Preparing for a ketamine infusion appointment often begins with practical questions. What should you bring? Can you drive yourself home? Which medications need to be discussed? These details may seem small, especially when you have spent a long time focused on symptoms, but they help create a visit that feels steadier and more manageable.
At Initia Nova, we approach preparation as part of care itself. A ketamine infusion is not simply an appointment to fit between other obligations. It is a medically supervised experience that calls for honest conversation, a clear plan for the day, and room afterward to rest. Our ketamine infusion therapy appointments in Wilmington are planned with those needs in mind.
Ketamine has a long history in anesthetic medicine, including intravenous anesthetic practice (intravenous anesthesia literature (Sneyd, 2004)). Its psychiatric uses are off-label. Whether ketamine infusion therapy is appropriate depends on your medical history, psychiatric history, current medications, and treatment goals. An evaluation helps us consider the whole picture.
Begin with an open clinical conversation
Before an infusion, we will want to understand what has brought you to this point. That includes your symptoms, previous care, current supports, and the questions that remain unresolved. There is no need to arrive with a perfectly organized story. Still, it can help to write down the essential parts before your consultation.
Please be ready to discuss:
Current prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, supplements, and vitamins
Medication allergies or previous reactions to anesthesia or sedation
Medical conditions, including heart, blood pressure, liver, respiratory, or neurologic concerns
Your psychiatric history, previous treatments, and any hospitalizations
Alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, or other substance use
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or plans to become pregnant
Any past experience with ketamine or other infusion treatments
Full disclosure matters. Ketamine can affect perception, awareness, blood pressure, and heart rate during an infusion. Clinical guidance for intravenous ketamine in acute and chronic pain settings emphasizes patient selection, monitoring, and clinical oversight (Schwenk et al., 2018), as well as screening for relevant medical risks (Cohen et al., 2018). Those publications address pain care rather than psychiatric ketamine treatment, but the need for careful medical evaluation and monitoring is consistent with how we approach an infusion visit. We use your information to make thoughtful decisions, not to judge you.
Medication questions deserve a direct answer
Do not stop, start, or change a medication on your own to prepare for an infusion. Bring an updated medication list, including doses and the time you typically take each medication. If possible, bring the bottles or take clear photographs of their labels.
A complete medication and substance-use review helps us determine whether an infusion can be planned safely and whether we need more information from another member of your care team. Your history may affect the instructions we give you before treatment, the monitoring we use during the visit, or whether additional clinical coordination is needed.
If another clinician prescribes your medication, let us know. We may need to coordinate care or ask you to obtain additional information. That is not a delay for its own sake. It is a way of protecting continuity and safety.
Plan for the hours before your appointment
The day of an infusion should be as unhurried as possible. Build in extra time for traffic, parking, check-in, and a few quiet minutes before treatment begins. Arriving rushed can make an already unfamiliar experience feel more intense.
We will give you specific pre-appointment instructions, including guidance about eating and drinking. Follow those instructions closely. If you are unsure about something, ask before the day of your visit rather than making an assumption.
Comfort can also help. Consider wearing loose, comfortable clothing. Bring a layer in case you tend to feel cold. You may want to leave demanding work, childcare responsibilities, major decisions, and social commitments off your schedule for the rest of the day.
For some people, preparing emotionally means keeping things simple. A familiar playlist, a calming object, or a brief intention for the day can be useful. Others prefer not to set expectations at all. Both approaches are reasonable.
You will need a safe ride home
Please arrange transportation before your appointment. You should not drive yourself home after a ketamine infusion. You should also avoid operating machinery, returning to work, making important decisions, or taking on responsibilities that require your full attention until you have recovered according to our instructions.
Choose a trusted adult who can pick you up and help you get home safely. If it feels right, you can also ask a family member or close friend to support your broader care plan. Our perspective on family and friend collaboration is grounded in the idea that support can be practical, quiet, and respectful of your privacy.
If transportation is uncertain, tell us before your visit. We can discuss the concern with you, but a safe departure plan needs to be in place.
Bring questions that matter to you
A consultation is a place for real questions. You do not need to know the clinical language. You only need to be honest about what you want to understand.
You may want to ask:
What does the infusion visit look like from arrival through discharge?
How long should I expect to be at the office?
What monitoring will occur during treatment?
What sensations or emotional changes can occur during an infusion?
What should prompt me to contact the office after I return home?
How will we evaluate whether continuing treatment makes sense?
How does this fit with my existing mental health care?
You can also review our guidance on how to get ketamine treatment before your consultation. Knowing what to ask can reduce uncertainty, but it is fine if questions arise later. Care is a conversation, not a test you must pass.
Make room for recovery after the visit
Many people focus on the infusion itself and forget to plan for what comes afterward. Give yourself permission to have a quiet evening. Arrange simple meals in advance. Ask someone to help with errands or family obligations if that would reduce pressure.
The physical and emotional experience can vary. Some patients feel tired. Some may feel reflective, unsettled, or emotionally open. It can be useful to note what you experienced, without trying to interpret every detail immediately. If you are working with a therapist, you may wish to discuss how your ongoing care and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy might be approached as separate but potentially complementary parts of your treatment plan.
Individual responses vary. We will talk with you about what you notice and what next steps, if any, are appropriate.
Safety includes knowing when to seek urgent help
A ketamine infusion appointment is not emergency care. If you are in immediate danger, have thoughts of harming yourself, or cannot stay safe, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, n.d.), call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.
Mental health concerns can be complex, and the range of mental health conditions and symptoms recognized in public health guidance reflects that complexity (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). If alcohol or other substances are part of what you are managing, confidential support and treatment resources are also available through national substance use services (SAMHSA, n.d.).
A prepared visit leaves more room to focus
Preparation cannot remove every unknown. It can, however, make the unknown feel less consuming. When we know your medical history, medications, transportation plan, and concerns in advance, we can spend more of the appointment focused on your care.
If you are considering an infusion appointment in Wilmington, DE, we invite you to begin with a conversation. Bring your questions. Bring your history as you understand it. We will meet you with care, clinical attention, and respect for the fact that seeking another option can take real courage.
The information in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Ketamine therapy and other treatments should only be pursued under the supervision of a licensed provider familiar with your full medical and psychiatric history. Individual results vary.
Works Cited
1. Sneyd JR. Recent advances in intravenous anaesthesia. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15347606/
2. Schwenk ES, et al. Consensus Guidelines on the Use of Intravenous Ketamine Infusions for Acute Pain Management From the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29870457/
3. Cohen SP, et al. Consensus Guidelines on the Use of Intravenous Ketamine Infusions for Chronic Pain From the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29870458/
4. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org/
5. National Institute of Mental Health. Health Topics. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics
6. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). https://www.samhsa.gov/
Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional.