Questions and answers
The questions people actually ask
Short answers about effectiveness, safety, cost and what the day involves — in plain language, with a link to the fuller explanation where one exists.
Before, and on the day
What do I need to do before coming in?
- Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early, so there is time for any paperwork.
- Wear comfortable clothing.
- No solid food for six hours before an infusion. Clear fluids are fine up to two hours before.
- Continue your routine medications as you normally would, unless we have specifically asked you to hold something.
- Bring anything that makes you more comfortable — a pillow, a blanket, eye shades.
- You will not be able to drive afterward, so arrange your ride before you come.
We send you a written instruction sheet before your first visit. If anything on it is unclear, call us — we would rather answer the question than have you guess.
Who will be with me during the infusion?
A physician. He starts the intravenous line, runs the infusion, and stays with you through the infusion and the early part of recovery.
One patient is treated at a time. You are not left alone and you are not one of several people being watched at once.
Do I need to bring someone with me?
You will not be able to drive after an infusion, so the simplest arrangement is to bring someone who can drive you home.
If that is not possible, tell us in advance and we will help you arrange transport.
How long does each infusion take?
The infusion itself takes about 30 minutes. Afterward you rest for about 30 minutes in the recovery room before going home.
Allow a couple of hours at the center from arrival to leaving.
Afterward
How long will it last?
In our own review of 87 patients, the average interval between finishing the course and needing a further infusion was about eight months — a mean of 245 days.
That is an average drawn from a retrospective review of our own patients, with no control group, and it has not been peer reviewed. Some people need another infusion sooner, some go considerably longer. It is not a prediction of what will happen to you.
How often will I need to come back?
The first course is three infusions on three consecutive days. Most patients who respond then have two reinforcement infusions during the first year, usually at three to six months.
After that, it depends on how you are actually doing. You are scored on the same validated scale each time, so the decision is based on a measurement rather than an impression.
Will I need this for the rest of my life?
We do not know, and anyone who tells you they do is guessing. Ketamine is not a cure and we do not describe it as one.
What we can tell you is the pattern we see: an initial course, reinforcement infusions during the first year, and after that a schedule set by how you are doing rather than by a fixed rule.
Talk to us
Still have a question?
The first call is free, and you will speak to someone who can answer clinical questions rather than take a message.
RESTORE — ketamine therapy, done precisely.
