Are you depressed and on antidepressants or going through counseling, but the feeling of worthlessness and hopelessness does not seem to leave you? If yes, you are not alone; 30-40% of patients with depression suffer from treatment-resistant depression. Drake Institute of Behavioral Medicine understands that traditional methods of treating depression may fail to provide relief. There is a high risk that you might turn to drug abuse, attempt suicide, or be hospitalized in a mental facility. Your West Los Angeles neuromodulation center has a solution to your problem. Ketamine therapy helps clear the debilitating effects that can arise from treatment-resistant depression.
Ketamine IV infusion therapy and severe depression
Compared to traditional antidepressants, ketamine has a different effect on the brain since it does not target neurotransmitters including norepinephrine and serotonin. Further, ketamine helps lift your moods within a short time compared to antidepressants, which can take weeks or months before relief can occur.
Ketamine has registered success over time in reducing ideations and suicidal thoughts among patients who require emergency treatment. The drug helps connect brain nerve cells, which helps improve emotions and moods.
What to expect during ketamine therapy treatment
Your physician will use IV infusion to administer ketamine in your body. This anesthetic medication has both mental and physical side effects to help deal with various symptoms of depression. During treatment, you will be required to lie down while your doctor places an IV in your leg or arm to deliver the drug solution directly into your bloodstream. This will take about one hour, and you will also be required to take 30 minutes during recovery after treatment.
What to expect after Ketamine infusions
You can go home after treatment, but you will have to have someone drive you home since ketamine has anesthetic effects, making it impossible for you to drive. You may experience the following side effects after your treatment:
- High pulse rate
- Loss of appetite
- Confusion
- Double vision
- Nausea or vomiting
- Changes in blood pressure
- Hallucinations
These side effects will gradually wane off and be over after 12 hours. You can expect to obtain relief from the symptoms of depression shortly after treatment. Your doctor will recommend a series of sessions to treat treatment-resistant depression by incorporating other treatment options such as group counseling and therapy for the best results.
Am I a Good Candidate for Ketamine therapy?
Even though ketamine infusion therapy has promising results among patients with treatment-resistant depression, this option may not be ideal if you have:
- Ketamine allergy
- Congestive heart failure
- Head trauma
- Coronary artery disease
- High blood pressure
- At risk of stroke or heart attack
Also, if you have a history of substance abuse, poor liver function, or high thyroid hormone levels, ketamine infusion therapy may not work for you since it can predispose you to further complications. It is essential that you are in good physical health before you start ketamine therapy treatment.
Contact Drake Institute of Behavioral Medicine to learn more about ketamine infusion therapy to establish if it can work for you.