Is Ketamine Infusion Therapy Safe? What to Expect at Your Visit

A research-based guide to the safety, side effects, and experience of ketamine infusion therapy — so you can make an informed decision.

If you’re considering ketamine infusion therapy, safety is probably one of your first questions — as it should be. The good news is that when ketamine is given at low doses, in a medical setting, by trained clinicians, it has a strong safety track record. Here’s a clear picture of what to expect and how the risks are managed.

What a ketamine infusion visit is actually like

A typical session lasts around 40 minutes to an hour of infusion time, plus monitoring before and after. You’ll recline in a comfortable chair while a small dose of ketamine is delivered slowly through an IV. Your blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen are monitored throughout. Many people describe the experience as dreamlike or floaty — a temporary shift in how they perceive time, their body, or their surroundings. These sensations fade as the medicine wears off, and you’ll need someone to drive you home.

Common short-term effects — and why they’re manageable

The most common side effects happen during or shortly after the infusion and resolve on their own. They can include:

• A sense of dissociation or detachment (feeling “out of body” or dreamy)

• A temporary rise in blood pressure or heart rate

• Nausea, dizziness, or blurred vision

• Feeling drowsy or unsteady for a short time afterward

Because you’re monitored the whole time, your care team can respond immediately if anything feels uncomfortable — for example, slowing the infusion or treating nausea. This is a key reason supervised, in-clinic care matters.

What the research says about safety

Across clinical trials, low-dose ketamine is generally well tolerated. In the large 2023 ELEKT-D trial comparing ketamine to ECT, ketamine was effective and, notably, patients reported fewer memory complaints than with ECT. A 2025 review pooling six ketamine-versus-ECT studies found no increase in adverse events with ketamine. And a 2025 study following patients on a maintenance ketamine regimen for depression, PTSD, and OCD reported that treatment was well tolerated with minimal side effects over six weeks.

What about bladder problems and dependence?

You may have read about urinary or bladder problems linked to ketamine. It’s worth understanding the context: those issues are seen mainly in people who use large amounts of ketamine frequently and without supervision — doses far higher than the small, carefully spaced amounts used in medical infusion therapy. Ketamine also has potential for misuse, which is exactly why legitimate clinics control the dose, keep it in the clinic, and monitor patients over time rather than sending medication home. Used this way, the risks are much lower and closely watched. There can be issues if you have been diagnosed with INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS; however, there are strategies to protect the bladder lining from ketamine metabolites that can cause irritation & worsen interstitial cystitis symptoms.

Who should be cautious

Ketamine isn’t right for everyone. It may not be appropriate if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure or certain heart conditions, a history of psychosis, active substance use concerns, or if you’re pregnant. A thorough screening before your first session — covering your medical history, medications, and mental health background — exists to catch these situations and keep you safe. This is a conversation, not a checklist, and it’s where a clinician-led program earns its keep.

What to expect from Ketamine: the bottom line

Ketamine infusion therapy has a reassuring safety profile when it’s done properly: low doses, real-time monitoring, careful screening, and follow-up over time. The most common effects are temporary and managed in the moment, and the more serious risks you may have heard about are tied to unsupervised, high-dose use — not medical treatment. The setting and the team you choose genuinely matter.

Have questions about whether ketamine therapy is safe for you specifically? At Refound Center, every patient starts with a full clinical screening led by a psychiatric provider. Contact us to set up a consultation and get answers tailored to your health.

Medical disclaimer

This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Ketamine therapy is not appropriate for everyone. Talk with a qualified clinician about your individual history, medications, and goals before starting any treatment. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) in the U.S.

Sources & further reading (studies identified via PubMed):

Anand A, et al. Ketamine versus ECT for nonpsychotic treatment-resistant major depression (ELEKT-D). New England Journal of Medicine, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2302399

Song G, Ugwah-Oguejiofor UC. Ketamine compared to ECT for treatment-resistant depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/13651501.2025.2576205

Beaglehole B, et al. Six weeks open-label oral ketamine for treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, or OCD. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811251344710

Guo Q, et al. Efficacy and safety of eight enhanced therapies for treatment-resistant depression: a network meta-analysis of RCTs. Psychiatry Research, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116018

What to expect ketamine