Ketamine

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist and an AMPA receptor stimulator. Ketamine has been widely used as an anesthetic for minor procedures since the 1960s.  The dose used to treat depression is about one quarter (1/4) of anesthetic dose. Ketamine is very short-acting.

Is Ketamine FDA Approved for Depression, Anxiety or PTSD?

At this time, ketamine is an FDA approved drug for anesthesia and sedation, however, is not approved as a treatment for off label use. Therefore, at this time, majority of ketamine administrations as a treatment for depression, anxiety or PTSD has not been approved by the FDA. However, the FDA has recently approved intranasal ketamine brand name Spravato, the generic name is Eskatamine. This option is not yet a service provided by this physician.

How does Ketamine therapy work?

This office provides intramuscular injections of ketamine. In most patients, Ketamine therapy requires a series of six treatments delivered typically every other day for two weeks and maintenance treatments. Approximately 70% of patients experience a significant reduction in symptoms – many during their first treatment. Now, Ketamine is widely used by psychiatrists and anesthesiologists to heal mood disorders, eliminate suicidal ideations, and alleviate chronic pain

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Each session will typically take about 1-2 hours. Doctor will continuously monitor vitals throughout session while patient will be able to relax and engage in self-care.

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When indicated, ketamine-assisted therapy will be implemented as a supplemental benefit.

Cost

Insurances will not typically cover for these services. Please call the office to inquire about costs. Six treatments is initially recommended with maintenance treatments thereafter. Frequency of maintenance treatments is entirely individually based but can range from monthly to annually.

An initial consultation to see if ketamine is right for you would be about an hour with the physician, please inquire for cost.

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When paid in advance, our office offers a package of 6 ketamine therapy sessions at a discounted price.