Ketamine has been on the WHO’s list of essential medicines for both adults and children since 1985, however it wasn’t until recently that it started to be recognized as a highly effective treatment for mental health and chronic pain.
In choosing a clinic for your ketamine treatment, inquire if a board-certified physician is always on-site during the infusion. All medications have possible side effects and ketamine is no different. Although ketamine is one of the safest treatments today for mental health, it can cause issues in patients with certain pre-existing conditions. Having a doctor on-site, ideally one who specializes in ketamine, during every treatment is good practice for a ketamine clinic. They need to provide a safe environment, titrate your dose specifically to your related medical history, and be aware and ready if any side effects or other issues arise.
Is the clinic providing a comfortable, relaxed, and safe environment? An upright chair or exam table is not a safe place for a patient receiving a ketamine infusion. In addition, ketamine leads to a mental state that has been compared to a “very vivid dream” and the environment surrounding your infusion can influence the quality of this experience.
You may also want to inquire if you can have a “sitter” with you during infusions. A sitter is a family member or friend who stays in the room with you during the infusion. Most clinics should allow you to bring a sitter if you request one. In most cases a sitter is not medically required, but a monitoring device should be in the room and there should be a way to contact staff should the need arise.
Something that most people may not think about but is important to IV ketamine infusions is the bathroom policy of the clinic. The doctor should tell you not to eat four hours prior or drink two hours prior to the infusion. This helps with preventing any possible nausea that may arise and minimizing the need of bathroom use during the infusion, but nature can call at inconvenient times regardless of preparation. Does the clinic allow you to use the bathroom or do they require you to use a bedpan or bedside commode?
How Does Elysian Wellness Compare?
Elysian Wellness is a physician/veteran owned facility that opened in October 2021. Since then, we have had success in treating patients with ailments such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.
Our doctors are ER board certified, specialize in ketamine treatments, and have served in combat deployments in the United States military. Our doctors understand PTSD and trauma from many angles. Their ER experience gives them insight into crisis management of a wide range of mental health issues. Not only is our staff fully trained for any emergency, also have emergency equipment on-site just in case.
A relaxed, comfortable environment is the theme of our clinic from the second you walk through the door. Soft lighting and relaxing music greet you when you enter. Our state-of-the-art infusion chairs are fully-reclining and have memory foam padding. We also have pillows and soft blankets available, if desired. We recommend patients bring their own selection of calming music and headphones to enhance their experience.
We give you the option to have a family member or friend in the room for your ketamine infusion. You also have the option to be by yourself, monitored remotely by staff. It is important, however, to make sure you have transportation after the infusion, since Elysian Wellness does not allow the patient to drive after an infusion.
We have the option to pause the infusion should nature call at an inopportune time. Our staff will assist you to the door of the facilities and wait for you outside, as you may have balance issues if you attempt to stand in the middle of the ketamine infusion.
Be Well, Not Just Okay.
