Low-Dose Ketamine for ADHD Management: What to Expect

More than 8% of adults suffer from ADHD during their lives, with symptoms that can interfere with work, relationships, and their overall quality of life. If you’re one of the millions of adults trying to manage ADHD symptoms, you know how difficult it can be to find a treatment that offers consistent, long-term, meaningful results without unpleasant side effects.

The good news: In recent years, researchers have explored new treatment options using cutting-edge therapies focused on improving brain functions that underlie ADHD and its symptoms. Among those therapies, ketamine infusion has shown significant promise.

At Revival Infusion Madison, Sarah Wilczewski, CRNA, APNP, offers ketamine infusions with personalized dosing focused on helping ADHD patients manage their symptoms without relying on long-term use of medications. Here, learn how low-dose ketamine could help you lead a more productive, more enjoyable life.

Ketamine for ADHD management

Originally used as a potent anesthetic, ketamine gained renewed interest in recent years as a therapy for mental health disorders, including treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While many medications used for these disorders target serotonin and its receptors, ketamine targets glutamate, a neurotransmitter chemical produced by the brain that plays a major role in mood and behavior.

Ketamine also affects the brain in different ways, supporting improved nerve-to-nerve communication and supporting neuroplasticity — the ability for your brain to adapt, grow, and reorganize in response to the environment and other types of stimulation.

Combined, these effects help your brain manage the inattentive, impulsive, and hyperactive behaviors that are the hallmarks of ADHD. They also help your brain “organize” thought processes, reducing feelings of confusion or “muddled” thought patterns while promoting clearer, more focused thinking.

At the same time, ketamine therapy also helps patients manage symptoms of depression and anxiety that often accompany an ADHD diagnosis. These effects help patients perform better at work, in school, and in social and family situations.

How infusion therapy works

Ketamine is a medical therapy, and like any medication, it’s administered in specific doses. For ADHD management, those doses are far lower than the doses used to achieve anesthesia during surgical procedures.

Prior to administering any infusion, we perform an exam and review your symptoms, paying attention to symptoms that meet the current medical criteria for ADHD diagnosis. We also review previous treatments you may have tried, including both stimulant and nonstimulant medications.

Once we have a complete “picture” of your ADHD history, we develop a treatment plan to help you manage your ADHD symptoms effectively. 

Your infusion session

Infusions typically take under an hour, and they can be repeated as needed to keep your symptoms under control. The ketamine solution is administered via an IV needle placed in your arm. We monitor you throughout your therapy, so you can enjoy complete peace of mind.

Ketamine can make you feel drowsy, and it’s not unusual to nap during therapy. You may feel slightly light-headed or “floaty,” and you’ll need someone to drive you home afterward. Many patients feel improvements in their symptoms very soon after their infusion. Ongoing treatments help maintain those results indefinitely.

Afterward, you’ll need to avoid driving or operating other machinery while the drowsy effects of ketamine subside. In fact, it’s a good idea to set aside some time for a relaxing nap or rest period for a few hours after your session before resuming other activities.

Learn more about ketamine for ADHD

Managing ADHD can be challenging, especially when medications offer inadequate relief or when ADHD is accompanied by depression or anxiety. Ketamine offers a safe, effective solution for many people suffering from ADHD. 

To learn more about ketamine therapy and to find out if it’s a good choice for you, call 608-405-6824 or book an appointment online with the team at Revival Infusion Madison in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, today.