Frequently Asked Questions About Ketamine Therapy

Candidacy depends on your diagnosis, treatment history, medical conditions, and current medications. Ketamine therapy may be considered when standard treatments have not brought enough relief, and it is not appropriate for everyone. The only reliable way to know is a clinical evaluation — our candidacy page describes the general factors we weigh.

Ketamine is FDA-approved as an anesthetic. Esketamine (Spravato), a related nasal spray, is FDA-approved for specific depression indications. IV ketamine prescribed for mood or pain conditions is off-label — legal and common, but not reviewed by the FDA for those uses. We explain these distinctions before any treatment decision.

When patients are screened, dosed, and monitored by qualified clinicians, ketamine has a well-characterized safety profile — but it carries real risks and side effects, and some people should not receive it. Our safety page covers common side effects, contraindications, and the safeguards we use in detail.

Most often for depression that has not responded to standard treatments; it may also be considered for certain anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain situations. The strength of the evidence differs by condition — our condition pages describe where the research stands for each, including where it is thin.

No ethical clinic can promise that. Some people report meaningful improvement, others modest or none. What we can commit to is a careful evaluation, honest information about the evidence, and monitoring throughout — and we will tell you plainly if we do not think treatment is helping.

You rest in a private treatment room while the medicine is administered and clinicians monitor you. Sessions commonly involve relaxation, altered perception of time or body, and dissociation that fades as the medicine wears off. Plan for roughly 90 minutes to two hours at the clinic, including monitored recovery.

Many plans begin with a series of sessions over several weeks, then reassess based on how you actually respond. Your plan is individualized and reviewed continuously — not sold as a fixed package.

During sessions: nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, dissociation, and a temporary rise in blood pressure — all monitored. Afterward: fatigue, mild nausea, and vivid dreams are the most common, and they are usually short-lived. Call the clinic with anything persistent or worrying.

We publish pricing only once it is verified, on our cost page — you will always know the full cost of a recommended course before committing to anything. No surprise charges, and no pressure at the consultation stage.

Coverage for IV ketamine varies widely between plans and indications, and off-label treatment is often paid out of pocket. FDA-approved esketamine (Spravato) may have coverage pathways that IV ketamine often lacks. We are confirming our own arrangements and will publish verified details; your insurer can tell you what your specific plan covers.

You can drive yourself to the clinic, but never home afterward. A responsible adult must take you home after every session, and you should not drive or operate machinery until the following day.

At-home programs typically use compounded lozenges or tablets taken without in-person monitoring; the FDA has warned about potential risks of compounded ketamine used without adequate safeguards. Our treatment happens in a clinical setting with supervision during and after every session.

Only if the clinical team tells you to — never adjust medications on your own. Most people continue their existing treatments, and with your permission we coordinate with your prescriber.

Do not use this website or its forms. Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911 now. Ketamine therapy is never an emergency treatment, and our office channels are not monitored for urgent situations.