What to expect at your first ketamine infusion

Preparation

Eat lightly and stop food four hours before; sips of water are fine until arrival. Take your usual medications unless the clinic told you to hold one (benzodiazepines and lamotrigine can blunt the effect and are sometimes paused). Arrange a ride. See the ketamine therapy hub, the coverage hub, the coverage checker, treatment comparisons and condition and treatment pages.

The visit

1. Check-in: blood pressure, pulse and oxygen saturation. A brief mood rating.
2. IV placement: a small catheter in the hand or arm.
3. Infusion: 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes. Some clinics adjust the dose in later sessions based on your response.
4. Recovery: 30 to 60 minutes seated while dissociation fades and vitals return to baseline.

What you feel

Within ten minutes, a sense of detachment from your body and surroundings, changes in perception of light and sound, and sometimes emotional release. Anxiety is common in the first few minutes and usually passes. Nausea affects about a third of patients; ondansetron is typically available. Blood pressure rises modestly and is watched.

Afterward

Tiredness, mild headache and unsteadiness for a few hours. No driving, no important decisions, no alcohol that day. Mood improvement, when it happens, often appears within 24 hours of the first or second infusion and builds over the series.

Getting the most from it

Some clinics offer integration sessions with a therapist after each infusion; even journaling for ten minutes afterward helps people notice and keep gains. See ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and the ketamine therapy guide.