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 your optimal amount of sleep prior to your infusion.

Avoid Alcohol:

• Abstain from alcohol a minimum of 48 hours prior to your infusion (One to two weeks for those with Alcohol/Substance Use Disorder).
• We highly 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. Fasting for three hours helps avoid nausea.
• If you are prone to nausea, let us know before treatment so we can provide anti-nausea medication before your session begins.

Note: if you need to take prescription medication with food, or are hypoglycemic, please follow your healthcare professional’s guidance. 

• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Proper hydration helps facilitate the smooth insertion of an IV. Avoid excess intake just prior to your appointment to prevent discomfort.

Caffeine:

• Avoid caffeine before your appointment.
• If you "just can't" skip your morning coffee,  reduce your typical intake by at least half.

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.
• Everything else will be provided (such as an eye mask, headphones with curated playlist, soft blanket, water).

ARRIVAL AT INNERBLOOM:

Time:

• Be sure to arrive 10 minutes early for your very first infusion appointment.
• For the rest of your infusion appointments, arrive 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 will not be able to proceed with your scheduled appointment.

Parking:

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

Safe Ride Home:

• 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 into the treatment room in addition to the physician.

The Surrounding Area:

• For coffee after your appointment, Kaffein is just two doors down from Innerbloom and Field Day Coffee is a block down Monterey street.
• For food, across from Innerbloom, Hoagies serves a great breakfast burrito, and PETRA around the corner offers delicious Mediterranean food and pizza.

THE INFUSION:

The Experience:

• The infusion itself is 40 minutes long. (For treating pain-related conditions, infusions are 1 hour long).
• You can expect your entire 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:

• Dr. Rivas will remain in the treatment room for the duration of your infusion. For female patients, clinic manager Libby will also remain in the treatment room.

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, please let us know prior to your appointment and we will accommodate your preference.

POST-INFUSION:

Recovery:

• Once the infusion is complete, patients spend about ten to fifteen minutes in the chair relaxing and recovering.
• 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 the 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:

• Take time to rest. Some patients may find it difficult to sleep that night, while others experience a very peaceful slumber.

Avoid Screens:

• We recommend keeping screen time to a minimum, especially for the first 3 to 4 hours after your infusion.
• Avoid watching TV, particularly anything stressful, scary or dark.

Process and Reflect:

• Share your experience with friends and loved ones.
• Journal about your experience - we will provide you with prompts for after each infusion.
• Make an appointment with a therapist to discuss and integrate the insights from the infusion.

Self-Care:

- The first 48 hours post infusion are the most important for "re-wiring" your brain. This is when your brain will be in its most plastic state. Incorporate extra self-care into this time and avoid stressful situations, triggers and unhealthy behaviors.

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