We all try to do something special for Valentine’s Day. I am not at all a flower person, and I don’t like getting chocolates. When I need or want something, I go and get it. However, I do enjoy new experiences and exploring things that I feel will benefit me.
So this year, I scheduled IV ketamine treatments for my husband and me on different days. It is used for treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and for what many describe as rebooting or resetting the brain. Because you cannot drive afterward due to the sedative effects, I arranged the appointments so I could drive my husband one day and he could drive me the other.
I cannot speak for my husband, as that is his experience to share. But I can say that for me, it was a liberating experience. A part of me still wonders whether it could be a placebo effect. I went into the therapy nervous. I had been on YouTube the entire night before, listening to other people’s experiences. I also learned that it is expensive and typically not covered by insurance, which made me think this is something that deserves more research and perhaps broader FDA approval so insurance could cover it.
My anxiety was high beforehand. However, the provider I chose was informative and reassuring. I was told that the journey would be mine, and that I simply needed to allow it.
What helped me most was choosing music that was new to me and holding my husband’s hand during the IV treatment. At first, I did not even feel it start. I had noise-canceling headphones and an eye mask on. I had read that some celebrities use ketamine therapy, though of course I am not a celebrity and cannot afford frequent sessions. I had heard that Matthew Perry and Trevor Noah had spoken about it, which made me curious.
The experience itself truly felt like my own. I found myself imagining colors in black and white. It is difficult to describe. I felt as if I were floating on a very comfortable bed, with no sense of time. Even when I tried to focus on things that usually worry me, I simply could not concentrate on them. It felt almost like being inside a video game, where things were building and dissolving in a calming way.
I said some goofy things to my husband and kept squeezing his hand to make sure he was there. I felt like he was part of the experience with me. I remember telling him that I loved him more than I typically say in daily life. He later shared that I had wished him a happy anniversary and a happy Valentine’s Day during the session.
The after-effects were somewhat uncomfortable because I felt nauseous, which I did not enjoy. For the next treatment, they plan to include Zofran in the IV. They gave me an IM injection of Zofran afterward, which helped. I was a bit sleepy in the car ride home. Once home, I had chai, which in hindsight was not the best choice because I felt wired but tired. I experienced restless legs that night. I read that this can happen as the brain adjusts after treatment. I avoided taking anything additional to help me sleep, except for magnesium glycinate, which my doctor had recommended. It helped a little.
Overall, I still feel less stressed. I am planning to do it again, though I am not sure when. I enjoyed the experience. I am not recommending it without consulting a physician, but if a doctor recommends it and it is financially feasible, I believe it can be worth trying. I do wish it were more accessible, as insurance typically does not cover it.