Ketamine Clinics in Los Angeles

Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles

What are ketamine clinics in Los Angeles?

Ketamine is a medication that has been used for a very of medical conditions. It has been used as an anesthetic since 1970 and has been used off label for conditions such as depression, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, and chronic pain. In March 2019, the FDA approved Esketamine Spravato, a nasal spray for treatment of depression. With the recent change in legislation due to the COVID 19 pandemic, some forms of Ketamine can be prescribed for at-home administration. 

Ketamine has proven to be an effective anti-depressant that safely interacts with most other medications. Due to these favorable qualities of this anaesthetic, many ketamine clinics have been opening across the country. Ketamine clinics of Los Angeles are staffed by professional doctors, therapists, psychiatrists, and/or nurses. Depending on the clinics, they offer a variety of different services, such as ketamine administration, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) and other services to help patients address their mental health treatment. 

This anesthetic can be administered stand-alone, however, more and more clinics offer it in conjunction with psychotherapy to provide support for patients before, during, and after the sessions to improve treatment outcomes.

The medication is tailored individually, and the patient’s vitals and medical history will be closely studied prior to assigning a treatment plan and administering the medication. While some Ketamine clinics in Los Angeles accept only those patients who have been referred with a verified diagnosis of depression or anxiety by their doctors, other Ketamine clinics in Los Angeles accept patients who voluntarily seek relief for various conditions including expansion of consciousness and spirituality.

What is meant by ketamine therapy of Los Angeles or ketamine-assisted psychotherapy? (KAP)

Ketamine therapy in Los Angeles or Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is a protocol to treat depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, chronic pain, and other mental health conditions with the help of the anaesthetic, alongside psychotherapy. The psychotherapy can be done before, during and/or after the sessions depending on the protocol.

Ketamine clinics in Los Angeles usually offer a treatment protocol that consists of 3 to 6 sessions, however, the number may vary depending on the clinic and the specific needs of the patient. In clinical trials, 6 sessions have been found effective to treat depression. Some patients may need follow up treatments after the protocol regimen.

Ketamine therapy in Los Angeles includes infusions administered IV, IM, IN, PO, or some clinics also use the Spravato spray. The treatment includes a medical examination and starts with a briefing. A doctor discusses the patient’s medical history, symptoms, goals, and plans for individual treatment planned for sessions. Ketamine infusion therapy in Los Angeles predetermines infusion sets that last for 40-55 minutes after which a patient is escorted to a relaxation room to fully readjust. The staff ensures a patient does not have withdrawal side effects including nausea, hypersensitivity to lights or sound, or dissociative feeling. The whole session including anaesthetic administration takes approximately 1-2 hours.

Ketamine clinics of Los Angeles may also vary in what type of Ketamine administration they offer. The majority of clinics prescribe IV and IM infusions.

What are the Best Ketamine Clinics in Los Angeles?

Today, there are three leading Ketamine clinics in Los Angeles approved by American Society of Ketamine Physicians:

Mental Health Center at Cedars-Sinai Towers

• Cedars-Sinai centers are one of the leading medical groups in the U.S. The group has more than 40 locations and ranked 8 on the Hospital Honor Roll.
• This Ketamine clinic in Los Angeles offers KAP for treatment-refractory depression (TRD), anxiety, PTSD, bipolar depression, OCD, thoughts of self-harm, and addiction.
• The center provides intravenous and intramuscular infusions alongside a nasal spray Spravato.
• KAP with infusions costs $415 per 90-minutes session. A nasal spray Spravato may be covered with insurance plans.

NeuroWellness Spa

• NeuroWellness ketamine infusion therapy in Los Angeles uses intravenous infusions. 
• Ketamine department is supervised by Dr. Martha Koo who is an active member of the American Society of Ketamine Physicians.
• Their Ketamine sessions in Los Angeles last 40-50 minutes. 
• The conditions they cover are depression, fibromyalgia, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, chronic pain, spinal injury, phantom limb pain, and neuralgia.
• The cost of KAP including infusions varies depending upon the condition being treated.

Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles

• This Ketamine clinic in Los Angeles was founded by Dr. Steven L. Mandel, a world-renowned expert in treating depression, anxiety, suicidal thinking, PTSD, and other mental illnesses.
• The clinic offers IV infusions for 55-minutes sessions. For the Ketamine therapy in Los Angeles, they use digital infusion pumps over traditional IV bags.
• Offers a 10% discount for military officers, and first responders.
• The cost of KAP including infusions varies depending upon the condition being treated.

How is this list of ketamine clinics chosen in LA?

These Ketamine clinics in Los Angeles are verified and recommended by the American Society of Ketamine Physicians. 

What plans treatments do Ketamine Clinics provide in Los Angeles? 

Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles provide a variety of treatments for mental conditions, including:

• Ketamine for depression
• Ketamine for  anxiety
• Ketamine for PTSD
• Ketamine for OCD
• Ketamine for bipolar disorder
• Ketamine for trauma
• Ketamine for chronic pain 
• Ketamine for fibromyalgia 
• Ketamine for neuralgia

Ketamine assisted therapy or psychotherapy

Psychotherapy in addition to ketamine administration has proven to be very effective in treating mental health disorders. While the therapy is not a required part of the protocol at many clinics, it is a recommended part of the treatment plan for many patients. Therapy has helped many patients to feel more comfortable about what happens during the ketamine sessions, including dissociative sensations and certain memories and feelings that come up. Therapy also helps the patients to work through the traumas or issues they’d like to address and set an intention for their ketamine treatments. Integration is an important part of many patients’ treatment as many overwhelming and confusing thoughts and emotions may come up during the sessions. A trusted therapist can help make sense of these and work through them.

Some clinics provide additional mental health services, such as:

• Psychiatry;
• On-going therapy as well as KAP;
• EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
• Neuromodulation & neurofeedback;
• Bodywork;
• Energy healing.

What happens during the sessions in Ketamine Clinics LA? 

Different clinics have slightly different approaches but this is what usually happens. Ketamine infusion therapy in Los Angeles starts with a conversation with a psychiatrist or a different type of MD. A doctor learns the patient’s medical history, symptoms, plans for the treatments, and a goal. A registered nurse examines vitals such as blood pressure, pulse. An infusion or ketamine administration session takes approximately 40-55 minutes under the nurse’s or therapist’s supervision. After the session, the patient is escorted to the relaxation room to ensure that no severe withdrawal symptoms are present. From the first until the last session, there will be ongoing interaction with a doctor and/or a therapist who needs to assess the efficacy of this therapy. If required, a doctor may suggest that the patient continues with treatment by getting maintenance infusions.

How long is a typical session for IV ketamine? 

It depends on Ketamine therapy in Los Angeles provided by one of the clinics. One session may last for 40 minutes up to an hour for the anaesthetic administration, with 20 minutes to an hour for recovery.

How long is a typical session for intramuscular? 

It depends on the Ketamine clinic in Los Angeles. One session may last for 40 minutes up to an hour for the anaesthetic administration, with 20 minutes to an hour for recovery.

What will I feel during the session in Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles?

During the infusion sessions, a patient may experience drowsiness, hypersensitivity to light and sound, or heaviness of limbs. The administration of medication is usually linked to a dissociative feeling. A patient may no longer understand what surrounds him or be disconnected from reality. Such a condition is short-term and vanishes in 10-15 minutes after the session. Some patients have also reported feeling euphoric and “one with everything” as well as feeling confused and overwhelmed with thoughts and memories from the past. A patient may experience all of the above in one single session. 

How much do Ketamine infusions cost in Los Angeles? 

The cost varies in Ketamine clinics in Los Angeles. At Cedar-Sinai the cost per infusion is $415. At NeuroWelnessSpa and Ketamine Clinic in Los Angeles, the price depends on the patient’s health conditions, the severity of symptoms, and the medical record provided by the patient’s physician. 

If I am eligible for insurance coverage in LA, how can I find Ketamine Clinics?

Generally, Ketamine infusion therapyin Los Angeles is not covered by state and federal insurance plans except for possibly a nasal spray Spravato. We recommend contacting the clinics directly to learn whether their ketamine therapy in Los Angeles is eligible for coverage and/or co-pays.

Does Ketamine therapy happen with my current treatment plan in LA 2021? 

While this medication has few interactions, it is still possible Ketamine may have interactions with certain medications and supplements. You should disclose your full list of medications and health supplements to the doctor.

What are the risks of Ketamine treatment of Los Angeles? 

This anesthetic can cause dissociative thinking or feeling, however, this condition vanishes in 10-15 minutes after the infusion session.

Some patients may experience side effects:

• nausea;
• blurred vision;
• a spike in heart rate, blood pressure;
• drowsiness.

The full list of side effects and the severity depends on the individual patient’s medical history and treatment regimen. Side effects are usually short-term and disappear with good night sleep.

Contact one of the Ketamine clinics in Los Angeles to learn their treatment plans and your eligibility.