Your First Ketamine Appointment: Complete Checklist

Your first ketamine appointment involves medical preparation in the week before, dietary and substance restrictions the night before, a confirmed ride home, and a packed bag with comfort items and essential paperwork. This checklist walks through each step, from lab work and medication review to what to expect during check-in and how to care for yourself once you get home.

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that providers use off-label at lower doses to treat depression, anxiety, PTSD, and certain chronic pain conditions, typically given by IV infusion, intramuscular injection, or sublingual lozenge under medical supervision. If you have already scheduled your first session, use the steps below to prepare and know what to expect.

One Week Before Your Appointment

Medical Preparation

Your provider's specific instructions always come first, but the week before your first ketamine appointment is the time to handle the following:

• Confirm your medication list. Write down every medication, supplement, and herbal remedy you take, with dosages and frequency. Your provider needs this to treat you safely.
• Get any required lab work done. Some clinics require a basic metabolic panel, liver function tests, or a recent blood pressure reading before a first session. Ask your clinic what they need and allow time for results.
• Discuss medication adjustments with your provider. Benzodiazepines, for example, may reduce ketamine's effectiveness. Never stop or change a medication without explicit guidance from the provider who prescribed it. Our ketamine safety and side effects guide covers common interactions in more detail.
• Arrange transportation home. This is non-negotiable. You will not be able to drive for at least six hours after treatment, and many providers recommend waiting until the next day. Confirm a specific person, a friend, family member, or a rideshare plan, before appointment day.

Logistics

• Confirm the date, time, and location. Know exactly where you are going and how long it takes to get there. Many clinics ask first-time patients to arrive 15 to 30 minutes early.
• Understand your financial obligations. Know what you owe and how you will pay. Bring your payment method and confirm whether a deposit has already been collected. Our insurance coverage guide explains how billing typically works for ketamine treatment.
• Clear your schedule for the full day. Skip meetings, childcare responsibilities, and important tasks for the rest of the day. Most patients want to rest afterward.

The Night Before

• Get a full night of sleep. Aim for seven to nine hours. Being well-rested helps your body respond to treatment and makes the experience more comfortable.
• Avoid alcohol and recreational substances, including cannabis. Most providers recommend abstaining for at least 24 hours before treatment, and some recommend 48 hours or more.
• Eat a light, balanced dinner. Avoid very rich, heavy, or spicy foods that might contribute to next-day nausea.
• Set out what you will bring. Packing the night before removes one more thing to think about in the morning.

What to Bring

Essential Items

• Valid photo ID, required by most clinics
• Insurance card, even if ketamine itself is not covered, since the consultation or monitoring may be billable
• Medication list, printed or on your phone, with dosages
• Payment method, credit card, check, or cash as required
• Signed intake forms, if provided in advance

Comfort Items

• Comfortable clothing, loose-fitting layers, since temperature perception may shift during treatment
• A blanket or shawl, some clinics provide these, but your own can feel grounding
• An eye mask, many clinics offer one, but bringing your own ensures comfort
• Headphones and a playlist, calming instrumental music works best; lyrics can direct your thoughts in unexpected ways
• A journal and pen, for noting thoughts and impressions after the session
• A water bottle and a light snack, crackers, a banana, or a granola bar for after the session

Optional but Helpful

• A small comfort object that brings a sense of safety or grounding
• Sunglasses, since your eyes may be light-sensitive after treatment
• A phone charger, since your visit and recovery may take two to three hours total
• Lip balm, since ketamine can cause dry mouth

The Morning of Your Appointment

• Follow your provider's fasting instructions. Most clinics recommend fasting four to six hours before an IV infusion or intramuscular injection to reduce nausea risk. Sublingual treatments may have different guidelines; call the clinic if you are unsure. Our oral vs. sublingual ketamine guide explains how preparation differs by route.
• Take your regular morning medications with a small sip of water unless your provider has told you otherwise.
• Shower and wear comfortable clothes. Avoid perfumes or strong scents, since your senses may be heightened during treatment.
• Skip caffeine if you can. It is not strictly required, but caffeine can increase anxiety and elevate blood pressure, both of which may complicate your session.
• Practice a brief grounding exercise. Five minutes of slow, deep breathing or a short meditation can help set a calm tone for the day.

At the Clinic

Check-In

When you arrive, front desk staff will verify your identity, collect your paperwork, and walk you through any final administrative steps. They will likely check your vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and oxygen saturation.

Questions to Ask Before Treatment Begins

This is your last chance to address any lingering concerns. Consider asking:

• What is the exact dose and route of administration for today's session?
• How long will the active treatment portion last?
• Will someone be in the room with me the entire time?
• What should I do if I feel nauseous or uncomfortable during the session?
• What happens if I need to use the restroom during the session?
• Is there anything I should focus on, or avoid focusing on, during the experience?
• How will I know when the session is over?
• What should I expect in the first few hours after treatment?
• When will we schedule my next session?

For a longer list of questions to bring to any provider conversation, see our guide to questions for ketamine providers. If you want to know what the treatment session itself typically looks like, our breakdown of ketamine session length covers what happens minute by minute.

After the Session

Immediate Recovery

Stay at the clinic for the full recovery period, typically 15 to 30 minutes after treatment ends. Move slowly when transitioning from lying down to sitting, and from sitting to standing, since dizziness is common. Sip water and have your light snack if you feel up to it, and jot down any notes or impressions in your journal while they are fresh.

The Rest of the Day

• Go home and rest. This is not the day to catch up on errands or social obligations.
• Eat a nourishing meal when your appetite returns. Something warm and simple is usually most appealing.
• Avoid screens if possible for the first couple of hours. Many patients find screen time uncomfortable or overstimulating right after a session.
• Do not make important decisions. Your judgment and cognitive processing may still be recovering.
• Do not drive, operate machinery, or consume alcohol for the rest of the day.
• Reach out to your support person if you feel emotionally tender. It is normal to feel a range of emotions after treatment.

If your support person is not available and you need to talk to someone, help is available at any hour. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), its National Helpline provides free, confidential support 24/7 for mental health and substance use concerns. Our guide to what to expect after treatment goes into more detail on the hours and days that follow a session.

Tracking Your Experience

Start a simple tracking system after your first appointment. Note your mood, energy, sleep quality, appetite, and any specific symptoms you are treating, rating each on a scale of one to ten. This record becomes useful when you and your provider assess whether treatment is working and decide on dosing or frequency going forward.

The Days That Follow

Many patients do not feel dramatic changes after a single session. The benefits of ketamine therapy often build over the initial treatment series. Some people notice subtle shifts first, slightly better sleep, a moment of unexpected laughter, a thought pattern that loosens its grip. Your provider will likely schedule a follow-up call or appointment within one to three days of your first session. Be honest about your experience, both the helpful and the difficult parts; that feedback helps them calibrate your next session. Our overview of the full ketamine treatment process explains how sessions typically build on each other.