The Phone Consult (free, ~15 minutes)

You call us or book online. A clinical team member will:

• Ask about your symptoms and treatment history
• Explain how ketamine therapy works at Hydrate
• Confirm whether you are a likely candidate
• Schedule your in-clinic medical evaluation

No pressure to commit. The phone consult is the lowest-cost way to get your real questions answered.

Medical Evaluation

This is a separate appointment, typically 60 minutes, at our Asheville clinic. A licensed clinician will:

• Review your medical history, current medications, and mental health history
• Discuss your prior treatments and what has and has not worked
• Explain the protocol they recommend (infusion or KAP, single session or series)
• Walk you through the experience, side effects, and aftercare
• Screen for contraindications

If you are cleared for treatment, you and your clinician set a treatment plan together. You can start the first session that day in some cases, or schedule for a later date.

Bring:

• Photo ID
• A list of current medications
• Prior treatment records if available
• Your insurance card (for HSA/FSA documentation, not because we bill insurance)

The Day of Your First Session

Plan for 1.5 to 2 hours at the clinic.

Before you arrive:

• Eat a light meal 1 to 2 hours before
• Drink plenty of water
• Wear comfortable clothes
• Arrange a ride home (you cannot drive after)
• Stop any medications your clinician told you to pause (typically benzodiazepines)

At the clinic:

• Check in at the front desk
• A nurse takes vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation)
• You settle into a private treatment room with a reclining chair
• The IV is started (small needle, similar to a routine blood draw)
• The infusion begins at a controlled rate

During the infusion:

• 40 to 60 minutes of active infusion
• You will feel effects within 5 to 15 minutes
• Most patients experience dissociation: a sense of being separated from one’s body, altered perception of time, mild visual changes
• A nurse is present or close by throughout. You can pause or stop at any time.
• You can listen to music or sit in silence. Some patients prefer eye covers.

After the infusion:

• 30 minutes of recovery time in a quiet space
• The dissociative effects fade within an hour
• Your nurse re-checks vital signs and clears you to leave
• Your driver takes you home

The First 24 Hours

Plan to rest. Most patients describe the day after a ketamine session as:

• Mildly tired or “stretchy” in the morning
• Notably calm
• Sometimes clearer in mood by the evening

You can return to normal activity the next day. Avoid heavy lifting, intense workouts, and major decisions for 24 hours.

The Treatment Series

Most patients begin with 4 to 6 sessions over 2 to 3 weeks. Each session builds on the prior one. By session 3 or 4, many patients begin to notice changes in mood, sleep, or symptom intensity.

We check in between sessions. If something is not working, we adjust.

Maintenance

After the initial series, your clinician will recommend a maintenance schedule based on your response. Common patterns:

• Every 2 weeks (for patients with intensive symptom return)
• Every 4 to 6 weeks (most common)
• Every 8 to 12 weeks (for stable responders)

Some patients eventually taper off treatment. Some maintain dosing indefinitely. Both are reasonable paths based on clinical response.