Product Description
Located in the Arizona State University Research Park in Tempe, Arizona Ketamine Treatment and Research Institute (AKTARI) was founded in 2016. It’s goal is to provide accessible, high-quality ketamine treatment devoid of stigma.
With an active on-site research program, AKTARI also aims to cultivate ties to the clinical and medical research communities and educate important players, such as mental health providers and primary care doctors, about the value of ketamine as a safe and effective treatment.
Unlike other ketamine clinics that are run by only one of two medical specialists, AKTARI has both a Board-Certified MD Psychiatrist and a Board-Certified MD Anesthesiologist on staff: Dr. Lauro Patino and Dr. Mathew Crooks, respectively.
Meet the entire team here.
What types of ketamine services does The Arizona Ketamine Treatment and Research Institute offer?
– Low-dose IV ketamine infusion therapy
What conditions does The Arizona Ketamine Treatment and Research Institute treat?
- Depression
- Chronic Anxiety
- Bipolar Disorder
- Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD)
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Tinnitus
- Alcohol & Drug Addiction
- Chronic pain syndromes
Also Read: This is how ketamine affects neurotransmitters in the brain
Important Info:
- A referral might not be necessary
- Private rooms
- “Welcome packet” with important information and forms available here
What to Expect at Arizona Ketamine Treatment and Research Institute
Pre-Appointment
After contacting AKTARI, a staff member will send you registration forms and a symptom survey, in addition to requesting access to past medical records. The staff member will then schedule a screening appointment with Dr. Patino to determine how effective ketamine therapy will be on you. Dr. Crooks will also meet with you to calculate your most effective dose of ketamine. If at this point you qualify for treatment, AKTARI will schedule an infusion appointment.
You are allowed to skip the screening visit if you are referred by a psychiatrist. You can then start immediate treatment.
The Appointment
Don’t eat for four hours before your treatment. You can consume clear liquids up to two hours prior.
Plan on wearing comfortable clothing and having someone to drive you home.
After going over consents, asking the doctors any questions you might have and completing a questionnaire describing how you’re feeling, the medical staff will check your vital signs and start an IV.
At this point, you’ll be reclining in a chair or lying in a bed with EKG and blood pressure monitors applied. The ketamine will be added to your IV and infused over 45 minutes. Patients typically read, watch a movie, or take a nap.
Finlly, a nurse will remove your IV and you’ll be able to book your next ketamine treatment session.
Post-Appointment
Arizona Ketamine Treatment and Research Institute will call you the day after your first infusion to evaluate your response.
You may experience dramatic and instant improvement in your symptoms, but most patients typically notice a more gradual change.
Arizona Ketamine Treatment and Research Institute – Who is Ketamine Treatment for?
Ketamine has a bit of stigma and baggage given its history. While you may think of it as a “party drug” from the 1990s, there is a growing amount of research that says it has some positive potential. The more research our major institutions conduct, the less stigma there will be around these drugs. And if they can help people with drug-resistant depression, anxiety, PTSD etc, then why wouldn’t we put these to use in proper, clinical settings?
Is Ketamine Legal?
This is primarily due to it’s stigma as a party drug. The truth is yes, ketamine is legal. In fact, it is only a Schedule III drug by the DEA. This puts it on the same level as Tylenol and codeine. So don’t let the baggage of this drug stop you from learning more about it. As always, ask your doctor if ketamine therapy is right for you.
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