Ketamine was developed more than 50 years ago as an anesthetic agent. Ketamine is a safe, effective and fast acting medication with few side effects. Physicians regularly use this medication on both pediatric and adult patients. More recently, intravenous (IV) ketamine, also known as a ketamine infusion, has been proven to be a highly effective medication for the treatment of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, certain pain syndromes, and addiction. Ketamine is a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved as a sedative medicine and can be found on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines.

Although all patients are unique and results cannot be guaranteed, ~70% of patients with treatment resistant mood disorders and pain syndromes can expect significant relief with ketamine infusions. We customize each patient’s infusion dosage and frequency to maximize a positive and effective clinical response.

Initially we schedule two infusions one to two days apart. Most of our patients see some mood elevation or symptomatic pain relief between the 1st and 2nd infusions. If the infusions are effective, we schedule 4 additional infusions for the mood disorder (and fibromyalgia) patients over the next 10 days (6 total infusions). For pain syndrome patients, 3 additional infusions are scheduled. Following the initial series of infusions, most patients choose, in consultation with their doctors, to begin a maintenance program, returning for single “booster” infusions intermittently. The interval between maintenance infusions varies from patient to patient.

Please call us at (949) 392-0159 to schedule your infusion. Your primary or mental health provider can also refer you to the clinic. Your provider will complete our Provider Referral Form and prior to your first infusion you will complete a Health Assessment. Our Clinical Coordinator will assist you through the process and answer any questions you may have.

The Ketamine Wellness Clinic of Orange County believes that a multidisciplinary “team approach” is very important for your health and safety. Our goal is to maximize the benefit of your infusion treatments. If you do not have a referring provider we will help put you in contact with one of our excellent providers specifically tailored for your particular needs.

Some of our patients have achieved success in receiving partial reimbursement of their out-of-pocket expenses from their insurance provider. Insurance coverage varies greatly by plan. We continue to work tirelessly on behalf of our patients to advocate for greater coverage for ketamine infusion therapy.

Ketamine Wellness Clinic of Orange County will provide each patient with documentation to submit to their insurance company for reimbursement. There are also offer third-party financing options in order to remove financial barriers to treatment. Payment for each infusion is due at the time of service.

Ketamine is a very safe drug. There are very few side effects and as anesthesiologists, we regularly administer this medication. A physician will always be present during your ketamine infusion. Your health and safety is our priority.

Ketamine was developed in the 1960s and is a glutamate N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist and is an FDA approved anesthetic commonly used during surgical procedures on both children and adults.

Compelling evidence shows that in sub-anesthetic doses, intravenous ketamine can produce a rapid, profound, and sustained improvement in many debilitating psychiatric and pain conditions as well as restore damaged brain pathways known to cause mood disorders.

With that said, the application for FDA approval for use in mental health or for use with certain pain syndromes has not been submitted by a pharmaceutical manufacturer and is therefore considered an off-label use of ketamine. Your doctor may decide to prescribe ketamine for an off-label depending on your condition or medical history.

Patients commonly will say they feel tired following an infusion. Occasionally patients experience nausea or a headache, which is relieved by an additional anti-nausea medication or oral Tylenol/NSAIDs. Side effects from the infusion are typically short lived lasting usually only a few hours. There are no reported long term side effects with ketamine infusions.

Ketamine is NOT an opioid. Ketamine belongs to a class of drugs called, “dissociative anesthetics” and has been used broadly as an anesthetic for both children and adults in operating rooms since the 1960s. The clinic minimizes the abuse or addictive potential of ketamine by controlling the delivery of all ketamine medications as well by monitoring for individual tolerance to the medication.

In fact, ketamine infusion therapy has shown promise as a treatment for addiction. 

Approximately 70% of patients positively respond to ketamine infusion therapy.

Most patients report sensations such as euphoria, floating, heightened perceptions or in a dream-like state. These feelings will subside quickly once the infusion is done. You should expect that the entire process will take approximately 90 minutes (longer for chronic pain infusions).

Some patients achieve long-term relief after a single series of infusions. Some find that these infusions augment and enhance their existing oral medications and therapies. For resistant symptoms for which ketamine infusions are the only effective treatment, most patients choose to begin a maintenance program, returning for single “booster” infusions intermittently. The interval between maintenance infusions varies from patient to patient.

On the day of your infusion, you will arrive at our clinic and fill out a short health assessment questionnaire that will allow you and the treatment team to follow and track your progress. One of our experienced nurses will then start a small IV to provide access for the infusions. The ketamine infusion will then begin and we will provide noise-canceling headphones so you can relax during the infusion. It is possible to feel sensations such as euphoria, floating, heightened perceptions or in a dream-like state. These feelings will subside quickly once the infusion is complete. You should expect that the entire process will take approximately 90 minutes (longer for chronic pain infusions).

Typical antidepressants take weeks to months to work. These medications have many common side effects: weight gain, sexual dysfunction, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, and emotional blunting to name a few. If depressive symptoms are resistant to traditional oral antidepressants, the gold standard for treatment, and often the treatment of last resort is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Studies have shown that ketamine infusions rapidly improve symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder who did not respond to ECT.

Yes. We will work together with your primary care provider, as a part of your care team, to individually tailor your treatment plan. This continued care is a key element in your pathway to better health. For those patients who so desire we can help coordinate consultation with one of our mental health experts.

We will review your medical history prior to your first infusion. There are only a few medical conditions that would preclude you from receiving a ketamine infusion: uncontrolled blood pressure, unstable heart disease, intracranial mass, untreated thyroid disease, current manic phase of bipolar disorder, or acute psychotic hallucinations/delusions.

We ask that you have someone bring you to your infusion and take you home. You can also use a ride share service. We advise you to avoid driving, operating heavy and or dangerous machinery, or conducting any significant business for 24 hours after the infusion. We also ask that you avoid eating any solid foods 4 hours prior to your infusion and to stop drinking clear liquids 2 hours prior to your infusion.

Benzodiazepines have been shown to possibly decrease the effectiveness of ketamine therapy in patients with treatment resistant mood disorders. We will give you instructions on managing these medications prior to your infusion. Do not self-taper these medications if you are currently prescribed them.

All ketamine infusions are done at our outpatient clinic, Ketamine Wellness Clinic of Orange County, located on the Mission Hospital Laguna Beach campus. A physician is at the clinic during your entire infusion to ensure your safety and comfort.

Anti-depressant medications (SSRIs, MAOIs, and tricyclics) do not interfere with ketamine, and there is no need to stop them. Ketamine infusions can provide relief during the time it takes antidepressant medications to begin working. Important: You should not decrease or stop taking any prescribed medication without first consulting your prescribing physician.

We attempt to schedule all patients within 72 hours. Please call at (949) 392-0159 to schedule your infusion.

There are no set age requirements for receiving ketamine infusion treatments.

Cost varies depending on the length of your infusion. Please call at (949) 392-0159 to discuss pricing.

For mood disorders and fibromyalgia, the infusion will last 40 minutes with 20 to 30 minutes of recovery time. For neuropathic pain and refractory headaches, the infusion will last 2 hours with approximately 45 minutes of recovery time. For CRPS, the infusion will last for 4 hours with approximately 45 to 60 minutes of recovery time.

Yes, we offer Ketamine Assisted Therapy (KAT), also known as Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). Ketamine Assisted Therapy is a therapeutic approach that combines the use of ketamine therapy with traditional talk therapy to enhance the treatment of mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many patients gain new perspectives on old problems, access repressed memories in a safe space, as well as process emotions differently during and beyond their ketamine treatment sessions.

If you choose to use our Ketamine Assisted Therapist, Alyssa Sanders, LCSW, she will work with you on the days surrounding your infusion and in the days to help you interpret and integrate these insights into your everyday mental framework.

Patients continue to experience IV ketamine therapy the same way they have always experienced it to allow for the maximum effect. But now, you can further support psychological growth and healing in a way that might take much longer with traditional therapy alone. Patients often report rapid improvements in mood, decreased anxiety, and a new sense of hope and well-being.

When the sessions with the Ketamine Assisted Therapist are over, patients should continue therapy with their regular therapist. This continued care is a key element in the pathway to better health. 

To learn more about or to make an appointment with Alyssa Sanders, LCSW, our Ketamine Assisted Therapist, call 949.392.0159.

Psychedelic medicines, including psilocybin and MDMA, are receiving considerable attention and research as potential adjunctive therapies for treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and other mood disorders. Ketamine Wellness Clinic of Orange County is actively monitoring the evolution of alternative psychedelic medications for the treatment of mood disorders. Our physicians actively follow the regulatory evolution of these psychedelic medications and will adapt our treatment protocols as the research comes together around these promising new medicines.

Currently, ketamine is the only legal psychedelic medication available to mental health providers for the treatment of mood disorders. Over the past several years, ketamine has proven to be an invaluable medication as an effective intervention for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), general anxiety disorder (GAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Ketamine can also benefit patients with other mood disorders when administered in combination with psychotherapy. The unique experiences that ketamine facilitates with its biological, experiential, and psychological impacts, often called the “dissociation effects,” has been tailored to optimize office-based post-infusion psychotherapy–often referred to as “Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy” (KAP).https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30917760

As the premier ketamine infusion clinic in Orange County, the Ketamine Wellness Clinic of Orange County has been taking care of the health needs of our community since 2016. We are uniquely located on a hospital campus that includes not only an inpatient behavioral health center but also ancillary behavioral health support systems and programs. Ketamine Wellness Clinic of Orange County has provided thousands of safe and effective infusions for patients who may be in the most need.