Ketamine Infusion Therapy FAQ — What to Expect

Newport Pain Management — Ketamine Infusion Center
Reviewed and updated July 2026

Your infusion day

On your infusion day you'll arrive at the Newport Center for Special Surgery — an accredited outpatient surgical facility — and complete a brief health assessment. This assessment helps our team measure your response and tailor the dose and timing of your subsequent infusions.

You'll be taken to a private room, where we'll start a small IV in your hand or arm. We provide comfortable noise-cancelling headphones and light relaxing music — or bring your own.

During the infusion

You'll recline, relax, and close your eyes as the medicine is given slowly over 40 minutes (longer for pain disorders — see durations below), while we intermittently and unobtrusively monitor your vital signs. The first 15–20 minutes, you may notice no effects at all. Around the halfway point, most patients begin to experience sensations described as euphoria, floating, heightened perceptions, feeling disconnected, or being in a dream. You are not asleep and remain in full command of your faculties. Less commonly, patients experience some anxiety, sweating, or headache — medications can be given if these become uncomfortable.

These sensations subside within about 10–15 minutes of the infusion ending. Expect roughly 90 minutes in the clinic door-to-door for mood infusions, with minimal to no side effects by the time you leave and none between treatments.

Infusion durations by condition

Mood disorders and fibromyalgia — 40 minutes plus 20–30 minutes recovery
Neuropathic pain and refractory headaches — 2 hours plus about 45 minutes recovery
CRPS — 4 hours plus 45–60 minutes recovery

After the infusion

Mood effects can appear as soon as one hour after the infusion, but are typically noticed 4 to 24 hours afterward: perceptibly less sadness, more hope, decreased thoughts of suicide, increased calm, improved mood. For pain infusions, relief typically begins within hours. Patients commonly feel tired after an infusion; occasional nausea or a passing headache responds to anti-nausea medication or Tylenol/NSAIDs, and side effects typically last only a few hours.

The course of treatment

We begin with two infusions one to two days apart — the majority of patients notice some mood elevation or pain relief between the first and second. If effective, mood disorder and fibromyalgia patients receive four additional infusions over the next ten days (six total); pain syndrome patients receive three additional. Afterward, most patients choose, in consultation with their doctors, a maintenance program of single "booster" infusions at intervals that vary from patient to patient. Some patients achieve long-term relief from a single series; others find infusions augment their existing medications and therapies.

Common questions

Will it work for me?

Every patient is unique and results can't be guaranteed, but roughly two-thirds or more of patients with treatment-resistant mood disorders and pain syndromes experience significant relief. We customize each patient's dosage and frequency to maximize response.

How does ketamine compare to other treatments?

Typical antidepressants take weeks to months to work and carry common side effects — weight gain, sexual dysfunction, sleep disturbance, GI symptoms, fatigue, emotional blunting. For resistant depression, the traditional last resort is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT); studies have shown ketamine infusions rapidly improve symptoms even in patients with major depression who did not respond to ECT. Ketamine can also bridge the gap while newly started antidepressants take effect.

Is it safe? What are the risks?

As anesthesiologists, we administer ketamine regularly, and in a monitored setting it has a strong safety profile — but all medications carry risk. Specific risks include allergic reaction, dizziness, fatigue, exacerbation of psychosis, dysphoria, liver function changes, cystitis, headache, temporary increases in heart rate and blood pressure (which in rare cases could provoke arrhythmia, heart attack, or stroke), nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, vivid dreams or nightmares, vision and hearing changes, slurred speech, taste changes, feeling inebriated or euphoric, potential for ketamine abuse, and long-term cognitive changes.

Is it addictive?

Current studies do not demonstrate addictive potential when ketamine is administered in a controlled, monitored medical environment, though long-term effects of infusions are not fully known.

Will it trigger mania in bipolar patients?

In our practice we have not seen ketamine trigger hypomania or mania in bipolar patients; patients in a current manic phase are not treated (see conditions below).

Do I keep my current psychiatrist, therapist, or primary care provider?

Yes — this is essential. We work in concert with your providers as consultants, and this continued care is a key element of your treatment. If you don't have a referring provider, we'll help connect you with one suited to your needs; we believe a multidisciplinary team approach is important for your health, safety, and results.

Do I keep taking my current medications?

Antidepressants (SSRIs, MAOIs, tricyclics) do not interfere with ketamine — there's no need to stop them. One exception to know about: benzodiazepines may decrease ketamine's effectiveness for mood disorders, and we'll give you specific instructions about them before your infusion. Never decrease or stop a prescribed medication without consulting your prescribing physician.

Are there conditions that would disqualify me?

We review your medical history before your first infusion. Conditions that preclude treatment include uncontrolled blood pressure, unstable heart disease, intracranial mass, untreated thyroid disease, liver disease, cystitis, ongoing infection, a current manic phase of bipolar disorder, acute psychotic hallucinations or delusions, history of ketamine abuse, or ketamine allergy. We treat adults 18 and older.

Practical details

Eating: no solid food for 4 hours before your infusion; stop clear liquids 2 hours before.
Driving: arrange for someone to bring you and take you home. Avoid driving, operating machinery, risky activities, important decisions, and legal documents until the next day.
Insurance: reimbursement varies widely. Payment is due at the time of infusion; we provide full documentation for you to submit a claim, and some patients have successfully recovered a portion of their costs.
Scheduling: we aim to schedule all patients within 72 hours. Call (949) 759-8400, or ask your physician or mental health specialist for a referral. All infusions are administered in a private room at the Newport Center for Special Surgery, an accredited outpatient facility.

This page is for general education and is not a substitute for individual medical advice.