one of our physicians, you’ll be allowed to leave our offices. While sensations from the infusion generally wear off quickly, we ask that you have someone else drive you home following your session.

 

Why Ketamine Infusions Work

When ketamine is delivered by a slow infusion, at a low dose, it interacts with receptors and neurotransmitters in the brain to cause anti-depressant effects.  Often seen immediately, this treatment even works for patients with treatment resistant depression.Ketamine is very different from a traditional antidepressant medication. While most antidepressants work on the neurotransmitters serotonin or norepinephrine, Ketamine focuses on a different neurotransmitter called glutamate. Ketamine blocks the receptors critical for receiving glutamate’s signals, which improves the brain’s electrical flow, resulting in reduced depression. See featured studies and research for more information on the science of what makes this treatment so effective.