At Golden Afternoon, we deliver ketamine through an IV drip. There is some evidence that the IV drip is the most effective way to achieve long-term healing.
There are many other ways to administer ketamine: through lozenges, intranasal sprays or intramuscular injections. However, the dose can be hard to control when taken orally, through the nose or as an injection. With IV administration, the drip can be stopped at any time and its effects begin to wear off immediately.
Yes, a doctor will administer the medication through an IV at low doses, which are considered sub-anesthetic. You will be conscious during your treatment and be able to speak and breathe on your own. As with all anesthetics, ketamine should not be used recreationally or without the supervision of a doctor who is specifically trained to deliver anesthesia.
Intravenous ketamine is approved by the FDA as an anesthetic. When used for depression, chronic pain or mood disorders, it is being used "off label". This means used for a different purpose than what was originally intended. In medicine, that is common: 1 in 5 prescriptions written today are for off-label use.
No. Unlike other antidepressants, ketamine’s effects on depression, mood disorders and chronic pain far outlast the actual drug levels in the bloodstream. That means that you don’t have to take it regularly. At Golden Afternoon, we administer six treatments over a 2-4 week period. Some people may need a booster dose after a few weeks or months. For others, the initial treatment course is sufficient, and they never have to come back.
Yes, you must make sure that you have a ride home from the clinic.
We ask that you don’t eat any solid foods for 4 hours before the treatment and that you don’t drink any liquids for at least 2 hours before the treatment.
Some people report feeling better within an hour or so after their first treatment. For others, it may take several treatments before you start to feel the healing effects.
No. You do not need to stop taking your medication before getting a ketamine infusion. You should continue your treatment under the guidance of your prescribing doctor.
Long term use or addiction to ketamine is less common than with other substances like opiates but ketamine addiction has been documented. Ketamine has been used as a street drug, where it goes by the name Special K. When taken this way, the dosage is generally 100 times higher than that which is given in an infusion. At that high a dose, the positive neurotransmitting (glutamate) effects are reversed and it is no longer beneficial for brain synapse regrowth.
Ketamine is considered one of the safest anesthetics in use because it is unlikely to cause a person to stop breathing or have a dangerous reduction in heart rate or blood pressure while under anesthesia.
Our safe and integrative IV Ketamine sessions can help re-wire your neurons and are a proven treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, mood disorders and chronic pain.
