Depression Breakthrough: Explore the Ketamine Infusion Experience
Like other people considering Ketamine Infusion Therapy for relentless depression, you may wonder what to expect before, during, and after treatment. This safe, non-invasive, alternative depression remedy includes three distinct phases: the intake process, your appointment, and aftercare.
The November 3, 2015, episode of “The Doctors” TV show on treatment-resistant depression (TRD) featured Board-Certified Anesthesiologist Dr. Steven Mandel, founding president of Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles, and one of his patients. Watch Julie, a long-term sufferer, undergo infusion and share her outcome. The following information will help you prepare for your first session.
The Ketamine Therapy Intake Process
Once you contact our patient care staff, we begin the intake process. Using clinical ketamine therapy to treat depression or pain should be a highly controlled process, and it’s not as simple as just booking an appointment.
After the initial conversation, if you and the patient care staff feel Ketamine Infusion Therapy is a suitable treatment option for you, we will send you paperwork that will clear you for treatment. There are a few things you can prepare ahead of time to move through the process more quickly, including providing a documented diagnosis and your treatment history.
Once our Medical Release paperwork has been filled out and signed, a member of our medical team will contact you. This final step allows you to get to know your care team here at Los Angeles Ketamine Clinic, go over any last questions you may have, and allow our medical team to curate a treatment plan specific to your health requirements.
After the medical consultation, we book your series of appointments and send you a Welcome Guide with more information to prepare you for your first appointment.
Your First Ketamine Therapy Appointment
If your anxiety is high, engaging in pre-appointment relaxation practices may be beneficial. Your doctor will review your medical records before your consultation.
Following a physical exam and condition assessment, he’ll determine your treatment protocol. That involves selecting your IV ketamine therapy dose, rate, and length. Your age, sex, weight, current medications, and tolerance to medications can dictate your initial dose, but your response may guide adjustments for future sessions. Typical durations run 50-55 minutes.
The IV Therapy for Depression will take place in a private, comfortable room where you will be continuously monitored by the physician, nurses, and hospital-grade equipment (blood pressure, oxygen saturation, pulse, and electrocardiogram) for the course of the treatment.
At Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles, Dr. Mandel personally starts your IV and administers an individually tailored dose of ketamine at a specified rate. The doctor controls the rate and observes your response carefully throughout your infusion. If he recognizes signs that your rate of infusion is too fast or slow, he’ll adjust it to optimize your chances of relief.
Ketamine Therapy After Care
Progress may be subtle, gradual, or intermittent over several days. Your depression symptoms could subside after repeat sessions. The Ketamine Advocacy Network noted outcomes among extreme TRD patients who could not function normally on standard medications and therapies. Some enjoyed quick reprieves in mere hours. Others felt better after a few days. Second, third, or fourth infusions brought total to partial relief. For severe and suicidal cases struggling to endure brutal agony, any improvement was life-changing.
Here at KCLA, we monitor our patients' depression levels before, during, and after ketamine treatment for anxiety and depression. For some patients, receiving five to six infusions over the course of two to three weeks is enough to achieve long-term relief. On average, patients typically enjoy around three to four months of relief before needing a pair of booster infusions. Depression symptoms are unique to the sufferer, so it comes as no surprise that your response to treatment will be unique to you.
Our commitment to you and your recovery remains long after your last infusion. We know how vital it is that Ketamine Therapy be part of a bigger treatment plan for our patients, which is why we combine our program with an extensive aftercare plan to support your recovery.
For more information, contact us or schedule a call with our Patient Care Team to get the intake process started today!
