Intravenous Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Racemic ketamine, which is administered intravenously, goes directly to the patient’s bloodstream. The treatment is a mix of two mirror-image molecules, which are called “R” and “S” ketamine. The FDA approved its use decades ago for use as an anesthetic. It is also being used off-label for patients with Treatment Resistant Depression. IV ketamine infusion therapy is not a first-line treatment for depression. Rather, it’s administered when antidepressant medications fail. Administered through an IV infusion in the arm, ketamine takes effect right away, and the effects can last from days to weeks. Patients typically receive a series of six infusions over two to three weeks as part of an “induction” phase. After that, the maintenance period begins, and patients return as needed or as directed by the doctor.
Benefits of IV Ketamine Infusion Therapy
IV ketamine infusion therapy offers those who suffer from treatment-resistant depression and other mood disorders hope for successful treatment and a more satisfying, healthy life. As researchers continue to study ketamine IV infusion as an alternate treatment for depression, they are finding that it improves the patient’s condition almost immediately. Such rapid results are needed to bring the patient out of crisis. Antidepressant regimens often prolong periods of severe depression as mental health professionals try different medications and doses in an effort to find the correct mix. Ketamine infusion can put an end to that and bring more immediate relief of depression symptoms. More research is underway to document ketamine’s long-term effects on the brain, and to continue to refine treatment protocols.
Intravenous Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Racemic ketamine, which is administered intravenously, goes directly to the patient’s bloodstream. The treatment is a mix of two mirror-image molecules, which are called “R” and “S” ketamine. The FDA approved its use decades ago for use as an anesthetic. It is also being used off-label for patients with Treatment Resistant Depression. IV ketamine infusion therapy is not a first-line treatment for depression. Rather, it’s administered when antidepressant medications fail. Administered through an IV infusion in the arm, ketamine takes effect right away, and the effects can last from days to weeks. Patients typically receive a series of six infusions over two to three weeks as part of an “induction” phase. After that, the maintenance period begins, and patients return as needed or as directed by the doctor.
Benefits of IV Ketamine Infusion Therapy
IV ketamine infusion therapy offers those who suffer from treatment-resistant depression and other mood disorders hope for successful treatment and a more satisfying, healthy life. As researchers continue to study ketamine IV infusion as an alternate treatment for depression, they are finding that it improves the patient’s condition almost immediately. Such rapid results are needed to bring the patient out of crisis. Antidepressant regimens often prolong periods of severe depression as mental health professionals try different medications and doses in an effort to find the correct mix. Ketamine infusion can put an end to that and bring more immediate relief of depression symptoms. More research is underway to document ketamine’s long-term effects on the brain, and to continue to refine treatment protocols.
Possible Side Effects
All drugs come with their share of side effects, from modest to severe. When seeking treatment for severe depression, especially when the patient is also experiencing suicidal thoughts, the potential benefits may outweigh the risks. Nonetheless, patients are counseled as to the possible side effects of ketamine IV infusion therapy, which include the following:
- A dream-like feeling and/or drowsiness. Some patients describe this as a twilight sleep, where they experience drowsiness but are awake throughout the treatment.
- Double vision or blurred vision
- Dizziness
- Jerky muscle movements
- Vomiting or nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Sleep disturbances or insomnia
- High blood pressure
- Perceptual disturbances include the sensation that time is speeding up or slowing down. Another example is the experience of textures, colors, and noises become overly stimulating.
- Dissociation sometimes referred to as “out-of-body experiences,” it may make patients feel as though they are looking down at their own bodies. Overall, any dissociative changes are tolerable and short-lived.
- Patients often describe a feeling of clarity as the weight of depression lifts within a few hours following a treatment session. They experience improved functional capacity on a cognitive level as well as physical level.
The above side effects have been documented as transient and mild. They are temporary and taper off. Very rarely will a patient elect to end treatment due to any of these side effects.
Side effects are similar with both IV Ketamine and intranasal Ketamine (Spravato). The only difference is that the intensity of those effects is different, along with their timing due to the method of delivery (nasal spray vs. intravenous).
Non-Addictive
Because of ketamine’s history as a party drug, people are wary of it, fearing that it’s addictive. Studies have shown that this is not the case when taken in lower doses, as it is for the treatment of depression. For example, the dose required to treat depression is far lower than the dose used for anesthesia. Further, the drug is administered in a clinic or hospital by a physician, so the potential for substance abuse is nonexistent. That being said, ketamine does have addictive properties similar to opioids. Therefore, patients should factor this in when weighing the risks against the benefits.
Costs of Ketamine IV Infusion
Despite the positive outcomes experienced by patients, ketamine is not typically covered by health insurance because the IV form is not FDA-approved for depression. While some insurance companies are investigating it, many more have yet to consider it. Those who benefit from the therapy hope to see that change in the near future. At Lake Mary Behavioral and Infusion Center, each Ketamine Infusion has an out of pocket cost of $450.