What Is the Timeline to Feel Better with Ketamine Treatment?

Ketamine infusion therapy is an effective treatment option for mental health disorders that don’t respond well to traditional medications. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by mental or emotional symptoms and plan to start ketamine therapy, your first question may be, “How fast is this going to work?”

Our Klarity Clinic providers are ketamine therapy experts who design a treatment plan to meet your unique health needs. We offer personalized care to support your recovery from treatment-resistant depression or anxiety.

Our physicians also answer any questions or concerns you have about treatment, so you know what to expect during and after your infusion.

How ketamine treats mental illness

For many years, ketamine has been used as a surgical anesthetic. In the last decade, the drug has been shown to provide long-lasting relief of symptoms associated with:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Alcoholism
• Drug addiction
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Infusions of ketamine into your bloodstream are thought to relieve mental and emotional symptoms by rapidly increasing glutamate levels. Glutamate, the largest neurotransmitter in the brain, is essential for healthy brain function.

Ketamine is also beneficial for repairing damaged neural connections in the brain and stimulates the growth of new pathways. Instead of masking your symptoms, ketamine stabilizes your mental health by helping your brain heal.

Expectations for results of ketamine infusion treatments

Typically, optimal benefits of ketamine therapy are achieved after a series of intravenous (IV) infusions – usually six infusions over a two- to three-week period. Our Klarity Clinic team determines the dosage you receive based on the nature of your condition and the severity of your symptoms.

Although everyone responds differently to ketamine, many people experience significant symptom relief after their first few treatments. Our clinic has a high rate of success, with 85% of patients achieving better mental health within the first week of treatment.

Some people report a noticeable lifting of depression symptoms within 24-72 hours of their initial infusion. They also experience less anxiety and higher energy levels after completing your first treatment. For individuals with suicidal ideation, ketamine has proven effective at rapidly diminishing negative thoughts.

The effects of a single ketamine infusion can last for several days. Following through with your recommended treatment plan ensures that your mental health will continue to improve.  After your initial course of treatment ends, you can expect to return to Klarity Clinic for a maintenance infusion once every one to two months to keep your symptoms well-controlled.

Factors that influence ketamine infusion therapy results

There are several factors to consider regarding the effectiveness of ketamine therapy and how quickly you might see results.

A primary factor concerns the severity of your mental symptoms and how long you’ve had the condition. For instance, people with severe depression may need more infusions to achieve maximum symptom relief.

Other things that can affect your response to ketamine include:

• Genetic factors
• Co-occurring mental health issues
• Consistency in receiving infusions
• Use of certain medications that affect the efficacy of ketamine

Additionally, your lifestyle habits, including sleep patterns, diet, and exercise can also play a role in how you respond to ketamine infusion therapy.

Call the Klarity Clinic office in Upland or Las Vegas, Nevada, today to find out if you’re a candidate for ketamine infusion therapy, or book a consultation online.