My experience at StrIVeMD and with Dr. Gaskin has been life-changing and one of the most positive experiences I have ever had. For as long as I can remember, I have been highly anxious and depressed, and my symptoms have largely been exacerbated in the past year.
I came to Dr. Gaskin essentially as a lost resort - I previously have tried different medications including SSRI's, talk therapy which included CBT, seen a psychiatrist, read tons of self-help books, and also have a background in counseling psychology. I have suffered from high-functioning depression with no real relief for decades.
After researching unconventional therapies for anxiety and depression, I ran across ketamine infusion therapy and was intrigued to say the least. Some recent researched seems to indicate that ketamine infusion therapy can be highly effective, especially for individuals with treatment-resistant depression. Since this basically sounded like me in a nutshell, I decided to take a chance. I crossed my fingers and sent an email inquiring about the treatment to StrIVeMD and within just a couple of hours, I got a phone call and text from Dr. Gaskin. Not only was Dr. Gaskin quick and responsive, he completely alleviated my concerns during the initial call and genuinely sounded like he cared about what I was going through. I scheduled my first infusion the next day.
The office is very welcoming and beautiful - I immediately felt at ease as soon as I walked in the door. After completing a couple of questionnaires on my anxiety and depression, Dr. Gaskin thoroughly explained the process of the infusion and then proceeded to start the therapy, ensuring I was comfortable. During the 40-minute infusion, I watched a Moving Art episode on Netflix, with my husband by my side. There was a little disassociation while under the infusion, but mainly, I just felt connected and at peace. My husband said he has never seen me look happier in all the years we have been together. During the infusion, I was able to think about my life in a different, more positive perspective and that feeling followed me the next few days.
I had 4 infusions over the course of a week and a half and on the final infusion, I also had a stellate ganglion block procedure prior to the final infusion. I decided to proceed with the ganglion block because I heard that it could be very helpful in resetting the flight or fight response, which I believed would help me with my debilitating anxiety along with depression. The ketamine infusions drastically improved my depressive symptoms, but I found that I was still highly anxious. The stellate ganglion block paired with the infusion really felt like a one-two punch. The infusion tackled the depression while the ganglion block really seemed to calm my nerves down immediately.
Now, a few days after my treatments, I am feeling so much more calm, centered, and functional. Gone is the knot in my stomach when I think about the future. Gone is the profoundly negative self-talk and feelings of worthlessness. Yes, my life is still stressful, but the way I am tackling the stress is so much more functional and positive. I am not constantly freaking out about work or other things outside my control.
I cannot thank StrIVeMD and Dr. Gaskin enough for finally giving me hope after all these years of suffering. If you're on the fence about trying the ketamine infusion and have suffered from treatment resistant depression or even anxiety, I would take a chance just like I did and give it a shot. If I can get better, so can you!