Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that has a unique mechanism of action. Unlike other anesthetics, it affects the glutamatergic system in your brain, which is involved in depression and chronic pain.
The glutamate system is responsible for transmitting signals between neurons, which are the nerve cells that make up the brain and spinal cord. When you are depressed or in pain, your neurons send out signals that don’t get picked up by other neurons. Ketamine helps to restore communication between these cells by blocking NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors on your neurons’ surface.
This action causes many of the symptoms associated with depression and chronic pain to disappear—including anxiety, mood swings, insomnia, and cognitive impairment.
In 2019, the FDA approved a form of ketamine called ketamine as a fast-acting nasal spray for adults with treatment-resistant depression. The drug is intended to help patients who have failed several antidepressant medications and are experiencing significant side effects.
Researchers have conducted numerous studies over the past several decades and have found that ketamine has strong antidepressant properties. In addition to treating depression, ketamine also has anti-anxiety and painkilling effects. As a nasal spray, it can be administered without any surgical procedure or long recovery time—making it an ideal option for people who are not able to take oral medication. It is also an option for patients who wish to avoid taking medication in their stomachs or on their skin.
In addition to treating depression, ketamine also has anti-anxiety and painkilling effects. As a nasal spray, it can be administered without any surgical procedure or long recovery time—making it an ideal option for people who are not able to take oral medication. It is also an option for patients who wish to avoid taking medication in their stomachs or on their skin.
Ketamine infusion therapy is an experimental treatment, not yet approved by the FDA, that’s been studied extensively. Infusion therapy involves an intravenous (IV) delivery of ketamine.
Like other forms of psychotherapy, ketamine infusion therapy is designed to help patients with depression and anxiety disorders overcome their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Using a specialized IV pump, doctors can administer ketamine infusions over a period of hours or days depending on the patient’s needs.
Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist that produces its effects by activating glutamate receptors in the brain. This chemical system is responsible for mediating responses to stressful situations such as pain, fear, fear learning, and reward processing.
The pharmacological mechanism of action of ketamine is not fully understood but it has been shown to have similar effects on both mood and behavior as other antidepressant medications such as SSRIs. Symptoms typically improve within hours after the first dose and last for several days or weeks depending on how long the infusion treatment lasts.
Please be sure to follow all Institute guidelines while staying in the office, working on therapy, and at home. You cannot take any form of ketamine at home.
What are the possible effects of ketamine infusion therapy?
Ketamine infusions are a medical treatment for depression, often administered in a hospital setting. If you’re interested in receiving treatment for depression, it’s important to understand that ketamine isn’t effective for everyone, even with repeated doses. Ketamine has no predictable side effects, so it’s impossible to say if a patient will respond well to it.
Ketamine infusion therapy is not covered by most health insurance plans, but ketamine nasal spray may be.
An ketamine nasal spray is an intravenous form of the drug that can be administered in an outpatient setting or at home. The drug comes in a spray form and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of the major depressive disorder.
You will be able to eat, drink, and use the restroom during treatment. The only exception is if you have a medical condition that requires you to fast.
You will be able to receive visitors while you are in the office, but they must wait until after your treatment has ended before visiting with you.
DreamWork is an outpatient infusion therapy company that uses a ketamine infusion to treat depression. Ketamine infusions are administered at the Institute for Advanced Psychiatry, and they last about 40 minutes. During this time, you relax in the office at DreamWork’s facility. The infusion provides anesthesia with a smaller dose than what would be used for general anesthesia.
Ketamine infusion therapy is a treatment used to help relieve the symptoms of depression. It involves inserting a catheter into your vein and then injecting a liquid solution into your bloodstream. The procedure takes about 30 minutes and can be done in the office or at home.
After a ketamine infusion, you must stay in the office for at least two hours and then be driven home by a responsible adult. You are not allowed to drive, operate machinery, or leave the house by yourself for 24 hours after this procedure.
If you suffer from treatment-resistant depression, you may be interested in learning about the DreamWork infusion and wellness program.
DreamWork is a ketamine therapy that has been shown to be effective in treating depression. Ketamine has been used as an anesthetic for decades, and it is also used as an alternative treatment for pain. The DreamWork infusion and wellness program uses ketamine infusions to help with depression symptoms.
The DreamWork infusion and wellness program is designed to address the root cause of your depression rather than just treat its symptoms. By addressing the root cause of your depression, you’ll be able to reduce or eliminate any future episodes of depression without ever having to go back on medications again.