In this video, Dr Wells shares why we love interventional treatments for mental health.
Watch the video and see the summary below.
interventional treatments
We started doing interventional treatmetns more than a decade ago focused on ketamine treatments. Over that time we added nitrous oxide treatments, stellate ganglion blocks, and TMS treatments to our interventional offerings.
Minimal side effects
One reason we like interventional treatments so much is because the ones we provide have very minimal side effects.
Most of these side effects, and their component or adjunct medicines, are contained within the treatments themselves. They are generally mild and transient – fading quickly. If you’re going to have side effects from ketamine, for instance, we will expect them to occur within the day of treatment. If you’re going to have side effects from TMS, they will generally be mild and occur within that treatment window, and by the time you leave the office any side effects should be gone or negligible. Immediate side effects from a stellate ganglion block may persist for few hours, but will generally diminish rapidly.
With typical antidepressants, by comparison, side effects may be chronic. Most antidepressants are taken every day and the side effects will persist through every day.
Convenient Frequency
Most conventional medications require a daily pill. It is a great responsibility to be taking a medication every day – and it can be a major irritation too. Remembering to take the medication, refilling the prescription, and the complications of a skipped dose (in addition to the persistent side effects) can contribute to this irritation.
Interventional treatments, on the other hand, are scheduled on a far less frequent basis. You may be begin with a series of treatments and then maintain results with regular ongoing maintenance treatments, but the timing is still far less bothersome than most daily medications.
Speed of results
Another reason we like interventional treatments is the speed at which we can achieve results.
With typical SSRIs, for instance, most patients start to feel better somewhere between 2-6 weeks after they begin taking the medication.
With a stellate ganglion block, patients may start feeling better almost immediately. With ketamine, there are reported benefits even after the first infusion, with most patients reporting clinically-significant reductions in symptoms around the third or fourth treatment. With TMS on an accelerated protocol, we can start seeing benefits by the second and third day of treatment. With nitrous oxide, benefits can be seen even after the first inhalational session. This is much faster than what you see with typical antidepressant medications.
Long-Lasting results
The results from these interventional treatments can generally be sustained with maintenance treatments on a periodic basis and an additional series of treatments from time to time.
For ketamine infusions we often see people for a single treatment every 3 to 5 weeks to maintain results after their initial series of treatments. This is just a rule of thumb, and the actual frequency varies a lot from person to person and for any one person over time.
After an accelerated series of TMS we might start with a maintenance treatment about once or twice a month and adjust up or down on frequency to sustain results.
With stellate ganglion blocks we are often seeing patients for a set of blocks every 2 to 6 months.
With nitrous oxide, monthly maintenance if often a good frequency.
The important thing to note is that results can be sustained indefinitely. Whether the treatments helped you through a rough spot and you’re one of the few that rarely, if ever, needs to come back, or we see you on a regular basis like clockwork – these interventional treatments can help abate the disruptive symptoms of mood disorders and pain conditions indefinitely for many people.
on ECT
One intervention that we don’t offer in our office is electric shock therapy, or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). ECT can rapidly reduce negative symptoms in many cases. However, ECT generally has more long-lasting and significant negative side effects. In some cases, patients will report short-term memory loss and other neurological symptoms. There’s also always the added risk of the anesthesia that accompanies each ECT intervention.
Interventional Treatments are Excellent
We love that our interventional treatments have very few side effects, that they can be convenient, that they work so quickly, and that their benefits can be sustained over time.
We provide not just excellent treatment options, but we work to provide the best-possible and accessible versions of these treatments. We rely on evidence-based research and clinical results to provide targeted treatments that are most likely to make a difference. We augment these treatments with a comprehensive approach that aims to strengthen and extend their impressive results. We offer a suite of treatment options to provide a range of modalities to tackle even the toughest acute and chronic symptoms.
We’re really pleased to provide these treatments and really pleased that they are able to help so many people.
About Us
Wells Medicine is a Houston-based practice designed to provide meaningful care for mental health. Providing targeted interventional treatments for Depression, Anxiety, OCD, PTSD and other conditions, with Ketamine Treatments, Stellate Ganglion Blocks, TMS, and Nitrous-Oxide Treatments. Focused on comprehensive care and integration with Psychiatry, Psychology, and Support Services. We are evidence-based, patient-focused and mission-driven.
The content here is for informational purposes and should not be relied upon for medical decisions. For the details of your specific medical conditions and treatments consult your doctors or other qualified healthcare professionals.
