What can I expect during my visit and ketamine IV infusion treatment?

At your first visit to Thrive IV, Dr. Pellegrino reviews your history and referral form to confirm ketamine therapy is right for you, then tailors a plan to your diagnosis. For depression, anxiety, and OCD, most patients start with a series of six infusions over two to three weeks. During each session you rest in a comfortable recliner with soft lighting and music; you receive a 40-minute to one-hour infusion (longer for some pain conditions) with continuous cardiac and vital-sign monitoring, followed by about 20 to 30 minutes of recovery. Mild, short-lived dissociative effects are normal and a sign the treatment is working.

Your ketamine treatment, step by step

• Step 1 — Consultation & referral review: Dr. Pellegrino confirms you’re a candidate and designs your plan.
• Step 2 — Preparation: stay hydrated, stop eating six hours and drinking two hours before, hold certain medications, and arrange a driver.
• Step 3 — The infusion: a weight-based IV in a private room with eye mask, headphones, and continuous monitoring.
• Step 4 — Recovery: about 20-30 minutes (longer for pain protocols) before your driver takes you home.
• Step 5 — The series & maintenance: typically six sessions over three weeks, then boosters tapered to every few weeks or months based on your response.

Dr Pellegrino and his team carry out an in depth consultation and review of your referral form to be certain ketamine infusion therapy is right for you. The doctor then tailors a treatment plan specifically for you based on your diagnosis and individual needs. For most patients with depression, anxiety, OCD etc, a series of six infusions are typical over 2-3 weeks to start. During each session, you are made as comfortable as possible in a soft recliner, easy lighting and soft positive music. We provide a 40 minute to 1 hour, low-dose infusion and about 20 minutes of recovery. Pain related treatment may start with a full 4 hour infusion if that is determined to be the best intervention. We will carefully monitor your vital signs during the infusion and adjust treatment based on your response. We regularly check on you to be certain everything is stable and you are well. You may feel mild visual hallucinations, out of body experience and other similar mild effects that wear off quickly. This is perfect and what we want to happen! It is a sign you are responding to the infusion therapy and is encouraging, letting us know we are on the right path to helping you.

As your sessions move forward, the doctor may add medications, vitamins and other nutrients to maintain and even enhance the positive effects of the infusions and treat any unpleasant sensations should they occur. The type and number of nutrients added and how often you receive them depends on the severity of your symptoms, other medications you are on currently, and your response to the treatment. After completion of the initial series of infusions, you will likely need maintenance infusions. This will vary from patient to patient but may be tapered to once every several weeks to several months or longer depending on how you respond. Our goal is to provide the fewest treatments that give you the best results. If you want to learn more about ketamine IV infusion therapy, call or complete our online form to book a consultation.