Ketamine is a medication with an exceptional safety record that has traditionally been used for anesthesia. More recently, it has also proven successful in treating mental health conditions like depression, PTSD, as well as chronic pain and severe migraines. Because of this, ketamine is considered a promising solution for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), a condition that affects nearly 3 million people in the United States.
What are the benefits of ketamine?
Ketamine is a medication composed of two types or versions of ketamine molecules, S-ketamine (esketamine aka Spravato) and R-ketamine. Normally, most medications have two versions of their molecules an R and an S version and it was stated that only one version of these molecules was active while the other version was not. On March 5, 2019, esketamine, the S version of ketamine, or Spravato was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of a major mental health condition known as Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) in adults. However, following this, another scientific study also showed that R-ketamine may also have beneficial activity in the brain, by providing protective effects on the brain neurons, allowing them to maintain healthy connections with other neighboring brain neurons. What this means is that individuals receiving a combination of both R-ketamine and S-ketamine may experience not only positive improvements in their mood, but also have lasting results as a consequence of the neural protective effects of R-ketamine. Although more studies may still need to be done, this is extremely exciting news for those suffering with treatment resistant depression, because this puts good old ketamine which has been in the medical field for decades an excellent option for the treatment of mood disorders.
Ketamine treatment comes with numerous benefits including the following:
- Rapid relief of mental health symptoms
- Great safety and toleration profile amongst patients
- Targets psychological and neural causes of depression and other mood disorders in the brain
- Relieves treatment-resistant symptoms
- Provides durable and lasting improvements with only 6 to 8 infusions for most patients, which takes 3 to 4 weeks to complete.
How is ketamine different from other antidepressants?
Traditional antidepressants work on neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. It usually takes 4 to 8 weeks for someone to begin to see an effect. In contrast, ketamine works on a different neurotransmitter called glutamate, which is more abundant in the brain. This probably explains the almost immediate effect that ketamine has on mood.
While selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) reduce depression by boosting serotonin levels, ketamine allows for more connections (known as synapses) between brain cells. Experts believe it serves to ease depression and reduce suicidal thoughts as well asimproves communication between brain cells and boosts the person’s mood.
Is it safe?
Ketamine is an extremely medically safe treatment, including for individuals facing suicidal ideation (suicidal thoughts or plans). Our medical professionals at Kelevate will provide personalized ketamine treatments to allow our patient to harness maximum benefits from this medication.
Who are the right candidates for ketamine treatment?
In general, the appropriate candidates are adults who have tried at least two different antidepressants at adequate doses for a reasonable duration without experiencing relief.
Consult our medical professionals at Kelevate to help you make informed and better decisions.
Schedule Your Ketamine Consultation in LA
If you have tried different medications to treat your symptoms of treatment-resistant depression without achieving positive results, don’t give up! Our medical professionals at Kelevate have successfully assisted numerous patients facing challenging mental health issues. After consulting with our patients, we use intravenous ketamine therapy infusions to treat treatment-resistant depression and other conditions. Kelevate caters to people residing in Los Angeles, West Hollywood, and nearby areas. Call us at (323) 817-0323 to schedule a free consultation.
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