Depression is a severe ailment that affects millions of people worldwide. It can be challenging to get rid of, and many people are left feeling hopeless about their situation. However, there are treatments available for those who suffer from depression! One type of treatment is Ketamine Infusion Therapy. This post will introduce what ketamine infusion therapy practices are and how they may help with your depression. This article will go over the three most important things patients need to know before starting ketamine treatment.
Molly Shea, 29, a veterinary technician, first learned about ketamine from a co-worker. Molly had been struggling with depression since seventh grade when she was relentlessly bullied at school. She had been counseled by numerous therapists and psychiatrists, tried a variety of traditional antidepressants, and been in and out of in-patient and intensive treatment facilities over the years. Molly had developed panic attacks and gone through periods of suicidal thoughts and self-harming. “I was at the point of considering ECT (electroconvulsive therapy— a form of neurostimulation involving electrical impulses) because nothing was helping me and we were running out of options.” When she asked her psychiatrist about ketamine, he put her in touch with Dr. Levine who started Molly’s treatments in August. “I am feeling the best I have felt since all my depression began. I’m coping with life much better than I was,” Shea says.
When starting ketamine infusion therapy, it's important to discuss the treatment with your doctor. This is because you may not be aware of certain risks associated with this type of treatment yet. The first thing patients should know about Ketamine Infusion Therapy is that there are some potential side effects they need to be prepared for.
For example, some patients experience nausea during their infusion. This is because the drug works by blocking receptors in your brain called NMDA receptors that are linked to memory and learning functions. As a result, it may cause temporary feelings of difficulty speaking or thinking as well as problems with coordination. Another side effect you might encounter when starting ketamine infusions is a headache. This is often caused by a sudden drop in your blood pressure when the drug starts working. You may also feel dizzy or have blurred vision for a few hours after treatment has ended, which can be scary.
The second thing patients need to be aware of when considering ketamine infusion therapy is how long treatments usually last. The typical ketamine infusion therapy session lasts forty-five minutes to an hour. During this time, medical professionals will monitor you, and many people find that the experience is quite pleasant with little discomfort involved! Once treatment has ended, most patients feel ultimately better within 24 hours of their procedure which can help restore motivation for daily activities. One study found that 66% of patients with treatmentresistant depression who received ketamine infusions at the beginning of the trial experienced remission within seven days compared to only 14% in a control group receiving traditional antidepressant medications! This is because ketamine works by blocking NMDA receptors which are linked to depression symptoms.
The final thing people need to consider before starting ketamine infusion therapy is how it can be an effective treatment for depression. Ketamine as a drug to treat mood disorders has been around since the 1970s, but scientists have only recently begun studying its effectiveness in more depth. One study found that 66% of patients with treatment-resistant depression who received ketamine infusions at the beginning of the trial experienced remission within seven days compared to only 14% in a control group receiving traditional antidepressant medications! Another study found that ketamine infusions were successful in treating bipolar disorder.
As you can see, there are several side effects that patients should keep track of while they start ketamine infusions. If you feel that any side effects are too severe to handle, let your doctor know right away. It's important to discuss the treatment with us before starting ketamine infusions so we can provide you with more information about it.