Virginia Infusion Therapies is proud to announce the opening of the only Ketamine infusion therapy center in Loudoun County, Virginia. This Ketamine center was established to treat patients with major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and various pain conditions using Ketamine infusion therapy.
Ketamine has been shown to rapidly improve the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety in up to 70% of patients. Because the benefits of Ketamine infusions are often immediate, it is increasingly being seen as key to the comprehensive treatment of severe depression
Ketamine Infusion Therapy has been shown to help up to 70% of patients with Major Depression or Chronic Pain
Virginia Infusion Therapies is the flagship for 4 doctors who see Ketamine Infusion as the next and most effective treatment for major depression. Dr. Jay Kugler D.O., who is the founding member of the group and an emergency room physician in Loudoun County. He has lived in Loudoun for over 15 years and calls Loudoun his home along with his wife and 3 children.
Ketamine has been shown to improve the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety in up to 70 percent of patients
As an emergency room physician, he identified the critical need for better therapies to treat major depression rapidly and for long term. He states, “traditional treatments for depression, including pills, and talk therapy/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are often ineffective or far too slow to be helpful in the treatment of major depression and acute episodes of severe depression.” He also adds, “Ketamine Infusion Therapy has the ability to help patients quickly and with less long term side effects.”
How was Ketamine discovered as a treatment for depression?
Ketamine infusion therapy was recently written up by the Washington Post. In their article, they discuss the history of ketamine as a recreational drug and how it evolved as a treatment option for depression. Dr. Pranav Virmani, another one of the founders of Virginia Infusion Therapies describes, “Ketamine is commonly used in the operating room to put patients to sleep and is also used frequently in the emergency room to sedate patients for minor procedures, such as resetting broken bones.” He continues, ”It was from similar experiences many years ago, that Ketamine was found to help patients with severe depression and pain. Patients who had received Ketamine as an anesthetic found that depression and pain had significantly improved after the Ketamine infusions.” Further studies of infusions with Ketamine is revieling this to be a safe adjunct for chronic depression and pain. And that Ketamine can significantly improve symptoms and help sufferers get back to the life they want to live.
Studies show that 13 million to 14 million Americans suffer from major depression. Of those who seek treatment, a large number will continue to complain of significant depressive symptoms, as standard therapies often fail to provide enough relief to consider them a success. This puts many of these patients at greater risk for drug and alcohol abuse, which can lead to suicidal thoughts and frequent hospital visits. Dr. Virmani says, “There is growing body of research showing that Ketamine infusion therapy can offer significant relief for severely depressed patients.” “Intravenous Ketamine appears to be miracle for some patients, who have exhausted traditional treatments”
What treatment options are available for patients with major depression and suicidal thoughts?
For those who have tried and failed standard therapy for depression, anxiety, chronic pain or related conditions (including suicidal thoughts), Loudoun County has few rapidly effective treatment options outside the hospital setting. If someone is actively suicidal, they should call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Room for potential inpatient services. Patients in crisis, who feel unsafe, usually benefit from close short-term observation in an acute mental health facility. However, this is only helpful during the acute crisis, when a person is unsafe to go home. But, for those not admitted or are released after a short stay, in the hospital, Ketamine infusion therapy can bridge the gap and help patients recover rapidly.
The benefits of ketamine infusion for depression and pain can be immediate in a large fraction of patients. This quality of ketamine infusion is ideal for patients who may be in crisis
When a patient suffers from severe depression and is having suicidal thoughts, this crises will affect the entire family. Patients and their loved ones realize, even with an admission to an acute care facility, the severe depression and suicidal thoughts often continue. And, when the patient is released from the hospital, there is usually a gap in time, before they have adequate relief of their severe depressive symptoms and control of their suicidal thoughts. We call this the “Treatment Gap.”
Dr. Marwan Jaber, another founding member Virginia Infusion Therapies states, “As an emergency medicine physician, I often see the revolving door of patients with severe depression, who have to come back to the Emergency Room again and again. They need rapid effective treatment of their depression, but find traditional therapy to be often too slow and incomplete. Northern Virginia in general and Loudoun County in particular is missing this important therapy option. This is why I felt it was imperative to design a Ketamine infusion center, that serves the Northern Virginia community.” Dr Jaber continues, “With ketamine infusion therapy, we can treat these patients and avoid the “Treatment Gap”. We can often give the immediate relief necessary, while patients wait for traditional therapies to work.”
Dr Jaber goes on to say, “Standard therapy for depression often include antidepressant medications and cognitive therapy. Additional antipsychotic medications may be added to control severe depressive symptoms and anxiety. At best, these medications take weeks to work and at worst, they can have severe side effects including weight gain, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction. Talk therapy including CBT modifications can potentially help patients cope, but scheduling often takes weeks and does not address the chemical imbalance seen in major depression. This is where Ketamine therapy shines. Ketamine infusion offers many patients immediate relief for up to 70% of patients who try it.”
How can I make an appointment to see about Ketamine for my depression?
Virginia Infusions Therapies opened their doors in August, 2018. The office is located in Lansdowne, Virginia near INOVA Loudoun Hospital. Out of state patients can stay at the Lansdowne Resort which is also conveniently located within 2 miles of Virginia Infusion Therapies.
Appointments can be made by calling Virginia Infusion Therapies directly at 571-577-9048, visiting us at VirginiaInfusionTherapies.com, email at info@VirginiaInfusion.com or filling our contact form.
Our team of board-certified physicians have over 50 years of combined experience in the use of this exciting medication.
Who are the doctors at Virginia Infusion Therapies?
Virginia Infusion Therapies was founded by four prominent physicians who practice medicine in Loudoun, Virginia. Three of the your physicians, Drs. Jay Kugler, Marwan Jaber, and Pranav Virmani are emergency room physicians and use Ketamine in the emergency room regularly. They have all personally seen the benefits of Ketamine for pain and depression first hand. Their fourth partner is a plastic surgeon who established the Aesthetica Cosmetic Surgery and Laser Center. Dr. Phillip Chang has an immediate family member that suffers from severe depression and jumped on the invitation to join his colleagues in their effort to bring Ketamine Infusions to Loudoun County. He saw the need help to the thousands of patients in his community that suffer from severe depression and chronic pain.
Your doctors are all highly qualified and respected physicians who live locally in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties and understand the community and its needs. As Emergency Physicians, Drs Kugler, Jaber and Virmani see every day how devastating it can be to have mood disorders and chronic pain. Collectively, they state, ” the availability of having Ketamine infusion therapy is long overdue in Loudoun County.
