Lasting Change Happens Over time
Humans are infinitely varied and their responses to Ketamine can be equally broad. From sitting passively to intermittently crying even outright sobbing, which can be physiologically and mentally stressful.
We think everyone should have the personal space to process this experience and so we are a single chair clinic. You, the provider and, if you wish, a support person of your choosing.
There are standardized ketamine dosing protocols for non-anesthesia providers to follow. Infusion dosing needs can vary day to day as well as person to person. Other medications that you are taking can also influence what dose your brain and body needs. As a Nurse Anesthesiologist directed practice, I am not constrained by basic dosing regimens and can tailor each infusion to your needs safely.
If you have been turned away due to an underlying health condition or have tried Ketamine previously without success, please reach out to us. Having an Anesthesia provider at the bedside allows us to safely expand what is possible for underlying health conditions as well as dosing regimens.
Thank you for visiting. Please feel free to look around and if you have questions, we are happy to chat with you about them. You can self schedule a consult below, call or email… whatever works best for you. Our goal is to offer individualized, safe, effective Ketamine therapy. We want to be a stepping stone for humans to start living again.
What are some of the conditions alleviated with ketamine infusion?
I want to do this.... What's next??
You schedule an appointment with the office (the red button up top)... or you can call and chat with the office on the phone. Usually you are scheduled to have a short chat with the Provider to answer any clinical questions and if you are still interested the paperwork begins.
This is healthcare… so there are forms to fill out. A release of information form for you to sign and return, your primary care and/or mental health provider will need to return the Diagnosis and Assessment form as well as information from your last visit or two. We manage the paperwork... but it can be very helpful if your providers office is aware that the requests are coming. As soon as all the information is received and all the intake forms are complete, we will call to schedule your appointments. A handout with pre and post infusion information will be forwarded and you will need to get signed up with the Osmind app which you will use throughout your induction and going forward as needed.
The first appointment is usually 90 minutes, as there are in person education pieces that need to be reviewed.
When you arrive, we will get you situated in the recliner, get a set of vital signs and start an IV. This is usually the most worrying part. I have been doing anesthesia for a very long time and am an IV expert. I also have an ultrasound in my office for those people who are a challenging IV start.
Then we start the infusion. There are a variety of physical and mental responses to Ketamine. Everyone is unique. Reactions can run the gamut from quietly sitting and experiencing a rosy glow to sobbing to feeling completely disconnected. Physically your blood pressure can rise, you can get dizzy and or nauseated. All of these responses are completely normal. As an Anesthesia provider, I can manage any issue that may arise and am comfortable treating people with complex health histories. You can bring headphones to listen to music or guided meditations, or just kick your feet back and observe where your mind goes.
Once the infusion is complete, the IV is removed. We wait a little, until you feel steady and stable and then your infusion ride will take you home.
Everyone needs a ride home with a “responsible” adult. There is no driving, no shopping online, no day trading…. This is a day for brain recovery.
Think of your depressive, obsessive, chronic thought processes as brain cement and Ketamine is the jackhammer. Your brain needs rest to clean up the rubble, so that you can get to the next level of cement. This is why we recommend the series. Initially, you may feel worse after treatment as this is hard, hard work. Your mind needs time and space in order to create it’s new pathways.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. Lasting change happens over time.
How long does it take?
Infusion appointments are customarily 1 hour. Initial treatment is a 6-infusion series over 3 weeks. If you are contacting our office about infusions for chronic regional pain syndrome, please let us know as occasionally longer, intensive infusions are required.
Booster need and timing will be evaluated at the end of your induction series and our provider will discuss timing and options.
How much does it cost?
Each infusion is $450. Infusions for CRPS 1 or 2 and other complex pain diagnoses are longer in time, dose and pricing is variable. . We offer a discount to first responders, active military, and veterans. Healthcare providers who were active during Covid may also be eligible. Please inquire when you speak to the office.
What happens after the treatment?
The response to ketamine varies widely. Ketamine is not a cure but rather a treatment that allows mitigation of symptoms and gives your brain and body the ability to change. After a 6-series infusion set, symptoms recede for about 3 months. The response to the first series will give us an idea of time line for booster infusions. We track moods and symptoms because downward trends are subtle initially and boosters are most effective before overt symptoms restart.
