Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles is proud to offer our patients safe and effective treatment with ketamine for bipolar depression. Bipolar depression is a mood disorder that is generally characterized by rapid and often unpredictable shifts between depression and mania. It is a mental health condition that affects an estimated 4.4% of American adults and can lead to difficulties managing moods, behaviors, relationships, and responsibilities. Ketamine for bipolar depression treatment can be useful for all four types of bipolar disorder:
- Bipolar I – One or more manic episodes, possibly preceded by a depressive episode.
- Bipolar II – One or more depressive episodes and one or more hypomanic episodes (a milder form of mania).
- Cyclothymic disorder – Two or more years (for adults) of cycling between depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes.
- Bipolar disorder due to a medical condition or substance use –Bipolar symptoms brought on by an illness such as Cushing’s Disease, or by substance use disorder.
A Revolutionary Bipolar Depression Treatment
In addition to the pharmaceuticals currently available as a bipolar depression treatment, there are many alternative treatments, such as Ketamine Infusion Therapy, that can provide substantial relief.
Conventional treatment options for bipolar depression fail to provide relief and restore balance to the lives of many sufferers. With ketamine, bipolar patients may find a reliable treatment alternative when conventional treatments have failed. We offer low-dose ketamine infusions at Ketamine Clinics LA and have found them to be especially effective for patients who are resistant to medications and other conventional forms of treatment.
Understanding Bipolar Depression
Bipolar depression, also known as bipolar disorder, is a mood disorder distinguished by alternating periods of mania and depression. Sufferers often feel extremely energized, grandiose and creative during the manic stage but then fall into a period of misery, lethargy, and hopelessness during the depressive stage.
Bipolar I vs. Bipolar II
People with this condition may have Bipolar I or Bipolar II. Sufferers of Bipolar I have longer manic phases that last at least one week, while Bipolar II sufferers have hypomanic swings that are less intense than full-blown mania and typically last less than a week. In either case, the goal of treatment is to stabilize the mood, break the cycle of mania and depression, and provide relief from suicidal thoughts.
Is Ketamine Right For Me?
The most common traditional treatment option for patients suffering from bipolar disorder is a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Many patients work with a counselor on an ongoing basis and some may participate in support groups or attend workshops and classes to educate themselves and their families about their mood disorders.
Common medications for bipolar depression include:
- Mood stabilizers such as Lithium, Tegretol, and Depakote
- Antipsychotic medications like Zyprexa or Abilify
- Antidepressants
- Antidepressant-antipsychotics like Symbyax
- Anti-anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- As an absolute last resort, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
Seeking Alternatives to Treating Bipolar Depression
For many patients, a non-medicinal treatment option like TMS therapy, which is a breakthrough treatment that uses pulses of magnetic current to enhance brain activity, is both a preferred and more effective means of treating bipolar disorder. And for those who are having success with conventional medications, medication management could offer improved stabilization of their current medication protocol and a clearer path forward for finding the most sustainable fit.
TMS therapy and medication management, both of which are offered at KCLA in addition to bipolar ketamine treatments, could enhance or replace existing treatment methods. In this way, they are key to furthering our development of how to effectively treat bipolar depression, especially over the long term.
Ketamine therapy is a viable alternative to oral pharmaceuticals and is often recommended before treatments such as TMS and ECT due to its highly effective, fast-acting, and safe outcomes with no long-term side effects. ECT can cause memory loss and may also require months of costly, continuous treatment before the patient sees results and can pose negative, long-term side effects.
A 2015 study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice reveals ketamine infusions for bipolar depression are especially effective for patients with treatment-resistant symptoms. Those who have tried conventional treatments and actively sought out help from support groups or counseling with little to no relief may benefit the most from ketamine therapy.
Ketamine infusion therapy has no long-term side effects and has been shown to help people with treatment-resistant symptoms. Please contact us to learn more about the Esketamine bipolar depression treatment protocol, as well as for information on TMS therapy and/or medication management.
Benefits of Ketamine Infusion Therapy for Bipolar Depression
Unlike antidepressants and other medications commonly prescribed for bipolar patients, ketamine for bipolar depression can provide significant relief in as little as a few hours to a few days. Many patients feel relief from their depressive symptoms in just one or two days after their second infusion, without the unpleasant side effects that are common among conventional antidepressants.
Try Ketamine Treatment for Bipolar Depression Today
If you or a loved one is suffering from bipolar depression, consider the benefits of ketamine therapy as a bipolar treatment. Los Angeles-based Ketamine Clinics of LA offers safe and effective Ketamine Infusion Therapy, with a commitment to impeccable, professional, and compassionate care.
Complete our free depression assessment or contact Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles to learn more about the benefits of ketamine therapy for mood disorders.
OUR LATEST REVIEWS
Lauren – Mother of PTSD and depression patient
I saw my son once again.
Although all the medical treatment Matt has received was valuable in some way, the only time in 16 years I saw the person who is my son once again quietly emerge, was after the ketamine infusions.
Allen – Engineer
My successes have been phenomenal.
I have cut down on my Effexor to 75 Mg per day. I have eliminated lithium from my regiment and haven’t needed ambien for about month now to sleep. My klonopin I’ve reduced to once every other day. The infusions really helped my depression and chronic pain in my neck. My depression has never been better and I am cutting down on my other medications with great success. Thank you, thank you Dr. Mandel!
Katharine – Registered Nurse
When I found Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles,
When I found Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles and began to research the treatment, I felt my spirits lift. I felt hope. From the moment I called their office, I knew I was in good hands. As someone who works in healthcare, I couldn’t believe how kind and attentive Dr. Mandel and his entire staff were. I know they really care about me. The treatment is the only thing in more than 30 years that has produced such rapid and dramatic improvement in my mood.
Keith – Lawyer
My doctor recommended that I try ketamine
My doctor recommended that I try ketamine at this time because he considers that there is now enough clinical information to make an informed decision about its effectiveness and side effects, and specifically recommended Dr. Mandel, who even with a glowing recommendation from someone for whom I have tremendous respect, vastly exceeded all of my expectations.
Alex – Teacher
Dr. Mandel has truly made my unlivable life, livable again.
Dr. Mandel has truly made my unlivable life, livable again. My ability to get out of bed early and or nearly right as I wake up has significantly improved. I’m able to keep up with my incredibly hectic schedule. My overall mood is high and lethargy is low. My social anxiety is at an all time low, and I haven’t had a panic attack since my first infusion.