Ketamine Frequently Asked Questions

Ketamine can be used for a variety of mental health conditions. The current evidence is strongest for individuals suffering from treatment resistant depression, defined as someone who has failed to have improvement in their symptoms after a course of antidepressants. There is also good evidence for ketamine in the treatment of the depressive phase of bipolar depression.

There is early evidence that ketamine might be helpful for other condition such as: Anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, alcohol use disorder, social anxiety, chronic pain conditions, and suicidal ideation.

The best way to know if ketamine is right for you is to schedule an initial consultation. This consultation is free of charge and allows you to review in depth your personal medical history in depth with Dr. Bianchi. During this appointment, he will be able to provide you with a personalized interpretation of the evidence for ketamine treatment to manage your personal symptoms, and discuss available treatment options.

Ketamine is a very safe medication and is typically well tolerated. The most common side effects are mild nausea and anxiety. These side effects can be managed with appropriate treatment preparation as well as with as needed medications during your infusion.

No referral is needed to work with Maverick Medicine, however we are very selective in which patients we can work with. A consultation and medical examination is required to ensure that ketamine treatment is appropriate and safe for each individual patient.

Maverick Medicine requires that you have a primary care physician and/or a mental health provider prior to starting treatments. We will be in close contact with this provider as needed throughout your care.

If you are looking to connect to a mental health counselor, Maverick Medicine has a network of carefully selected social workers and clinical psychologists that are skilled in caring for patients receiving ketamine treatment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA modified the rules regarding the prescription of controlled substances. Several companies have recently started treating patients over telehealth platforms with an oral version of ketamine. Not only is this approach not supported by any scientific evidence, there have been several reports of many patients having adverse reactions when taking ketamine at home. Dr. Bianchi feels that the safest and most responsible way to treat patients with ketamine is in an individualized and in person setting.

We are committed to treating all patients who would benefit from ketamine infusions. Please contact us directly if you are experiencing financial hardship so that we can work together to create a reasonable and affordable payment plan.

At this time, some insurance providers do pay for ketamine infusions. Maverick Medicine provides patients with their medical bill and provides resources to help patients submit to their insurance company for reimbursement. We are deeply committed to the treatment of our military and veteran patients; if you are unable to afford treatment, we are willing to work with you on a case by case basis so that you have affordable access to ketamine treatments.