Have you ever been hooked up to an IV to receive fluids? Well, intravenous ketamine treatment works similarly, but in a more comfortable setting.
Setting
In order to achieve the right effect, ketamine must be administered precisely. The ketamine entering your bloodstream needs to be delivered at a carefully controlled rate. It’s often administered in a clinic or hospital setting, with medical professionals who can monitor your vitals during treatment, and who can fine tune the appropriate dosing for you.
At KureIV you can expect to receive care in a safe, friendly and professional environment with experienced physicians. All of our ketamine infusion therapy services are provided in a comfortable, spa-like clinic designed according to high quality standards.
How Ketamine Treatment Works – Physicians
Your care will be coordinated by Scott Rivenes MD and Raj Guharoy MD. Both are Board Certified Emergency Physicians with over 40 years of combined experience leading Emergency Departments in the Houston area. Their training spans emergency medicine – including psychiatric, trauma, medical, gynecologic, pediatric and procedural – and they both have the experience necessary to deliver safe ketamine treatments. In addition, all of our ketamine infusion therapists are trained Emergency trained and certified nurses.
How Ketamine Treatment Works – Paperwork
If you are a new patient to the practice, you will be required to complete a few documents and bring them with you to your first appointment. We make them available on our Patient Portal. All patients will be required to complete a Health Screening Questionnaire (HSQ) prior to each visit. The HSQ is a tool that allows our pain physicians to:
- Know more about you as a patient
- Understand how pain is affecting your life
- Track the effectiveness of the treatment provided at KureIV
The Health Screening Questionnaire is available online from our website so you can fill it out at your convenience. In the event you do not have access to the internet to complete the HSQ, please plan to arrive at our office a minimum of 15-20 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment to fill out the HSQ.
See also: 7 Ways To Know If Ketamine Is Right For You
How Ketamine Treatment Works – Free Consultation
We provide you with a free consultation with one of our physician prior to treatment to address dosage and treatment duration, as well as to review your medical records and ask about your medical history. We all of this to establish a rapport with you and to develop a comprehensive treatment approach.
Either Dr. Rivenes or Dr. Guharoy will perform the comprehensive initial consultation and evaluation to assess the need and subsequently, the kinds of treatment that will most likely benefit you. It’s important to recognize the individual nature of each patient, and we will continue to tailor therapy over successive treatments.
How Ketamine Treatment Works – Sessions
Patient privacy is fundamental to this experience; you will receive treatment in a private room and although you do not need to have someone remain with you during the infusion, some patients find additional ease in the company of a relative.
At the time of treatment most patients report that the only discomfort felt was at the time of the needle insertion, but once inserted no further pain was experienced. Additionally, fluids entering intravenously can initially feel cold, but that feeling too subsides.
The dosage of ketamine used during the infusion will not put you to sleep. If you are already sleepy and are feeling very calm and relaxed during the treatment, you might drift off for a short nap.
How Ketamine Treatment Works – Side Effects
At KureIV, we customize treatment with ketamine infusions and we’ll use successful known treatment protocols to maximize treatment benefit at the lowest doses necessary with the least amount of side effects.
You will be constantly monitored throughout your treatment for your safety. When ketamine is administered in a controlled medical setting by a trained physician, it is safe.
Due to the low dosage of ketamine used during the infusion process, the side effects are minimal. Side effects may include: anxiety, alteration in mood, vivid dreams or nightmares, hallucinations, increased salivation, loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting.
In extreme cases serious side effects, though uncommon may include: rash, hives, difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, swelling of the mouth, face, lips or tongue, confusion, difficulty urinating, double vision, fainting, irregular heartbeat, headache, hypoventilation, or uncontrolled eye movements.
See also: The Most Common Ketamine Side Effects
How Ketamine Treatment Works – Discharge & Follow Up
You can continue your regular diet and medications after discharge. You may not drive or operate heavy machinery until the next day but you will be able to return to “normal activities”. If you have questions or concerns about what you can, or cannot do, during the next 24 hours after your procedure, please ask the nurse or physician.
The true benefits of ketamine therapy are felt after treatment. While effectiveness of ketamine infusion therapy can last a week or much longer, it does mean that a set of repeated treatments may be necessary. The medication dosage and number of treatments are unique to each individual patient. The physician will determine the treatment plan and discuss this with you during your initial consultation.
How Ketamine Treatment Works – Cost of Treatment
Some clinics will charge you for the initial consultation and then also charge up to $600-900 per one hour infusion session. KureIV delivers the same high-quality ketamine infusion therapy – but does it at a much more affordable rate. Our initial ketamine consultation is FREE and includes a full consult and a customized treatment plan. Each one hour session is only $350, and we include tracking tools and post-infusion support.
If you want to learn more and want to know if you are a good candidate for this treatment option, call today to make an appointment.
