Depression

What is depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that affects the way you think and act. It causes feelings of intense sadness and worthlessness, as well as a loss of hope. Depression is a chronic condition, which makes it different from the sadness or grief that everyone experiences from time to time.

If you have depression, you may experience any of the following symptoms in varying degrees of severity:

• Sadness or hopelessness
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Lost interest in previously enjoyed activities
• Changes in appetite
• Changes in sleep habits
• Fatigue
• Poor concentration and decision-making skills
• Thoughts of death or suicide

For a clinical depression diagnosis, you must have symptoms for at least two weeks.

What causes depression?

Depression is caused by chemical imbalances in your brain. Chemicals called neurotransmitters send messages through your brain and body. Certain neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate regulate your mood. When you don’t have enough of these chemicals in your brain or if the neurotransmitters don’t function properly, you can develop depression.

Your risk of depression is higher if you have a family history of the condition or if you’ve been exposed to environmental factors like abuse, neglect, violence, or poverty.

How is depression treated?

At Lone Star Infusion, our Anesthesiologist/Anesthetist team uses ketamine infusion therapy, which takes a different approach to treating depression.

While most antidepressants help your brain produce more serotonin, which eventually stimulates glutamate production and functionality, ketamine stimulates glutamate activity immediately, providing faster and more effective results.

What should I expect during ketamine IV therapy?

The Anesthesiologist/Anesthetist usually begins ketamine IV therapy with a series of six hour-long sessions of low-dose infusion at 0.5mg/kg/hr of ketamine. You have the sessions once or twice a week, and each one includes a 40-minute infusion and 20 minutes of recovery. You may experience a floating sensation or other mild side effects, like visual hallucinations that wear off quickly after your infusion is complete.

An Anesthesiologist/Anesthetist monitors your infusion carefully to ensure all protocols and best practices are followed for the safety and effectiveness of your treatment. After your initial series of six ketamine IV therapy sessions, the Anesthesiologist/Anesthetist usually recommends maintenance treatments every 3-5 weeks for greater and longer-lasting relief of your symptoms. Over time, they work with you to extend the length of time between appointments if you need ongoing care.

To learn more about this innovative therapy for depression, call the office or schedule a visit online today.

At Lone Star Infusion we provide ketamine treatments for depression and other symptoms in Houston, Texas.