So, who is a good candidate for ketamine therapy? And who is not?
IV ketamine can treat individuals suffering from chronic pain and various mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Ketamine is especially effective when those disorders have resisted more standard forms of treatment, such as oral medications.
Meanwhile, Spravato nasal spray esketamine has been proven effective against treatment-resistant depression specifically.
Ketamine and Spravato therapy are safe treatment methods performed under close medical supervision. The good news: most people are good candidates!
Still, certain medical conditions may prevent you from safely receiving ketamine, and that’s what we’re here to talk about.
Learn who is and is not a good candidate for ketamine therapy below.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Ketamine Therapy?
We’ll say it again: most people who seek ketamine therapy for a treatment-resistant mental disorder or chronic pain are good candidates for it!
Many patients, in coordination with their healthcare providers, turn to ketamine and Spravato after other, more traditional treatments have failed.
For example, in some people with anxiety or depression, a daily oral antidepressant may work perfectly. In others, medication like this might either have no effect or cause so many negative side effects that the original problems become worse.
Patients who have gone through numerous oral mental health medication regimens without success are excellent candidates for ketamine therapy!
IV ketamine is typically given at a weight-based dose (0.5 mg/kg of body weight for mental health infusions). Dosages are sub-anesthetic, meaning they are significantly less than what would be used to sedate a patient for surgery.
These tailored dosages make every IV ketamine infusion ideal for the patient receiving them!
Who Is Not a Good Candidate for Ketamine Therapy?
At the same time, we’ll be the first ones to tell you that ketamine isn’t for everyone.
Some people are not good candidates for ketamine therapy due to the presence of certain medical conditions that ketamine can aggravate.
You are probably not a good candidate for ketamine therapy if you:
- Are actively manic, psychotic, or schizophrenic, as ketamine can worsen these disorders.
- Have untreated hypertension, since ketamine can temporarily raise your blood pressure.
- Have cystitis, or bladder inflammation, as ketamine can worsen the condition.
- Are pregnant, since we do not have conclusive data regarding the effects of ketamine on a developing fetus.
Ketamine clinics must approve or reject patients for ketamine therapy on a case-by-case basis.
By and large, however, unless you have one of the above conditions, you can probably be treated with ketamine therapy!
Highest-Quality Ketamine Therapy Near Wilkes-Barre & Scranton
At The Good Drop, we’re so happy to be getting the word out about our life-altering ketamine therapy here in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area of Pennsylvania.
Our patient population is growing all the time, meaning we’re always making responsible decisions around who should and should not receive ketamine therapy.
Reach out to us if you’re struggling with mental health or chronic pain and want to know if you’d be a good candidate for ketamine therapy!
Ketamine Candidacy FAQs
What steps does The Good Drop take to determine if someone is a good candidate for ketamine treatments?
Every patient at The Good Drop undergoes a careful, case-by-case evaluation. This includes a thorough review of your medical and mental health history to identify conditions that ketamine could aggravate. We do this to adhere to the highest safety standards for your treatment.
Is the ketamine dosage for therapy the same as for surgery?
No, it is significantly lower. Therapeutic IV ketamine infusions are given at sub-anesthetic doses (mental health infusions are given at 0.5 mg/kg of body weight) that are optimized precisely for mental health or chronic pain treatment, unlike the higher doses used for surgical sedation.
Why is medical supervision so important during ketamine treatment?
Close medical supervision during ketamine and Spravato sessions is crucial for patient safety. It allows our team to monitor your vital signs, manage any temporary side effects, and ensure a comfortable and secure therapeutic experience.