Ketamine Treatments

Ketamine is a medicine that has been safely used for decades in anesthesia and recently has been shown to have great potential as a novel antidepressant. When used for the treatment of depression, ketamine provide significant relief from symptoms for 50 – 70% of patients. SeattleNTC offers multiple ketamine treatment modalities, ask your doctor about which one may be right for you.

SeattleNTC is now offering IV Ketamine treatment for depression.

How effective is ketamine for depression?

Most studies of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression administered one or more treatments over a period of several weeks. These studies have reported that ketamine provides significant relief from symptoms of depression for well over half of patients. Ketamine operates differently mechanism than all other antidepressant medications. Ketamine increases glutamate release and enhances neuroplasticity via the NMDA receptor, leading to increased levels of BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. It can also normalize activity of the brain network responsible for obsessive negative thinking.

Does ketamine treat anything other than depression?

Ketamine is commonly used to treat pain conditions, and also shows promise for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Are there any restrictions when taking ketamine?

We require that patients not drive home from a ketamine treatment and recommend that they do not drive until the next day after a restful sleep. There are no restrictions on non-treatment days.

What types of ketamine treatments are there?

There are currently two types of ketamine treatments for depression: IV Ketamine and Esketamine. IV Ketamine is an infusion therapy in which ketamine in delivered intravenously into a patient’s bloodstream. Esketamine is a nasal spray that is self-administered by the patient with a medical professional’s guidance.

Which ketamine treatments does SeattleNTC offer?

SeattleNTC provides both types of ketamine treatment for depression, IV Ketamine and Esketamine nasal spray. Additionally, we also offer ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP).

How is SeattleNTC different?

As a true subspecialty psychiatric clinic, we are not a “one trick pony” – we offer all of the leading FDA-approved options for treating depression which has not responded to medications and traditional psychotherapy, as well as leading cutting-edge options such as KAP. This means that we are able to think holistically about your history and needs when planning your treatment, to ensure we select the treatment best suited to you, Our expert physicians are present in clinic every day to make sure you are safe and well cared for during your treatments.