Ketamine

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Ketamine's Connection to Neurons

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Ketamine's Connection to Neurons

Researchers hypothesize that neurogenesis, or neuron growth, is an antidepressant action. This hypothesis is linked to the understanding that nearly all antidepressants increase birth of granule neurons in rodents. Ketamine, however, has such rapid antidepressant effects, within hours, suggesting that the mechanisms involved with ketamine are not involved with neuron birth. Instead, researchers hypothesized that ketamine’s rapid effects are due to it enhancing the maturation of neurons born previously.

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Theta Brain Waves & the Anti-Anxiety Effects of Ketamine

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Theta Brain Waves & the Anti-Anxiety Effects of Ketamine

According to a study published in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology in 2018, specific brain waves are related to the anti-anxiety effects of ketamine. The brain waves involved in this function are called theta waves, found in the right frontal area of the brain. Ketamine can treat a wide variety of neurotic disorders, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and PTSD, but researchers do not conclusively understand how ketamine works to relieve the symptoms of these disorders.

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Ketamine in Bipolar Disorder

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Ketamine in Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder will affect 4.4% of U.S. adults at some point in their lives. It can cause dramatic shifts in the mood, energy, activity, impacting a person’s ability to live fully. One of the symptoms of bipolar disorder is anhedonia, which is the loss of ability to seek pleasure. Effective treatments for anhedonia have traditionally been lacking, but fortunately, recent research suggests that ketamine can help.

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Ketamine Infusions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

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Ketamine Infusions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic condition affecting 1 in 40 adults and 1 in 100 children in the United States.  This disorder is characterized by intrusive, repetitive thoughts and behaviors. Interfering with work, interpersonal relationships, and in general, patients’ enjoyment of life, OCD can have a devastating effect due to its debilitating nature. The only FDA approved treatment for OCD are serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), but the effects of these are limited. Meaningful improvement can take up to 6 to 10 weeks and symptom relief is limited. To find a better way to treat this disorder, researchers at Columbia University conducted a study involving ketamine infusions.

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Ketamine for Migraine Headaches

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Ketamine for Migraine Headaches

Affecting about 37 million Americans, migraine headache attacks can be extremely painful and have a debilitating effect on patients’ lives. Associated with sensitivity to light, sound and smells; nausea; and vomiting, migraines can inhibit patients from going to work or enjoying day-to-day routine.

Those unresponsive to typical migraine treatments may feel particularly discouraged. When first and second-line drugs fail, what is a migraine sufferer to do? Fortunately, ketamine may be the answer!

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Ketamine and Postpartum Depression

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Ketamine and Postpartum Depression

She doesn’t want to get out of bed, she’s not the woman you knew, worse off she doesn’t want to hold her new baby. She is your wife, girlfriend, sister, or daughter. She is a new mother, and she has postpartum depression (PPD).  She knows something is off, but she is so deep in the weeds she doesn’t know where to begin.

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Ketamine for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

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Ketamine for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful, disabling neurological condition. Previously known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), it affects 1.2% of the adult chronic pain population. Women are affected more than men, with a 3:1 ratio. CRPS can develop after trauma, minor injuries, or surgery. The signs and symptoms are classically clustered into four groups.

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Ketamine for Treatment-Refractory Anxiety and Social Anxiety Disorder

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Ketamine for Treatment-Refractory Anxiety and Social Anxiety Disorder

Ketamine as a rapid antidepressant has been replicated in numerous studies. More recently, ketamine has been shown to help patients with obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and treatment-refractory anxiety disorder (TRA disorder). However, some patients reported a recurrence of depressive or anxiety symptoms after a single treatment. This recurrence of symptoms leads to the question: How long can patients’ symptoms improve with repeated ketamine dosing in anxiety?

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A Brief History of Ketamine

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A Brief History of Ketamine

The unique story of ketamine began in 1956 with the synthesis of the drug, phencyclidine. Found to be a remarkable anesthetic for monkeys, phencyclidine was then used on humans after numerous animal testings. Unfortunately, the side effects that researchers observed in some patients were concerning. Instead of waking peacefully from anesthesia, some patients experienced acute emergence delirium lasting hours after their operation was over. They described feeling sensory deprived and the loss of sensations in their limbs. Further studies concluded that phencyclidine produced a sensory deprivation syndrome.

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Ketamine for Trigeminal Neuralgia

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Ketamine for Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia (also known as tic douloureux) is a chronic pain condition affecting the fifth cranial nerve (1). There are twelve cranial nerves that emerge from the brain and cranial nerve V carries sensation from the face to the brain.

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14 Insights from the American Society of Ketamine Physicians’ Inaugural Conference 2018

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14 Insights from the American Society of Ketamine Physicians’ Inaugural Conference 2018

The key to providing outstanding service to our patients is to keep educated and up-to-date. This month, we got to do so at the inaugural conference of the American Society of Ketamine Physicians (ASKP) in Austin, Texas.

We learned a massive amount from leaders in the field of ketamine research and treatment at the conference. While we want to share it all, we kept it simple and are sharing 14 insights from this conference with you!

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Set and Setting During Ketamine Infusions

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Set and Setting During Ketamine Infusions

There are two important factors to consider when undergoing your ketamine infusions. These are the patient’s mindset (set) and the environment (setting) where the infusion will occur.

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Ketamine's Use to Treat Substance Use Disorders

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Ketamine's Use to Treat Substance Use Disorders

In our last post, we answered the question, “Is Ketamine Addictive?”  Now, we want to share ketamine’s anti-addictive properties. In the past year, 20.2 million American adults (8.4%) had a substance use disorder.  Addiction is frequently seen in conjunction with mood disorders and may actually be a form of self-medication in these patients.  So can ketamine play a role in treating these patients, especially those with dual diagnoses?

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5 Ways to Maximize Progress After Your Ketamine Infusions

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5 Ways to Maximize Progress After Your Ketamine Infusions

Ketamine is revolutionizing treatment of pain, depression, and anxiety. However, it is most effective when viewed as a catalyst.  It would simply be untrue to tell you that all you need is ketamine.  Treatment of mood and pain disorders are complex, and ketamine is one part of the solution.  Ketamine can absolutely help you get going in a way no other traditional treatment has done before. So once you receive your ketamine infusions, use this momentum for change!  Here are to 5 ways to maximize your progress: 

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CNN Features Ketamine Infusions

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CNN Features Ketamine Infusions

Ketamine is continuing to get the attention that it deserves. CNN recently ran a piece from Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, sharing about the life saving and rapid effect of ketamine in a man with suicidal ideation.  https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/03/health/ketamine-suicide-depression/index.html

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3 Must Read Scientific Articles About Depression and Ketamine

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3 Must Read Scientific Articles About Depression and Ketamine

Want to know more about how ketamine works? Especially curious about how it transforms the lives of those with depression, anxiety, and pain?  Love science?  A google or PubMed search will give you numerous articles on this topic.  At Reset Ketamine, we are big readers and lovers of learning so we found three articles you should check out regarding depression and ketamine...especially if you are science nerds like us! 

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Ketamine: The “New” Anti-Inflammatory Medicine

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Ketamine: The “New” Anti-Inflammatory Medicine

Ketamine has proven itself to be an effective medication for procedural sedation. Now we are seeing how ketamine can treat and alleviate mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, and chronic pain disorders.  Experiments are now showing how ketamine also reduces inflammation.

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What to Expect During your Ketamine Infusion

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What to Expect During your Ketamine Infusion

Perhaps you’ve decided to try ketamine infusions for your depression, anxiety, PTSD, or chronic pain.  Or maybe you have yet to decide and want a little more information. Some level of nervousness is normal and very common when facing something new, especially something that is so cutting-edge. To ease some of your worries, we’ll share with you four things to expect during your ketamine infusions…