One of the biggest issues with antidepressants is they demand the one thing you may not have: the ability to wait. Six to eight weeks for a first sign that a medication is working, sometimes longer, and if that medication fails, the wait starts over with a different pill. For someone in the middle of a depressive episode, two months is a long time to hold on for a maybe.
That’s why ketamine therapy has been so revolutionary for our patients. Instead of a six to eight week wait, patients treated with ketamine often see measurable relief from depression within two to three weeks of starting treatment. At Colorado Psychiatry Solutions, that shift in timeline is a large part of why ketamine has become one of the most requested treatments in our Colorado Springs and Monument locations.
Why the old timeline takes so long
SSRIs and SNRIs, the antidepressants most people are prescribed first, work by gradually increasing serotonin availability in the brain. That process is slow by design. It takes about four to six weeks on a given dose before a psychiatrist can assess whether it is working.
Although the process takes time it does work for many patients. The problem begins when the first antidepressant medication doesn’t work. That means starting a new six week cycle, and possibly another after that. A patient who cycles through two or three medications before finding relief can spend the better part of a year waiting – getting frustrated throughout.
Fortunately, newer treatments like ketamine provide a faster path for patients to find relief.
How ketamine works differently in the brain
Unlike antidepressants, ketamine does not target serotonin. It acts on the glutamate system, the neurotransmitter pathway responsible for much of the signaling between neurons involved in mood and memory. Depression is associated with weakened glutamate receptor activity and reduced synaptic connections in brain regions tied to mood regulation.
A single ketamine infusion appears to trigger rapid repair of those connections. Patients often report a lift in mood within hours or days of their first infusion, something that rarely happens with oral antidepressants. That early response tends to build over a short series of infusions, with most patients completing their initial course of ketamine therapy within two to three weeks.
What to expect during a ketamine infusion
Patients arrive at one of our clinic locations in Colorado Springs or Monument and are escorted to a treatment room, where an IV line is placed in the arm. A nurse connects the IV to a ketamine solution at a dose set by the prescribing provider based on the patient’s size, medical history, and response so far. The infusion lasts for about an hour while the patient relaxes comfortably in a private room.
The sedative effects of ketamine therapy wear off roughly 40 minutes after the infusion ends, though the effect on the brain’s glutamate system continues well beyond that window, which is the active mechanism in ketamine that provides relief.
When should I consider ketamine therapy?
Ketamine is a generally well-tolerated treatment and can be used in conjunction with other treatments, such as TMS or psychotherapy, to achieve better results than either treatment separately.
Ketamine is often recommended for:
- Patients with treatment-resistant depression
- Patients in acute distress who need fast relief
- Patients looking for an alternative to antidepressants
- Patients who are “stuck” and not progressing
- Patients who seek a rapid alleviation of symptoms prior to starting another treatment, like TMS
Patient Safety is Top Priority
At Colorado Psychiatry Solutions, we prioritize patient safety, going above and beyond the minimum safety protocols for administering ketamine therapy. Most ketamine clinics run a multi-room model, where one nurse monitors several patients at once during infusions. Our standard is higher: we use a 1:1 nurse to patient ratio, so a registered nurse stays with you for the entire infusion and recovery period.
Patient vital signs are tracked continuously using the Caretaker wireless monitoring system, a small finger sensor that reads heart rate, oxygen levels, and blood pressure without the repeated arm cuff squeezes of traditional monitoring equipment. This ensures exceptional patient monitoring without interrupting the relaxation patients experience as part of treatment.
Each of our clinical locations are equipped with an automated external defibrillator and supplemental oxygen, and our clinical staff follows the standards set by the American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists, and Practitioners, including informed consent, current licensure, and ongoing education for every provider.
Is ketamine right for you?
Ketamine therapy gives us an excellent treatment option for patients looking for rapid relief. It is also highly recommended as part of a larger treatment protocol that also includes TMS or psychotherapy. Many patients get the most benefit from ketamine when it is paired with therapy. Our Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy program combines a ketamine infusion with direct therapeutic support in the same session, so the biological shift and the psychological work happen at the same time rather than in separate appointments weeks apart.
Ketamine therapy in Colorado Springs
If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or PTSD, ketamine therapy may be appropriate for you. Schedule a consultation at one of our four Colorado Springs and Monument locations to see if ketamine therapy is right for you. Our providers can provide a thorough evaluation and help you decide if ketamine therapy is the right treatment for you.
