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To make sure your ketamine experience is as safe and personalized as possible, we want to understand you as a whole person – mind, body, and spirit. If you decide to continue with treatment, we will ask you to fill out a medical history form. Communication with and/or a note from your health care provider can be extremely helpful, but is not always required. 

On the day of treatment, you should have nothing to eat 6 hrs and only a small amount of clear liquids 2 hrs before your appointment. Be sure to wear loose, comfortable clothing. When you arrive, we will go over any last-minute questions, obtain your vital signs, and start an IV, usually in your hand. We  use the smallest IV possible. Dr. Ho is an anesthesiologist and former pediatrician and can start and IV in almost everyone. Numbing anesthetics can be applied upon request. An ultrasound device can be used to minimize attempts. 

Next, you will sit in a soft, reclinable chair in our private treatment room. Lights will be dimmed. Noise cancelling headphones, relaxing music, a lightproof eye mask, and warm blanket will be available upon request. In general, treatments for mood disorders will take 40 minutes with 20 minutes recovery. Treatments for chronic pain takes 4 hours with 2 hours recovery. For details on what patients feel, see The Experience. During your treatment, your vital signs be checked at regular intervals. We will either be in the room or right outside the door to check on you frequently. 

It is normal to feel anxious at first, but by the end of the first treatment, most people find the experience safe, relaxing, and rejuvenating.

Following the treatment, you will be allowed to recover until your head is clear and you are close to your normal self. You should not drive home yourself. Once home, you should try to relax for the rest of the day. Ideally, you should be in the company of a responsible adult. Do not make any important decisions, engage in vigorous physical activity, or operate heavy machinery. We will call to make sure everything is OK. In the doses administered at Catalyst Ketamine, serious complications are rare and listed in The Disclaimer. Please feel free to call us for questions or concerns. 

Many people respond to ketamine therapy in one dose. For others, it may take several sessions. In either case, we usually recommend 6 sessions over 2-3 weeks to achieve or sustain a response for mood disorders. Dose escalation may be necessary if the initial response was inadequate. Afterwards, treatments may be spread out depending on the duration of treatment effect. For many, a maintenance plan may mean one treatment over several weeks or month. Everyone’s mood and pain disorder is unique, so everyone’s treatment requirements will be different as well. We personalize your care to make sure your treatments match your needs.