Ketamine is a medication that has been used in anesthesia for many years. More recently, however, practitioners have begun using it in lower doses to treat depression. Ketamine therapy is generally only recommended for patients who have failed to find relief from typical antidepressants. It can be life-changing for many of these patients, but it's not necessarily right for everyone. Consider the following pros and cons of ketamine infusions before you opt to try it yourself.

Pro: It's a one-time treatment

Ketamine infusion therapy is not a treatment you have to remember to take every day. It's not even a treatment you have to schedule every month! Most patients only need one session to effectively treat their depression. You'll spend a day or two in a clinical setting, receiving the infusion and then being observed afterward. You will need to dedicate time to this treatment, but only once.

Con: Some patients find the experience unpleasant

Ketamine is a psychedelic. It causes the patient to hallucinate. Now, this is not always a bad thing. Many people find the hallucinations to be soothing and comforting. But other patients do find that the experience is a bit unpleasant. There's no way to know how you'll experience the treatment until you've had the infusion.

Pro: Ketamine works by increasing circulating glutamate

Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that acts in the brain. Ketamine therapy increases the amount of circulating glutamate. This is why it tends to work for patients whose depression hasn't responded to other treatments. Most other treatments focus on increasing levels of serotonin, a different neurotransmitter. If your serotonin levels are not to blame for your depression, then raising them probably won't have the intended effect, and ketamine treatment may be a more effective choice.

Con: Ketamine therapy is not always covered by insurance

Ketamine infusion therapy is a rather new depression treatment. As such, many health insurance companies have not yet begun covering it. Therefore, you may need to pay for the treatment out-of-pocket. Contact your insurance company beforehand to see whether they will pay; there is a small chance that they will, so it's worth checking. 

Ketamine infusion therapy is changing the world of depression treatment for a lot of patients who have struggled to get relief in the past. If you think about the upsides and downsides listed above, you should arrive at a more informed decision as to whether or not you want to try it. Contact a local Ketamine treatment supplier, such as Las Vegas Ketamine, to learn more.