Reviewed for medical accuracy by Anand Thakkar, MD · Updated October 9, 2026
Physician on-site at every infusion · ABIM board-certified in Internal Medicine · 15 years of experience · Clinics in Lincoln Park and Hanover Park
IV ketamine therapy Chicago adults receive at Bliss MD is given at two clinics, Lincoln Park (2707 N Halsted St) and Hanover Park (1802 Irving Park Rd), and only after a careful evaluation by Dr. Anand Thakkar. Each infusion happens with a physician on-site, and you can begin with a free, no-obligation 15-minute discovery call.
Ketamine is usually considered when depression or a related condition hasn’t improved enough with standard care. This page covers who it may suit, how dosing and scheduling work, what an infusion day is like, how payment works and where to find us.
If you’re in crisis, don’t wait for an appointment. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline answers calls and texts at 988, day and night. For an emergency, dial 911. Ketamine infusions are scheduled ahead and can’t stand in for urgent care.
In This Article
- What IV Ketamine Is, and What It Isn’t
- Who IV Ketamine Therapy Chicago Patients Ask About It For
- How IV Ketamine Therapy Chicago Treatment Works
- On the Day of an Infusion
- Two Clinics, Same Physician-Led Care
- Ketamine Alongside Your Other Care
- Paying for Care
- IV Ketamine Therapy Chicago FAQs
- Start With a Conversation
- Where to Find Us
What IV Ketamine Is, and What It Isn't
Ketamine has been used in hospitals and surgery centers for decades. Its FDA approval is as an anesthetic. Giving it through an IV, at much lower doses, for depression and related conditions is off-label. The FDA hasn’t approved ketamine for any psychiatric condition, and we think you should know that before you start.
In October 2023 the FDA warned patients about compounded ketamine products, especially those used at home without monitoring. It listed sedation, dissociation, increases in blood pressure, slowed breathing, bladder problems and misuse among the known risks. That warning shapes how we work: infusions happen only in the clinic, with a physician present.
If you’ve read about ketamine online, you’ve probably seen big promises. We’d rather be plain about it. Ketamine helps some people and not others, it carries real risks, and it’s most useful as part of a wider plan that includes the care you already have. An honest evaluation comes before any infusion.
Spravato is a related but different medicine, an esketamine nasal spray. It isn’t administered at our clinics. If it suits you better than IV ketamine, Dr. Thakkar can write the prescription.
Who IV Ketamine Therapy Chicago Patients Ask About It For
Most people reach us after months or years of trying. They may have taken several antidepressants, done therapy faithfully, and still feel stuck. Conditions Dr. Thakkar evaluates for ketamine include:
- Depression that hasn’t lifted with standard treatment (treatment-resistant depression)
- PTSD
- OCD
- Serious, persistent anxiety
- Bipolar disorder: treated only after a careful physician evaluation
- Suicidal ideation: treated only after a careful physician evaluation, with crisis support arranged
Thinking about suicide today? Reach 988 by call or text, or dial 911 if it’s an emergency.
A diagnosis on this list doesn’t mean ketamine is right for you. At the evaluation, mention any blood pressure, heart or lung condition, urinary or bladder trouble, and any past problem with alcohol or drugs. Some of these can rule ketamine out or change how it’s given. To read about depression and the usual first-line options, see the National Institute of Mental Health’s depression page.
How IV Ketamine Therapy Chicago Treatment Works
- A free 15-minute discovery call. You tell us what you’ve tried and what’s still hard. We explain the process and answer questions.
- A physician evaluation. Dr. Thakkar reviews your diagnoses, past treatments, current medications and general health, then tells you plainly whether ketamine makes sense.
- A personalized protocol. The approach is standard, but the dose is set for you: typically 0.25 to 0.5 mg/kg through an IV, adjusted to your response.
- The first weeks. The usual starting rhythm is 2 sessions a week.
- Follow-up visits. Dr. Thakkar checks how you’re doing between and after sessions and adjusts the dose or schedule when needed.
There’s no fixed package. How long treatment continues depends on how you respond, which is reviewed together at each follow-up.
On the Day of an Infusion
Arrange a driver first. Driving is off the table for the rest of that day, so someone needs to bring you home. Allow extra time before and after the session itself.
You’ll be seated comfortably, and an IV line is placed. The infusion itself usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. A physician is on-site the whole time, and your response is watched throughout. Feeling detached or dreamlike during the infusion is common and expected (the FDA lists dissociation among ketamine’s effects), and it fades once the infusion ends.
Afterward you rest and are observed until you’re steady. Brief dizziness or nausea can occur and usually passes. Some people feel their mood shift fairly quickly, within hours or a few days. Others need more sessions before anything changes, and some don’t respond. For IV ketamine therapy Chicago patients, the follow-up visits are where that’s sorted out and the plan is fine-tuned.
Two Clinics, Same Physician-Led Care
IV ketamine therapy Chicago patients can have infusions at either clinic, so pick the one that’s easier on treatment days.
Lincoln Park, Chicago. The clinic is on North Halsted Street just south of Diversey Parkway, about a quarter mile from the Diversey Brown Line station. It’s the natural choice for city neighborhoods and the North Shore. Evanston-area readers can see IV ketamine therapy for Evanston patients for directions and local details.
Hanover Park, northwest suburbs. The clinic is on Irving Park Road, right on the Schaumburg border and about 2 miles from the Hanover Park Metra station on the Milwaukee District West line. If you live in Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Streamwood or Bartlett, this is usually closer; see IV ketamine therapy for Schaumburg patients.
Since you’ll be getting a ride home, it helps to choose the location that’s simpler for your driver, too.
Ketamine Alongside Your Other Care
Bliss MD practices integrative, functional medicine. In IV ketamine therapy Chicago care, ketamine is one tool, not the whole plan. Stay with your therapist or psychiatrist, and leave any prescription changes to the doctor who manages them.
Daily habits still count. Regular sleep, steady meals, some movement and a stress practice like meditation, yoga or mindful breathing all support mood. A short note each day on sleep, energy and mood gives Dr. Thakkar a clearer picture at follow-ups than memory alone.
Paying for Care
Bliss MD doesn’t bill insurance. Each plan is individualized precision medicine, built around one person rather than a coverage rule. Many patients use HSA or FSA funds, which we accept, or spread payments out with CareCredit. Questions about paying for IV ketamine therapy Chicago care are welcome on your discovery call, before you commit to anything.
IV Ketamine Therapy Chicago FAQs
Where are IV ketamine infusions given?
At both Bliss MD clinics: Lincoln Park, 2707 N Halsted St in Chicago, and Hanover Park, 1802 Irving Park Rd. You can choose whichever is easier to reach.
Who is a candidate for IV ketamine?
That’s settled only after a careful physician evaluation. Dr. Anand Thakkar considers people with treatment-resistant depression, severe anxiety, PTSD, OCD, bipolar disorder or suicidal thoughts, and he looks closely at your history, medications and blood pressure first.
How much ketamine is given?
The protocol is standard, then tailored: the IV dose typically falls between 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg, and Dr. Thakkar adjusts it to how you respond.
How often will I come in?
Most people begin at 2 sessions a week. After that, the schedule is reviewed at follow-up visits and changed to fit your progress.
Is a doctor present during the infusion?
Yes. A physician is on-site during every infusion, and you’re observed afterward until you’re steady.
Do I need a driver?
Yes. Driving isn’t allowed for the rest of the day after an infusion, so plan for someone to take you home.
Is ketamine FDA-approved for depression?
No. Ketamine’s FDA approval covers its use as an anesthetic; IV use for depression is off-label. We don’t administer Spravato, the esketamine nasal spray, in our clinics, though Dr. Thakkar can write a prescription for it when appropriate.
Does Bliss MD take insurance?
Insurance isn’t billed here, since every plan is individualized precision medicine. You can pay with an HSA or FSA card or finance through CareCredit.
Start With a Conversation
Book Your Free 15-Minute Discovery Call
Tell us, privately, what you’ve been through. We’ll explain whether an evaluation with Dr. Thakkar is a sensible next step. Prefer the phone? Call (630) 289-0440.
Where to Find Us
Both clinics offer IV ketamine with a physician on-site. Read more about Dr. Thakkar, board certified in Internal Medicine (ABIM) and through A4M, with 15 years of experience.
Lincoln Park (Chicago)
2707 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614. Phone (630) 289-0440. Map and directions
Hanover Park (Northwest Suburbs)
1802 Irving Park Rd, Hanover Park, IL 60133. Phone (630) 289-0440. Map and directions
References
- FDA, Compounding Risk Alerts: notice of October 10, 2023 on risks of compounded ketamine products (fda.gov)
- NIMH, Depression topic page (nimh.nih.gov)
- The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988lifeline.org)
This page is general education and doesn’t replace a medical visit. Results differ from person to person. No psychiatric use of ketamine has FDA approval.
