How frequently you will receive a ketamine infusion treatment is determined by your doctor and the type of ailment you are using the treatment to address. However, most leading ketamine treatment facilities like; Complete Ketamine Solutions of Hollywood, typically follow two standard treatment durations.
- Six series of infusions administered over several weeks, followed by maintenance infusions every three to five weeks.
- One-hour low-dose infusion. These Low-dose infusions start around 0.5 mg/kg/hr and may be adjusted according to patient response.
Ketamine Infusion Therapy
When administered intravenously in a consistent, slow, and controlled manner, ketamine offers high therapeutic effects on the part of the brain which regulates behavior and mood. Even though the ketamine mechanism is still undergoing study, research has revealed it appears to cause quick changes within the brain circuit function and make depressive symptoms reduce within hours.
Ketamine also promotes a quick increase in glutamate, a key neurotransmitter known for reestablishing new important neural connections and building new pathways within the brain that can help in restoring normal activity within the areas of the brain that suffer depression effects.
Ketamine can also offer sustained and quick symptom relief for patients with chronic pain, persistent anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Ketamine Infusion Protocol
Ketamine doesn’t require building up in the system before one can feel the effects. In most cases, patients feel relief after one infusion. Still, ketamine doesn’t cure depression with just one single treatment session. It’s a controlled therapy that aspires to restore optimal brain function so patients can experience lasting symptom remission.
Patients with TRD and other types of mood disorders require six series of infusions between two to three weeks. It means getting an infusion daily or every two days till the sixth is complete.
Even though a lot of people feel better after an hour of their initial ketamine infusion, some don’t feel much better till they’ve gotten three infusions. Some also don’t feel meaningful symptom relief till they’ve finished the six sessions.
Ketamine Infusion Boosters
Once you finish your first ketamine treatment, you’re supposed to experience total or near-total symptom remission, which means you won’t feel the impact of depression on your mood and behavior. Then, the next step is based on the duration of time in which you can stay in remission. Typically, patients enjoy close to three months of full relief before their symptoms begin to return gradually. Fortunately, a booster infusion can offer them relief from these symptoms.
Benefits of Using Ketamine Infusion To Treat Depression
High Success Rate
Most times, patients with MDD (major depressive disorder) usually get TRD (treatment-resistant depression). These patients don’t improve with normal antidepressants, so ketamine infusion therapy is the best treatment for them. The report has shown that over half of TRD patients get relief after taking one infusion therapy, while others may need two or more infusions.
Quick-acting Relief
Severe depression can become life-threatening, so patients experiencing it need a fast-acting treatment. For traditional antidepressants, patients could have to wait for weeks or months before they start seeing any meaningful results. However, they don’t have to wait for so long if they choose ketamine infusion therapy. This treatment works by boosting the glutamate levels, so it typically takes a few minutes to produce a satisfying result.
Non-Addictive & Low Side Effects
Since the infusion of ketamine requires a low dose, it prevents addiction. After receiving a ketamine infusion, you’ll also be observed by licensed healthcare providers. This is to know if the treatment will result in side effects. Doctors often require that patients give full details of their addiction history before their ketamine treatment begins.
Psychological Healing
Ketamine assists in improving the brain’s synaptic connections by activating the mammalian target in the rapamycin pathway. As a result, it also aids the healing of the damaged synapses. It primarily occurs in the brain session associated with memory, learning, and emotional regulation. This also aids antidepressant effects and prepares the patient for a psychological healing process. It can also help patients develop resilience which can prevent their depression from returning.
Pain Signal Blockage
Aside from being used for mood conditions, ketamine can treat chronic pain and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. These conditions arise when the number of pain signals sent to the brain is amplified. In this case, ketamine therapy blocks excessive pain signals to help the body reboot.
Ketamine is an effective treatment for mental health-related issues that should be used with professional supervision.
