KETAMINE FOR DEPRESSION FAQS

New Hope Ketamine Texas

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is ketamine?

Ketamine is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines and has been FDA-approved for use in the US since 1970. A growing corpus of studies has revealed that low-dose ketamine is a safe and remarkably effective treatment for severe depression, despite its historical use as a dissociative anesthetic. Ketamine has psychotropic properties that fight depression and acts on the NMDA receptor in neurons to relieve pain. According to research, people with depression, anxiety, and chronic pain may see significant, long-lasting change after receiving several weeks’ worth of repeated ketamine infusions.

How successful is ketamine treatment?

The effectiveness of ketamine infusions ranges from 70 to 75 percent.

Do I need a referral for both in-office and at-home treatment?

No, a referral is not necessary for treatment with New Hope Ketamine. To establish if ketamine therapy is medically acceptable for you, we do need access to some of your medical information. Our seamless integration with your current care team allows us to share treatment plans and monitor your development using tested measures including the PHQ-9.

What different disorders is ketamine therapy used to treat?

Severe depression, bipolar depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), pain syndromes, addiction, and other mental health issues can all be effectively treated with ketamine infusions. At New Hope Ketamine, we concentrate on treating both chronic pain and mental health issues.

What can I expect with my first treatment?

Ketamine is injected intravenously over a 40-minute period very gradually. Your infusion will not have any obvious effects for the first 20 minutes. You might have blurred or double vision at roughly 20 minutes, a sense of “lightness” or “floating,” and occasionally tingling in your toes or the region around your lips. These sensations usually intensify during the last 20 minutes of the infusion; the drug is at its strongest near the end of your treatment. Euphoria, talkativeness, a sense of being in a dream-like condition, heightened senses, and a feeling that people frequently describe as “strange, odd, different, or interesting” are other typical feelings. A less frequent occurrence for people is anxiety, headache, nausea, or sweating. After the therapy, these emotions will pass in 10-15 minutes.

Your infusion’s negative effects usually subside two hours after you first notice them. However, we kindly suggest that you wait 24 hours after your infusion before driving or using any heavy equipment. Please bring a friend or family member who can transport you home following your visit if you are receiving your treatment in-office.

How should I prepare for my treatment?

Please refrain from eating solid foods, drinking orange or pulp-filled juices, or consuming opaque soups or broths for five hours before your ketamine infusion. Up to two hours before to your infusion, clear drinks (such as water, clear broths, apple or white grape juice, some teas, etc.) are OK. Do not consume any alcohol or illicit substances. The combination of these drugs and ketamine infusions is very risky. Please get in touch with us or your mental health professional if you think you may be abusing drugs or alcohol.

How long do therapeutic benefits of ketamine generally last?

Typically, a single injection lasts between two and fourteen days. One booster infusion given as the effects start to wear off will frequently restore your brain’s response. A series of six infusions can last anywhere from weeks to months. The effects of your ketamine infusion may persist significantly longer if you have not experienced long-term, chronic depression.

Are there ways to maximize the effects of treatment?

You may experience the best advantages of ketamine infusion therapy by eating healthily, exercising, participating in talk therapy, and seeking social support. All of that is easier said than done, and depressive symptoms frequently hinder people from acting on these recommendations. You might be able to carry out these crucial tasks because to your ketamine infusions. The brain’s communication pathways are altered by ketamine, which makes it easier for you to learn and form new connections. The best outcomes are frequently seen in those of our patients who take advantage of this special window of opportunity and seek healthy eating patterns, exercise routines, and social behaviors.

Is ketamine an addictive substance?

Although tolerance to its effects may develop with repeated exposure, the therapeutic dose of ketamine utilized by New Hope Ketamine does not meet the requirements for being physically addictive. It might have the potential to develop a psychological addiction if misused.

Can I discontinue other medications and treatment, including talk therapy, once I start ketamine infusions?

The answer is no, you shouldn’t stop taking any recommended antidepressants or other treatments, such as talk therapy. It is recommended to utilize ketamine infusion therapy as an extra intervention that you can and should review frequently with your prescriber.

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