Ketamine Infusions

Treatment Protocol

Patients typically receive a series of up to 6 infusions over the course of approximately two to three weeks for mood disorders. Your treatment protocol will be based on your response. Medication dosing is based on evidence based studies which are widely available. Each infusion lasts 90 minutes, but please allow up to three hours for your entire visit. Clinical trials have consistently shown a 70-75% success rate with this approach. IV ketamine treatment does require booster infusions to keep patients symptom-free as well as on going oral medications. You will need medical clearance from your primary care provider or neurologist if being used to depression and Parkinsons Disease.

You must be able to transfer into and out of a recliner on your own and remain in place for up to two hours.

Please note, you cannot be behind the wheel (no driving) after your infusion. Please arrange for a ride, or call an Uber, Lyft or Taxi to get you home.  We can assist you with making that call if needed. No person will be allowed to drive home after an infusion under any circumstances.

Driving under the influence of a controlled substance is illegal and will result in immediate dismissal of care from

East End Neuropsych.

During your Infusion

We start by getting your weight and a full set of vitals. You will be connect to a patient monitor which will track you heart rate, oxygen saturation, EKG and blood pressure. The clinician will then insert an IV into either your hand or arm and begin the medication flow. The medication can be stoped at anytime if side effects develop. See informed consent below for more information.

We allow a guest to be with you, however, this is a very personal decision. Some people can be comforting and helpful, whereas others may increase anxiety. We feel it is best to be alone for treatment, as it is the patient’s personal journey, however we leave this decision up to you. East End Neuropsych has a comfortable waiting room where your friend/family member can wait, we can also call them when you are ready to be picked up if they do not want to wait in the office. If a patient chooses to have a guest in the room with them during their infusion, we ask the guest to simply sit quietly, not interrupting the infusion by talking or moving. We prefer that we keep the room very mellow with only guided meditation or southing sounds being heard.

Post-Treatment Experience  

By the time the patient is ready to leave the office after Ketamine Therapy, their overall condition will be close to normal. Some patients will immediately go back to their normal routine or return to their workplace. Some others may prefer to go home and take a brief nap. The only restriction that will be imposed is that the patient must refrain for driving until the next day.

The improvement in the mood will not occur immediately. The earliest that a patient can expect to feel better is within a few hours after they have left the office. If the patient has any concerns following the Ketamine Infusion Therapy or they have any questions, they should feel free to get in touch with the treatment provider.

COST

The cost of the treatment will vary based on your insurance. You will only be charged a co-pay for the services rendered, you do not need to pay for the medication or supplies separately. Medicare will cover 80% of the treatment, your copay will be $100 or lower based on your insurance.