A Comprehensive Guide for Your Experience at Innerbloom Ketamine Therapy

DAY BEFORE YOUR INFUSION:

Rest:

• While a poor night's sleep will not ruin your infusion, try to get a full night's sleep prior to your infusion.

Avoid Alcohol:

• Alcohol can cause dehydration, potentially making starting an IV for your infusion more challenging.
• Abstain from alcohol the day prior to your infusion to avoid a hangover or increased anxiety during the infusion.
• If possible, we recommend abstaining from alcohol throughout the entire duration of your treatment process.
• Abstain from cannabis, it has been shown to potentially interfere with the action of ketamine.

MORNING OF YOUR INFUSION:

Avoid Food, But Hydrate:

• Avoid solid food three hours before your appointment, but ensure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Proper hydration helps facilitate the smooth insertion of an IV.

Caffeine:

• Avoid excess caffeine.
• If you "just can't" skip your morning coffee, please consider reducing your typical intake.

Time:

• Be sure to arrive 10 minutes early for your very first infusion appointment.
• For the rest of your infusion appointments please arrive just a few minutes early, allowing yourself to take a moment to relax outside, practice breathing exercises, meditation, or mindfulness to calm your mind before coming in. Please note that if you arrive an excess of fifteen minutes early we may not be able to accommodate you until closer to your scheduled appointment time.
• If you arrive late by 15 minutes or more we may not be able to proceed with your scheduled appointment.

Medications:

• Take your prescribed medicines as directed, especially antihypertensives.
• If you take benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax), consider holding your dose on the day of your infusion, if possible.

What to Bring:

• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes.
• Bring anything that makes you feel more comfortable and at ease.
• Everything else needed during the infusion (such as eye masks, headphones with music, soft blanket) will be provided.

ARRIVAL AT INNERBLOOM:

Parking:

• There is a free parking lot right in front of Innerbloom, and additional free parking is available on Monterey Street.

Ride:

• You must have a ride home after the infusion. If a friend or family member is unavailable, both Uber and Lyft are excellent ride options.
• If you bring a guest, they can wait for you in the lobby during your infusion, or with prior authorization from our office, they may accompany you in the treatment room in addition to the physician.

First Visit:

• Please arrive 10 minutes early for your first appointment. Dr. Rivas will disscuss your treatment plan and protocols and address any questions you may have.

The Surrounding Area:

• For coffee after your appointment, Field Day Coffee is just a block down Monterey street and Kaffiene just opened right on our corner!
• For food, across from Innerbloom, Hoagies serves a wonderful breakfast burrito, and PETRA around the corner offers delicious Mediterranean food. SLO provisions has fresh and healthy sandwiches, salads, and soups and the best chocolate chip cookie in town.

THE INFUSION:

The Experience:

• The infusion lasts approximately 40 minutes. (For treating pain-related conditions, infusions may range between 1-3 hours per condition).
• You can expect your appointment duration to be around 1-1.5 hours.
• You will sit in a comfortable reclining chair with eye shades, headphones playing curated music, with a soft blanket.

Sitter:

• Either Dr. Rivas, Libby or another team member will be with you in the room for the entire duration of the infusion.

Therapy Dog:

• Eli, a small golden retriever, will be present during your infusion; if you prefer not to interact with her due to allergies or other reasons, just let us know before your appointment and we will accommodate your preference.

POST-INFUSION:

Recovery:

• Once the infusion is complete, patients spend about ten minutes in the chair relaxing and recovering. Dr. Rivas will be there to answer any questions.
• Once the IV is removed, you can further recover in the lobby while waiting for your ride. Some patients may feel slightly lightheaded immediately following the infusion, however you will be able to walk quite capably.
• Most patients feel completely back to baseline within 3-4 hours after the infusion. Ketamine's half-life is around 3 hours, so it will be out of your system on the same day as the infusion.

• Our appointments are scheduled in two-hour increments, so we ask that you please respect the next arriving patient's confidentiality by arriving and departing in a timely manner.
• Plan to take the rest of your day off. Our advice is to avoid going back to work the same day, taking time to relax.

Listen to Your Body:

• If you feel tired, take a nap or go to bed early.
• Refuel with a healthy meal and rehydrate with plenty of water.
• You can expect to return to work, school, and your daily routine the next day.

Sleep:

• Rest is essential after the infusion. Some patients may find it difficult to sleep that night, while others experience a very peaceful slumber.

Avoid Screens:

• I recommend putting down your phone or computer after an infusion, keeping screen time to a minimum.
• Avoid watching TV if possible, especially anything stressful, scary or dark.

Process and Reflect:

• Share your experience with friends and loved ones.
• Journaling can be a helpful way to reflect, and remember, your ketamine experience.
• Make an appointment with a therapist to discuss and integrate the insights from the infusion.

In conclusion, being prepared both mentally and emotionally for your ketamine therapy experience will help you achieve the best possible outcomes.

Remember to take care of yourself pre and post-infusion, find time to rest, and reflect on your journey as you embark on this healing experience. The Innerbloom team is here to support you throughout this transformative process towards wellness. Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions. We look forward to serving you!

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About the Author

Dr. Ray Rivas, a former general and trauma surgeon with over a decade of experience utilizing ketamine, became a ketamine therapy specialist to treat mental health and pain after witnessing its profound impact on his hospital trauma patients and his own mental health. As the founder and medical director of Innerbloom Ketamine Therapy in San Luis Obispo, California, Dr. Rivas applies his extensive medical expertise to provide safe, evidence-based ketamine treatments for mood disorders, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain. His passion lies in helping patients find relief and rediscover hope through personalized, compassionate care.