FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

KetaMD is a HIPAA-compliant telemedicine platform that provides affordable and life-changing at-home medical ketamine treatments. Prescribed by licensed clinicians with treatments guided by nurses, KetaMD provides a safe and effective alternative for the millions of adults that currently rely on conventional mental health treatments to relieve depression and related mental health disorders. 

Our mission is to make this groundbreaking treatment safely accessible to those who need it. 

Through KetaMD’s network of medical professionals, adults who receive a qualifying diagnosis from one of our licensed medical prescribers may participate in our fully-virtual program.

KetaMD is currently available in Florida.  Our expansion plans include those states in the U.S. who allow telemedicine prescribing of ketamine and we are moving quickly to make KetaMD legally accessible to those who need it across the United States.

You’ll complete a comprehensive health assessment to determine if you’re a candidate for KetaMD.  Next, you’ll schedule a consultation with a KetaMD medical provider. Your provider will review your health assessment with you, understand current and previous diagnoses, answer your questions and make a final determination as to whether KetaMD is right for you.  If so, your provider will review your recommended treatment plan and you’ll be ready to decide to move forward.

You’ll start with an initial treatment which will allow you to experience a ketamine treatment and help your Care Team establish a baseline for your ketamine dosage.  Your medication will be shipped to you with your signature required for delivery, and you’ll schedule your first treatment session, virtually led by a certified Nurse Guide through our secure, easy-to-use KetaMD app. 

Upon completing your initial session, you’ll be ready to move forward with the KetaMD treatment plan recommended by your medical provider.  Our plans include up to six treatment sessions, typically completed within 4-6 weeks, depending on your plan.  You’ll be supported along the way with a dedicated Care Concierge and tools and information available from the KetaMD app.  We also make available one-on-one integration coaching that may enhance the benefits and results of your program.

For a large majority of those undergoing ketamine treatment for depression, over time, those symptoms may start to return.  Our booster program provides for periodic treatments to keep you on track.

Below are the 503a compounding pharmacies we work with in each state. All clients have the option of using their own compounding pharmacy, rather than KetaMD’s, which can be indicated during the intake process.

Florida
Seven Cells Pharmacy
600 SE Indian Street
Suite 3
Stuart, FL 34997

You can get started by answering a few questions to determine if you’re eligible to apply for our program.  If you are eligible, you’ll want to download the KetaMD app and complete your health questionnaire to further evaluate your eligibility for treatment.  If you are eligible, your next step is a virtual consultation with a KetaMD medical provider who will make a final determination as to whether the KetaMD program is right for you. 

For the fastest response, you can reach us at contact@ketamd.com. You may also call us at 855-939-5382. If you’re reaching out as a client, your best option is to use the chat feature in your KetaMD app.

Ketamine was first developed as a powerful anesthetic and rapid pain reliever.  Research in the last two decades indicates it may be the biggest breakthrough in depression treatment in some fifty years. Hundreds of clinics around the world are now administering ketamine through intravenous infusions or intranasal spray, which require a series of treatments at an in-person clinic for success. KetaMD’s program allow oral ketamine treatment at a more affordable cost than the clinic-based treatments, safely administered and medically supervised virtually.

Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic drug that has been found in experimental studies to rapidly alleviate symptoms of depression, including treatment-resistant depression, and other mental health disorders.  Mounting evidence suggests ketamine administration produces a surge in glutamate neurotransmission in the brains of people with major depressive disorder.  

Traditional antidepressants, or SSRIs, target the neurotransmitter serotonin.  For some of us, SSRIs can produce little to no improvement, may have debilitating side effects and can take weeks to months before benefits are felt.  

Ketamine works differently than SSRIs, targeting glutamate, a major excitatory neurotransmitter responsible for activating different neurons in your brain.  For those suffering from depression, often the activation pathways have become out of place and are prone towards activating the brain networks that lead to negative thought patterns, feelings of exhaustion, feelings of amotivation and preventing you from experiencing joy.

Research has shown ketamine not only shuts down those pathways, it also helps by turning up the more positive neural networks by increasing the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, and helps you to finally experience those emotions of joy and positivity.

It is estimated that 30% – 40% of us fail to achieve recovery with SSRIs, in which case, ketamine can be a very effective option.

Ketamine can be used to treat depression, treatment resistant depression, postpartum depression, acute PTSD, complex PTSD (CPTSD), comorbid PTSD, alcohol addiction, drug addiction, anxiety mood disorder, bipolar mood disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, neuropathic pain, migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, burnout and more.

Side effects to ketamine are typically temporary, occurring during the treatment itself and include both physical and psychological side effects including dissociation (feeling disoriented, with an altered sense of time, space, distorted colors), nausea, elevated blood pressure or heart rate, blurred vision, anxiety or restlessness and increased eye pressure.  These side effects often resolve within 30 minutes of completing the treatment.  Immediately after your treatment, you may feel dizzy or sedated. The following day, some experience mild headaches, or feel a bit out of sorts or fatigued, though for many, they feel quite well and are able to do things they weren’t able to do before as the antidepressant effects start to kick in.

Your medical provider will review the side effects with you and share information about what you can do to manage any adverse side effects.

No addiction issues have arisen in the many studies investigating ketamine for use in depression, and no issues have arisen in the many decades that ketamine has been used for anesthesia.

While the experience is different for every person, many describe it as a peaceful experience where they feel fully immersed in the present moment, with a clear mind and deep relaxation. It is often described as a journey through one’s own mind, where you may encounter beautiful visuals and can access difficult areas of your life from a new angle. The majority of people say they are simultaneously fully aware and fully enveloped in the experience. You may have the sensation of floating outside your body, leaving your habitual state of mind behind, and opening yourself to new possibilities. After the treatment, you may feel calm and present, and should be able to resume normal activity within one hour. With each treatment, people widely report new levels of clarity, energy, joy, and peace, with increasing results in the following days and weeks.

Some people focus on the dissociative effects of ketamine and believe that is the active ingredient in causing antidepressant effects.  They may even become frustrated if dissociative effects are not happening every time.  There has been very good research showing that antidepressant effects are not dependent on dissociative effects, meaning with mild dissociation or none at all, the ketamine is still working in your brain to have the antidepressant effects. The dissociation is a part of the treatment in having a therapeutic dissociative experience in that you can reflect on making some gains in the psychology and in understanding yourself, but this is not the most active ingredient.  Do not become too focused on the degree of dissociation that you are experiencing.  Consider it a side effect rather than primary effect.

To the extent you can, you should give yourself at least one to two hours prior to your treatment to prepare your mindset, focus your intentions and ground yourself with a walk, breathing techniques or meditation for an optimal experience.

You’ll want to set aside about two hours for your first treatment, to allow time to taking your blood pressure reading, ensure your technology is working correctly and preparation with nurse before you begin.  Once the ketamine troche is placed under your tongue, you’ll start to feel the effects within 5-10 minutes and the peak experience will last approximately 45 minutes.  You’ll want to allow a minimum of 30 minutes and up to two hours after your treatment to relax, journal and reflect on your experience.

As a client, you will receive preparation instructions and a number of tools and tips to help you make the most of your treatment by preparing.  Preparation consists of preparing yourself, preparing your technology and preparing your space.

While everyone’s experience is unique to them, you’ll likely return to your ordinary level of awareness within two hours following your treatment.  Depending on how you metabolize the medicine, that could be shorter or longer, and in some cases mild side effects may persist until you’ve had a full night of sleep.

Again, each person is different.  Ketamine has been known to provide rapid results – many feel the positive effects of the medicine within 24 hours following treatment.  Upon completion of a series of treatments, some may not feel a need for additional treatments, though, for a large majority of people, it would be a matter of time for depressive symptoms to return.  Our general approach is to reduce the frequency of treatments until we find the right frequency for you with less than a 30% return of depressive treatments.

Ketamine has a remarkable safety profile in a variety of medical applications and is considered safe only when used in a clinical setting under the supervision of medical professionals.  When used with the correct dosage under the care of a clinician, ketamine has shown to be safe and well-tolerated.  As with any medication, it’s important that you are well-informed about the risks, benefits, alternatives, contraindications, and possible side effects, to determine if the treatment is suitable for you.

Use of ketamine outside of a clinical setting is illegal and we strongly advise against any recreational use of ketamine.  Due to the uncertainty and variability with non-medically prescribed ketamine, particularly among recreational users who consume at higher doses and higher frequencies, long-term damage to the body can occur.  For this reason ketamine is regulated and must only be used under the care of a medical professional.

At KetaMD, safety is our number one priority.  We are committed to making this treatment more accessible to those who need it while creating a structured process and high standard of care for the administration of our treatments.

Ketamine is an FDA-approved medicine that has been used for anesthesia and analgesia (pain relief) in adults and children for over 50 years and has been listed on the World Health Organization’s Essential Medicines List since 1985.  

Ketamine is only legal when medically prescribed by a licensed clinician who has the authority and expertise to support its effective use for mental health treatment.  Any other use of ketamine, other than in a clinically-prescribed setting, is illegal.

There has been extensive research into the potential use of ketamine as a treatment for depressive disorders, with evidence-based research supporting ketamine’s efficacy with treatment-resistant depression and other mental health conditions. 

When a medication is prescribed for a use other than what it was originally approved for, it’s known as off-label prescribing.  This practice is legal and common, and it’s estimated that one in five prescriptions written today are for off-label use.  Since ketamine hasn’t been approved by the FDA specifically for the treatment of depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, it is prescribed off-label.

Each of our programs include:

• Medical consultation with a licensed clinician
• Shipped medication
• Welcome Kit including blood pressure monitor and eye mask
• All treatments monitored by a KetaMD Certified Nurse Guide
• A dedicated Care Concierge to support you through your program
• Preparation and post-treatment resources and support

The cost of our initial treatment is $249.  Our standard package includes six nurse-guided treatments for a total cost of $1,299.  We have two- and four-session packages that may be available to you as well.

Since ketamine is prescribed off-label for mental health conditions, many insurance companies don’t cover it.  Some may consider out-of-network reimbursement.  You may also be able to use a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to pay for your ketamine treatment.  Check with your health insurance provider before beginning treatment to understand your options. 

You may receive a full refund if you cancel before your initial medical consultation and provide at least 24 hours’ notice before your scheduled appointment.  You may be charged a cancelation fee if you cancel with less than 24 hours before your scheduled appointment.

You will receive a full refund if you complete your initial consultation, and your medical provider determines you are not a candidate for at-home ketamine treatment.  Your refund will be processed immediately, and you’ll receive your refund back to your original form of payment typically within 2-7 days.

We are not able to accept returns for prescribed medication that have been shipped to you.   If you purchased a package and your medications have not yet shipped, you may choose to cancel your package and receive a refund of your package price, less a $150 cancelation fee.  Once your medications have shipped, you will not be eligible for a refund.

Please contact help@ketamd.com with any questions about our refund policy.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, we ask that you provide 24 hours’ notice before your scheduled appointment time to avoid a cancellation fee.