Who are Ketamine Treatments Right For?
- Persons with Neuropathic pain that is not well controlled with injections, nerve blocks, or prescription pain. Examples of this kind of pain are Trigeminal Neuralgia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), Phantom Limb Pain, Post-Herpetic Neuralgia, and some Headaches.
- Persons with Chronic Back & Neck pain no longer responsive to any form of treatment.
- Persons with other debilitating Musculoskeletal & Joint pain.
- Treatment Resistant Depression accompanied by a Chronic Pain Syndrome.
Persons who have been diagnosed with Treatment Resistant Depression accompanied by a Chronic Pain, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) accompanied by a Chronic Pain Syndrome, Post-Partum Depression accompanied by a Chronic Pain Syndrome, Major Depressive Disorders and Severe Anxiety states accompanied by a Chronic Pain Syndrome, are candidates for ketamine infusion therapy. When a patient has not responding to in-patient therapy, medicine, or other forms of treatment, Ketamine infusions should be considered as the next step.
Severe depression is often the result of Post-Traumatic Stress and or a Chronic Pain Syndrome. This stress does not have to be the result of “war wounds”, but can arise from neglect, abandonment, bullying, sexual abuse, or severe depravity during the developmental years. The depression is often not manifest for a decade or more following the trauma. Ketamine infusion therapy can successfully treat post-traumatic stress and subsequent depression. Patients with recurrent thoughts of suicide, who need immediate mood stabilization, will most often benefit from Ketamine infusion therapy.
The Science of Ketamine
When the nerves in the brain and spinal cord are constantly bombarded with signals indicating fear, anxiety, depression, or pain, or by chronic exposure to opioids, the nerve cells become exhausted and die.
On imaging, the amount of grey matter in the brain (nerve cells and synapses) shrinks with chronic pain or depression.
Ketamine IV, even for a few hours, is known to:
¤ Increase ⇑ grey matter
¤ Increase ⇑ nerve strength (reverse synaptic loss)
¤ Stimulate growth of new nerve cells.
Brain scans reveal that ketamine rapidly induces synaptogenesis, repairing damage caused by chronic stress and opioid use.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is low in patients with chronic stress and depression, that can lead to nerve atrophy (shrinkage) and nerve death. Ketamine has also been shown to enhance ⇑ BDNF.
Ketamine infusions are generally well tolerated, and there are no long-term side effects associated with Ketamine in the relatively low doses used to treat chronic pain and mood disorders.
Side effects that could occur during the infusion are mild and temporary and can include:
¤ Nausea
¤ Blood pressure increase
¤ Heart rate increase
¤ Confusion
¤ Blurry vision
¤ Hallucinations
Proper adjunctive medications are given before and during the infusion to help prevent or even avoid these temporary side effects.
Dissociation may occur during the infusion as well, but that is not a side effect. Rather, it is the effect that ketamine has on the central nervous system. It is this dissociation of the NMDA receptors (and other receptors) that causes a “reset” of the bad pathologic neuroplastic changes that have occurred in the patient’s central nervous system. This is a good thing.
Most, if not all, side effects resolve within 20 minutes after the infusion is complete. Some patients may feel tired that day or the next day, similar to regular anesthesia for other procedures. It is required that you have someone you know drive you home after the infusion.
Contrary to laymen belief, virtually all patients will say that they do not like the actual ketamine infusion. However, the pain relief can be so dramatic that they are willing to undergo a few hours of inconvenience for weeks, months, and sometimes over a year of relief.
Most patients find the experience relaxing and pleasant, however, some patients with an underlying anxiety may have some unpleasant dreams during the infusion. The best outcomes are seen when patients relax during the infusion and focus on goals for improvement.
It is important to note that while we have seen 100% improvement in symptoms right after a ketamine infusion, those results will most likely not last forever, but potentially last weeks to months.
Ketamine infusion can provide:
¤ Immediate and Significant Reduction in Chronic Pain
¤ Improved Cognition
¤ Increase Physical Activity and Exercise Tolerance
¤ Decrease in Medications (current dose can be reduced or weaned)
¤ Reduction or Reversal in Depression and Anxiety
¤ Return to a more Normal Lifestyle & Moods
The Cost of Treatment
Our cost in providing ketamine infusions is not covered by any insurance companies to the extent necessary to meet expenses. Therefore, we do not participate in any insurance plans and will not bill them on your behalf. The fee for each treatment session is inclusive with no additional or hidden charges. We accept cash and all major credit cards (5% processing fee):
Initial Infusion: $450.00
Follow-up Infusions: $350.00
Payment Plan Available
KETAMINE TESTIMONIES
I’ve always been a very active person. I was a cheerleader in high school and now I’m a mom to 3 little girls. One morning 4 years ago I woke up with horrible neck pain. I couldn’t move my neck. I went to several doctors before finding out that I had ruptured a disk and needed surgery. I had a cervical anterior diskectomy and fusion on my C6-C7. Basically what that is, is they took out the ruptured disk and replaced it with an artificial one and put in a plate and several screws into my neck. I was told I would be pain free in a few weeks. It never happened. After seeing and calling him several times and being diagnosed with Degenerative Disk Disease, spinal stenosis and anklyosing spondylitis, he threw his hands up with me. The surgery also caused nerve damage that affected my hands, they would go numb. I then started searching pain management. I went to one in Birmingham and they told me I would never get better and I would always be in pain. That broke my heart and wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I never went back to them, I began searching for another pain management and found the best doctors I could have ever wanted. They immediately told me they would do everything in their power to help me get better. I was willing to try anything to get my life back and be the mom my kids missed. That’s when Dr. Tubbs and I discussed the ketamine infusion and how he believed it would benefit me. I went and was a little nervous but also really excited! The whole process was very relaxing and I woke up in a very pleasant mood. I have gone from oxicodone and gabapentin to tramadol only! And I’m slowly coming off of it!! This has been the best decision I’ve ever made. I am so thankful for Dr Tubbs for giving me my quality of life back.