Ketamine is the latest, most advanced antidepressant on the market. An infusion session is done intravenously, and it only takes about 5 minutes to get from start to finish. The infusion can be customized based on your issues, symptoms, and history of depression. That’s why ketamine infusion therapy is a highly personalized form of treatment.
What Is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a medication that has been used for years as an anesthetic for surgery patients. It is a dissociative anesthetic, which can induce a trance-like state while providing pain relief, sedation, and memory loss.
Research shows that low doses of ketamine may also improve depression symptoms within hours, even in patients who have failed to find relief from traditional antidepressant medications. Ketamine clinics are now springing up across the country to help these people.
Types of ketamine therapy
The FDA has only approved ketamine for anesthetic purposes, but doctors are studying its use as an antidepressant.
Ketamine infusion therapy is generally safe, and risks are low. However, some side effects of ketamine include:
- Vivid dreams or nightmares
- Low blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
- Nausea and vomiting (especially during the first treatment)
Costs of Ketamine Infusion Therapy
We know what you’re thinking. Ketamine is expensive, and costs can be up to $500 per 40-minute infusion. There’s no denying that this is a barrier for some people seeking treatment, but in some cases, insurance will cover ketamine infusion therapy for depression.
