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IV & IM KETAMINE
Since an IV infusion can be slowed down or halted, we've seen that some patients prefer the assurance that comes with knowing that the IV method has undergone more research or provides better control over the quantity or rate of ketamine supplied. Some people would rather have a quick injection than a lengthy infusion. We provide the patient the choice of route of delivery since, in our experience, patients who receive IV and IM care typically respond similarly.
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The intravenous (IV) mode of administration has been the focus of the majority of research on ketamine for mental health disorders. Therefore, if we are to practice evidence-based medicine, we would advise that the majority of patients receive ketamine via IV infusion, as this is how it was studied. However, some psychiatrists created a technique for injecting ketamine intramuscularly (IM), claiming its ease of use and lack of the responsibility of maintaining IV access, which some people find bothersome or distracting. Additionally, they point out that the bioavailability of IV and IM are relatively comparable, with 99 and 95 percent of the drug injected, respectively, actually entering the bloodstream. No one can say for sure whether IV is preferable to IM because these two techniques haven't been compared head-to-head.
THE KETAMINE THERAPY EXPERIENCE AT THE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER
We take great satisfaction in offering the best psychiatric care possible for a range of conditions, including addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression and anxiety. We are a group of psychiatrists with subspecialty fellowship training, unlike the majority of other clinics that provide ketamine therapy. This implies that in addition to general adult psychiatry, we are also trained in subspecialties such geriatric psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, child & adolescent psychiatry, and mood disorders. Our psychotherapists are available to assist our patients in making the most of the non-ordinary state of consciousness (NOSC) that ketamine therapy induces. They have received training in ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) as well as many other modalities.
Your first visit will always start with a thorough telemedicine psychiatric evaluation. During the examination, we will go over a number of treatment choices, such as psychotherapy, conventional antidepressants or other oral drugs, or ketamine therapy. Along with reviewing your medical and mental health history, we'll make a diagnosis and create a plan of action. Ketamine treatment may not be appropriate for you if you recently experienced a heart attack, stroke, psychosis (hallucinations, delusions), or bladder irritation (cystitis), or you may need a doctor's approval.
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We will set up the ketamine therapy sessions, which can take up to two hours in our clinic, if we both decide to move through with it.
Patients typically report their ketamine therapy as good and enjoyable, despite the "non-ordinary mood" they enter during it. Ketamine's effects change depending on the dosage and delivery method. Initial effects could include sensations of calmness, warmth, openness, diminished defensiveness, empathy, and heightened capacity for introspection; this condition is best suitable for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP). Higher doses may cause patients to feel increasingly detached from their bodies, which could even resemble an out-of-body experience or ego disintegration (loss of individual identity), along with intense sensations of love, serenity, and joy. Research is being done to see if dissociative experiences can indicate how well ketamine therapy will work for a patient's depressive symptoms.
For all routes of administration, the bulk of these subjective side effects last 40–60 minutes, but the positive benefits on mood last for a week to many months. We ask patients to commit to at least 2 but preferably 6 administrations of ketamine since the greatest and longest-lasting benefit occurs with 6 treatments over a 2-3 week period. Patients should then plan to come back for periodic booster sessions every few weeks or months to prevent depression from coming back. Driving is not permitted the day after a treatment because ketamine momentarily impairs balance and coordination. Please arrange for a transportation from family, a friend, a taxi, or a ride-sharing service following your treatments.