Infusion Therapy

Infusion therapy is a treatment most commonly used in medical settings for anaesthesia or procedural sedation and is known as a dissociative anaesthetic and also falls under the category of hallucinogens. We now know that infusion therapy is effective in treating a wide range of psychiatric conditions, such as depression, generalised anxiety, OCD and PTSD. It can also be used in chronic pain conditions.

Your Care

Dr Lene le Roux and Dr John Wulz are two experienced and compassionate doctors administering infusion therapy at the practice. Our therapy rooms provide a safe and comfortable space to receive treatment, complete with reclining chairs and a cosy environment. Your doctor will be with you throughout your treatment to reassure and support you.

What To Expect

The process of receiving infusion therapy involves coming for a 45-minute initial screening session to establish whether the patient is a good candidate. For existing patients, this will be done during a 15-minute follow-up session. The infusion therapy is done over six 45-minute sessions spaced apart over two weeks, followed by a 15-minute follow-up session to review your response.

Your doctor will ask you to lie on the comfortable reclining chair and then administer the anaesthetic into your arm with an intramuscular injection. The dosage is not the same as someone receiving anaesthesia for a procedure, so it is administered at a lower dosage of approximately 0.5mg/kg. This takes a few minutes to take effect, and the active portion of treatment plus recovery generally takes up to 45 minutes. During this time, your doctor will be present with you, able to reassure you and respond to any experience you may have.

During the initial 45-minute screening session, your doctor will explain what the infusion therapy experience may feel like and give you a better idea of what to expect. The effects range from mild sedation to psychedelic effects. Your doctor will also encourage you to make a music playlist that is suitable for the treatment, which you can bring with you on the day with some headphones. Music has been found to be very useful in combination with infusion therapy.

Cost

The initial 45-minute assessment and screening will be charged at R1 800, followed by six infusion therapy sessions at R2 100 each, and the follow-up assessment will be charged at R840. The total cost of the treatment is, therefore, R15 045 and a 50% deposit is payable after the first assessment session in order to secure the course of treatment.