December Innerbloom Newsletter
Dec 15, 2023 1:13 pm
Innerbloom Ketamine Therapy
December 2023
🎅🏻 Tis the Season to Be Jolly
While there's no snow likely in sight here on the Central Coast during the holiday season, the forecast predicts a pleasant, sunny day for the 25th. Rumor has it that Santa is snowbirding in Avila, so essentially, we're one of his first stops in delivering the goods!
Well, That's a Wrap: As the year comes to a close, we reflect on Innerbloom's impact in the SLO community:
- Number of infusions: 735
- Patients helped: 142
- Response rate: 82%
- Patients returning for a booster: 14%
- Number of treats given to Eli: "Not enough," says Eli
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🔬 Science Update
Protocols for MDMA and psilocybin, upon legalization for therapeutic use, are likely to include a contraindication for concurrent dosing with many, if not most, antidepressants. This implies that most patients must endure a medication taper and washout period spanning weeks to months before considering psychedelic therapy.
Discontinuing an antidepressant may not be feasible for some, considering the risk of rebound effects and neurotransmitter imbalances resulting from years of neuromodulation.
The unique aspect of ketamine is its minimal impact on the chemicals targeted by psychiatric meds (dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine), eliminating the need for a taper or washout period. This means that patients on antidepressants can safely continue their use while undergoing ketamine therapy.
New Data on Reopening Critical Periods for Social Reward Learning
Last week, Jayne Gumpel LCSW and Carl Spitzer MD hosted Gül Dölen MD PhD for a virtual session with Big Tent Ketamine or BTK, a Google Group discussion board with over 3,000 licensed medical and mental health professionals (and aspiring interns and students) who exchange advice, ideas, training opportunities, and support in the spirit of advancing ketamine therapy.
Throughout the engaging Zoom meeting, Dr Dölen introduced findings from her research on critical learning periods and the implications for psychedelic-assisted therapy including ketamine therapy. Like past guest lectures hosted by BTK, this was a special opportunity to get a close look into the minds of one of the most prominent researchers of psychedelics.
While the format was an open Q&A dialogue, Dr Dölen went into lots of detail how psychedelic compounds like ketamine can reopen critical periods for social reward learning. Interestingly as illustrated in the excerpt below, they found that the acute subjective effects for various psychedelics in humans is proportional to the duration of the critical periods for the same psychedelics in mice.
This could have major implications for how psychedelic-assisted therapy protocols are designed including ketamine therapy. Be sure to read the latest publication from May 2023 in Nature and checkout the 2-hour interview on YouTube.
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📣 New Offering - Group Ketamine Therapy
In an effort to increase access to this transformative medicine and foster a community-based healing opportunity, I plan to start offering small group ketamine therapy sessions.
Details include:
- Ketamine administered via the intramuscular route.
- Limited to six individuals who have undergone the Innerbloom process or have experience with ketamine in the therapeutic setting.
- A 2.5-hour session comprises 45 minutes of preparation, a 40-minute medicine journey, and a 60-minute integration.
- Fees will be based on a sliding scale.
Participants will be hand-selected on a case-by-case basis. Please respond to this email if this sparks your interest and for further details.
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📍 Events
1️⃣ Join me as I participate and speak at A Satellite of Love on March 2nd, alongside other community members, to discuss the significance of emotions, intentions, and actions in the pursuit of a happy life. The format will be a panel discussion, during which I intend to share the story of why I left the hospital just over a year ago, undergoing a dramatic career shift from a general and trauma surgeon to establishing my ketamine infusion clinic.
2️⃣ Innerbloom is planning to host Jobie, a local nutritionist, for an educational evening on nutritional wisdom and advice for healthy living. Jobie, with a master's degree in clinical psychology, has studied a multitude of dietary theories and practical lifestyle coaching methods. She specializes in assisting individuals with autoimmune issues, including Celiac disease, food allergies, and other challenging health conditions
Please reply to this email to express your interest in attending. Your response will help us plan and ensure that this is a special event
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📝 Read
- Insights from the 2023 ASKP3 Conference in Austin - My highlights from last weekend's conference, featuring talks by industry leaders, insights on Ketamine vs. ECT, and innovative approaches such as microdosing ketamine. I also discuss concerns, including the absence of key figures and the pressing need for standardized guidelines.
- Ketamine: Catalyst for Change in Mental Health Care and Real-World Applications - Dr. Scott Shannon's insights on ketamine's transformative impact, ranging from shifting treatment paradigms to its clinical advantages over conventional antidepressants. I discuss ketamine's capacity to enhance therapy, alleviate anxiety, and unlock profound states of consciousness.
- Rapid and Sustained Relief of Anxiety: Treatment with Ketamine - New research reveals the rapid (within 3-4 hours) and enduring anxiolytic effects of Ketamine.
(Last week's networking event at the Austin conference, hosted by Dr. Sam Ko from Reset Ketamine, featured ASKP3 Founder and President Dr. Sandhya Prashad at the center)
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📖 Another Incredible Patient Testimonial
"I can’t even believe it is real at times" - We recently heard from a patient who we treated last summer. After struggling with alcohol use disorder for years, they described a profound transformation after ketamine therapy. While results can never be guaranteed, we love hearing stories like theirs.
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🎄 As we gather to celebrate the joyous spirit of this holiday season, Eli and I extend warm wishes to you and your loved ones for a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. Thank you for a fantastic year. Your continued support is highly motivating and drives me to strive for improvement, as I continue to serve our beloved SLO community.
➡️ To stay up-to-date on news, research, and blog posts related to ketamine and Innerbloom, be sure to check the Blog tab on our Website and follow us on Instagram to get a glimpse into our daily practice of safe and effective practice of ketamine therapy.
Sincerely,
Ray Rivas, MD
Innerbloom Ketamine Therapy, PC
San Luis Obispo, CA
(805) 321-8471
