Ketamine Therapy for Depression

Yes, when administered under medical supervision by trained physicians, ketamine therapy is safe. At Keta Medical Center, our team is led by emergency medicine physicians with extensive training, ensuring that every treatment adheres to the highest standards of medical safety.

Side effects may include mild nausea, dizziness, feelings of dissociation or increased blood pressure. These typically resolve shortly after the treatment session. Our medical team monitors patients closely during treatment to manage any side effects effectively.

Keta Medical Center offers 2 types of ketamine-based treatments for depression —  Spravato (Esketamine) nasal spray and Intravenous  Ketamine Infusions.

As a physician-led mental health clinic, all sessions are supervised by trained clinicians to manage safety, dosing, and overall comfort. We also offer Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and integrated psychiatric care to deliver an integrated treatment plan tailored to individual needs.

Good candidates for ketamine therapy should be able to commit to supervised, in-clinic treatment. The Spravato induction period includes 2-hour sessions twice a week for 4 weeks, followed by an optimization period of weekly sessions. Ketamine therapy can be a highly effective treatment for you if you are over the age of 18 and struggle with the following conditions that have not improved sufficiently or plateaued with standard oral medications:

• treatment‑resistant depression (TRD)
• major depressive disorder (MDD)
• Anxiety
• PTSD
• post-partum depression (PPD) 
• chronic depressive episodes 

Ketamine therapy may not be appropriate for:

• people with uncontrolled hypertension 
• Patients with history of aneurysm
• Patients with allergy to ketamine
• individuals with a history of psychosis or active mania
• pregnant individuals
• History of psychosis (such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder)
• Active substance use disorder (especially involving ketamine or dissociatives)

As each patient’s situation is unique, the Keta doctor will screen for medical contraindications during the consultation.

In most cases, you may continue your current antidepressants and ongoing psychotherapy while beginning ketamine treatment. We will review your specific medications during the intake to ensure safety. We strongly encourage coordination with your existing mental health providers because combining ketamine with psychotherapy often improves outcomes.

Many patients experience symptom improvement within hours to days after treatment, with both Spravato and IV ketamine often producing rapid effects within 2–4 hours for many people. 

The duration of benefit from treatment varies by individual. Some patients maintain improvements for weeks to months, and others require maintenance or booster sessions to sustain gains. We recommend completing the entire induction schedule and coming for periodic maintenance sessions to achieve the maximum, lasting benefits.

The overwhelming majority of Keta Medical Center’s patients are covered by insurance and pay $50 or less per treatment.

Insurance coverage for depression depends on the type of ketamine treatment you receive:

• Spravato® (Esketamine) is FDA-approved and many insurance providers will cover it for depression when patients meet clinical criteria.  Keta Medical Center will work with your insurer to complete the required prior authorization and provide documentation of your treatment history.
• IV Ketamine is considered an off-label treatment, so most insurance plans do not cover it. Therefore, it is typically an out-of-pocket service. Superbills for patients to submit to insurance providers are available. 

Keta Medical Center’s team can help you review your benefits, understand your coverage options, and determine the best financing plan to suit your needs and budget. Unsure? Schedule a consultation and we can help clarify.