IV Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Recent medical breakthrough's in Ketamine may be the answer
QH&W Ketamine Infusion Clinic
About Ketamine
Ketamine Treatments can improve solutions and bring relief to those who suffer from treatment-resistant mood disorders, depression, anxiety, PTSD, to chronic pain.
Below is a list of many of the common conditions we treat, though it is possible you may still be eligible if your condition is not on this list.
If you feel you may benefit from Ketamine infusion therapy, please give us a call and schedule a virtual or in-person phone consultation to assist you in beginning the process and answering your questions.
KETAMINE BRINGS RELIEF
While ketamine is not a new medication, for many people its usage for relief from mood disorders (depression, anxiety, PTSD) and chronic pain may seem experimental. For over fifty years, ketamine has been used as a safe and effective anesthetic in both medical and veterinary settings. It was approved by the FDA in 1970 for use in children, adults, and the elderly and has been used safely throughout the world since. It was used extensively in the Vietnam War and gained the nickname “buddy drug” due to the fact it was so safe that a soldier with little to no medical training could administer it to a wounded comrade.
Astounding new research has demonstrated the therapeutic effect of ketamine on mood disorders and pain syndromes, an area where traditional therapies and medications are lacking innovative breakthroughs. More compelling is how rapidly it works and how sustainably it prevents those symptoms from returning.
This easy-to-follow guide is meant to enhance the knowledge and understanding of ketamine’s medicinal repurposing for the benefit of those suffering from debilitating and chronic conditions. At QH&W we are breaking down the stuffy medical jargon, providing transparency, and giving you useful information about this powerful pharmaceutical agent.
KETAMINE PATIENT'S GUIDE
HOW IT WORKS
There are two main theories on why ketamine is so effective. The first one is brain chemistry-based. In the case of mood disorders, ketamine works by blocking a specific type of brain cell receptor that is turned on by a chemical called glutamate. This affects the levels of several other chemicals and proteins in the brain, thereby creating true healthier balance and allowing the regeneration of damaged, dysfunctional cells within the brain’s mood and emotion centers. The second theory is that by inducing a dissociative or dream-like state, ketamine enables the mind to transform the perception of traumatic experiences and negative thoughts. Patients report a state in which internal negative dialogue is disrupted. The worn ‘track’ in the brain is replaced, and continuous loops of negative thoughts are halted, creating a healthier mindset.
“What happens in depression is there’s a shriveling of these branches and these leaves and It looks like a tree in winter. And a drug like ketamine does make the tree look like one back in spring.”
— Dr. Carlos Zarate, MD - Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at NIMH
THERAPEUTIC INDICATIONS
The full list of conditions that benefit from ketamine infusion is still evolving. Yet, research demonstrates that patients with the following conditions experience positive therapeutic outcomes: depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), chronic pain syndromes (post-herpetic neuralgia, phantom limb pain, neuropathy), complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS or RSD), fibromyalgia, chronic migraines, pain from Lyme disease and cancer treatment-related pain.
THE KETAMINE EXPERIENCE
THE KETAMINE EXPERIENCE
The mind-altering effects begin about ten minutes into the infusion. Patients describe the ketamine experience as relaxing and pleasant. There is often perceptual distortion, or the alteration of how one perceives size, shape, and distance. Many patients have a mystical, religious, or spiritual experience; some have a type of ‘out of body’ experience. We are using what is called ‘sub-anesthetic’ doses, so you are never unconscious. However, moving, thinking, and speaking may be altered during and shortly after the infusion, so we don’t recommend driving or making any important decisions until the following day after some restful sleep.
TREATMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SIDE EFFECTS
While generally mild and self-limiting, some side effects are to be expected. Most commonly, you may experience nausea, dizziness, perceptual distortions or hallucinations, vomiting, anxiety, or elevation in your blood pressure or heart rate.
We have medication available to treat any of these side effects, in the event you experience them.
Ketamine is rapidly metabolized by the liver and excreted in the urine, so it is out of your system within hours.
Based on individuals that have abused ketamine as a party drug (at a dosage and frequency excessively higher than medically recommended) there may be issues with the bladder and cognitive function.
However, long-term side effects of ketamine in the clinical setting have not been established. There have not been any studies performed to evaluate this specifically, but there are providers in the community who have performed thousands of infusions over many years and have not had clients report these effects.
ADDICTION & ABUSE
Given the opioid addiction crisis in America, any substance with the potential for abuse and addiction should be examined with some level of concern.
It has been reported that recreational ketamine usage can be habit-forming and harmful, but this is usually at doses that are 10 times or higher than the medically recommended dose. In the medical setting, however, this is pretty much unheard of.
By administering ketamine in a supervised setting, we are using precise doses that are tailored to effect and given as a slow infusion over a period of time. Treatments are periodic, spaced apart, and only used when they are truly needed.
Apart from all these measures, it has been shown that ketamine is less addictive than alcohol, tobacco, or even caffeine.
Ketamine Insurance Coverage & Cost
More people are realizing and embracing ketamine than ever before. Ketamine infusions have been known to significantly improve a range of mental disorders, from chronic pain to depression. But unfortunately, it’s still awaiting FDA approval in the treatment of these disorders.
That means that most insurance plans won’t cover the treatment. So if you’re wondering about ketamine treatment costs, whether you can afford them, and if they’re worth it, here’s what you need to know.
The cost of ketamine infusions ranges from about $400 to $2000 for each session depending on the location, the clinic, and what it’s treating.
Ketamine For Depression
The good news for those looking for a treatment alternative to medication or therapy, ketamine infusions for depression is some of the lowest in price. That’s because ketamine infusions are quicker and don’t have to be as highly concentrated.
Ketamine infusions for depression usually cost between $400-$800 per treatment on average.
Most clinics do a series of 6 treatments over 2-3 weeks or 4 treatments over 1-2 weeks. Depending on the clinic, they may require full payment upfront for a full set of infusions.
Ketamine For Pain
Ketamine treatments for pain management are a little more expensive. That’s due to the fact that more of the drug is used per infusion and these infusions last longer. Some doctors do a single infusion, while others prefer a series of infusions.
Ketamine infusions for pain cost between $700-$2000 per treatment on average.
Treating Other Conditions
Ketamine infusions are can also be helpful in treating other mental health conditions such as OCD and PTSD. The infusion length and dosing strategies will differ for each condition and individual. The prices are on par with ketamine depression treatments though.
Ketamine infusions for other mental health conditions cost around $400-$800 per treatment on average.