Ketamine is a drug that was invented in the 1960’s as a safer anesthetic drug and has been used in medicine since the 1970’s. Today it is used for anesthesia and pain relief in hospitals, ambulances and in the military. It is currently classified as a schedule III controlled substance by the DEA.

In more recent years, a low dose IV infusion of Ketamine has been shown to help relieve symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD and bipolar disorder. Ketamine works in the brain differently than traditional antidepressants and it also works much more quickly. Typical antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) take on average 6 weeks before full effects are met and even then do not always work to relieve symptoms. Ketamine effects may be seen in as little as one treatment, but 6 treatments over 2-3 weeks are recommended for best results. Ketamine is thought to help repair a damaged brain and reconnect neurons that have lost their connections.

Ketamine is not an addictive drug, although it has been used as a “party drug” or street drug”. When used in this way, it may become addictive. When given as a treatment for depression it has not been found to be addictive and is given at a lower dosage.

With a low-dose infusion of ketamine, common side effects include:

• A dream-like feeling or drowsiness

• Blurry vision

• Dizziness

• Jerky muscle-movements

• Nausea

• Sleep disturbance or insomnia

• High blood pressure

The side effects are typically transient and mild meaning they will resolve within 1-2 hours after the infusion is complete.

There can be a lot of confusion around how ketamine works and what you can use ketamine to help treat, but there doesn't have to be! So what is ketamine and what is it used for? In more technical terms, it is a dissociative anesthetic which means it can induce a loss of consciousness and relieve pain. As a result, it was first used as an anesthetic to treat soldiers on the battlefield as early as the 1960s. It is a general anesthetic still used today to treat trauma, depression, anxiety, and pain. Ketamine’s capabilities include physical and mental healing.

Ketamine is effective in treating depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and more because ketamine can help your mind cope with traumatic events or harmful thoughts in a healthy way. It can give you peace of mind and body because the brain is able to relax and begin healing.

Ketamine can be administered through a nasal spray or IV. Here at Rising Health Solutions, we use IV ketamine infusion therapy. Through this incredible scientific innovation, we can give you the tools you need to find joy and happiness in life through renewed resiliency.

IV ketamine infusion therapy is the act of having ketamine infused intravenously through an IV under the care of a certified medical professional. The IV infusion version of ketamine is called Racemic Ketamine and has two types of molecules: “R” and “S” while the nasal spray only has the “S” molecule. Because ketamine is infused directly into your bloodstream, the effect of the ketamine infusion can come as quickly as the first infusion. Nevertheless, we do recommend having six treatments or infusions within a two to three week period to see the best results. Some people don’t see the effects as quickly so don’t give up after one infusion. The changes you feel are more likely to come gradually. Additionally, the effects will be more long-lasting if you have more than one infusion. During the infusion, meditating, closing your eyes, and/or listening to music can help you have a positive experience.

If you would like to track your progress, we recommend the Mood Monitor app so you can document how you are feeling (mentally or physically). You could also use a physical journal or app of your choice. IV ketamine infusion therapy is used in conjunction with other tools to help you better your mental health. If you are already on medication or going to therapy, you should continue it. IV ketamine infusion therapy can be an excellent additional treatment for your mental health or chronic pain.

IV ketamine infusion therapy can treat damage to the brain caused by the stress hormone, cortisol, as well as damage caused by other stress hormones. This damage is treated through a process called synaptogenesis. Synaptogenesis is the process by which different receptors, such as NMDA receptors, in the brain are bound together. The binding of the receptors helps neurons communicate along new pathways and can impact your mood, cognition, and thought patterns. Changing your mood, cognition, and thought patterns can help you better cope with your depression, anxiety, or other mental health struggles . It also lessens inflammation in your brain that can be traced to mood disorders.

IV ketamine infusion therapy helps to rewire your brain to find more peace and calmness. It can give you the strength to keep going because you are better able to cope with the stressful things in your life. Bringing peace back into your life helps you get back on track and find joy again. IV ketamine infusion therapy can help you begin to think differently which can directly impact the harmful thoughts that come with anxiety, post traumatic-stress disorder, depression, or any other negative thoughts. Ketamine can give you the energy to try harder every day, mentally and physically. IV Ketamine infusion therapy can bring back the “you,” you deserve to be.

Are you tired of feeling depressed and anxious? Do you want relief from that pain now? Medications sometimes need to be in your body consistently for weeks before you can see a difference. Ketamine, on the other hand, starts working immediately and the effects of it last even after it has left your system! It is used, in part, for treatment resistant depression, anxiety, OCD and more because of its powerful potential and results. This powerful potential largely comes from the fact that Ketamine helps your brain create new neural pathways (which is why it continues to benefit you even after it leaves your body)!

This is a huge change from traditional anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications which focus on the serotonin levels in your body. While these have their place and can be an incredible tool, ketamine instead works with the NMDA receptors in your brain which work with your neurotransmitters to help your neurons to travel through your brain. Things happen in our lives that can cause our neurons to stay active for extended periods of time. Neurons can be active for so long that they can even die off. When you lose neurons, it can eventually cause the receptors to malfunction. That is why the fact that Ketamine can help you create new neural pathways for your neurons to travel is so significant! The new neural pathways help your brain to process what happens to you, and around you, in a healthier way. Therefore, it causes you to be more resilient than you were before because your brain is able to start healing from past trauma or the depression and anxiety you face.

Changing how the brain works and communicates with itself allows you to progress more on your path to improve your life because you are able to think more clearly and make decisions with less stress and anxiety. Here at Rising Health Solutions want to help you change your life by helping your brain!