Blog Archive

Depression is a serious and common mental illness that affects millions of people worldwide. While traditional treatments involve antidepressant medications and therapy, there are other strategies that can be used to treat depression. These strategies often involve lifestyle changes that can help to reduce the symptoms of depression and promote...

Depression and anxiety are among the most common mental illnesses in the United States. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 19% of adults in the US are affected by mental illnesses, including depression and anxiety. Headlines often focus on the dramatic cases of mental illness, but mental...

PRP, or Platelet-Rich Plasma, is a safe and natural anti-aging procedure that can help reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging. It involves taking a sample of blood from the patient and then spinning it in a centrifuge to separate out the platelets. The platelets are then injected back into...

We wanted to talk about an important topic since we see it so commonly in our clinics: the use of ketamine for depression in adolescents. Ketamine is an anesthetic used in medical settings, but it has also been found to be effective in treating depression, especially in adolescents. Adolescence is...

Long Hauler Covid is a term used to describe people who have had the virus but still struggle with symptoms months after they have recovered. These symptoms range from fatigue, cognitive issues, muscle pain and even depression. For many people, these symptoms can be incredibly difficult to manage, which is...

Today, we wanted to discuss a procedure that many of our patients are opting for instead of or in addition to IV ketamine that may help with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD: the stellate ganglion block.The stellate ganglion block is a type of nerve block or injection used to treat...

Ketamine is a medication that has been used for decades as a general anesthetic. Over the past few years, it has also been studied as an off-label treatment for depression. While still considered experimental, some have found that ketamine infusions can have a rapid and powerful antidepressant effect. So how...

It’s safe to say just about everyone has experienced the not-so-fun feelings of being sick. But what happens when those dreadful symptoms stick around – persisting for weeks and even months on end. Or worse, those lingering symptoms take a turn for the worse – spiraling into serious, life-altering conditions?...

Let’s talk a little about self-care. The importance of self-care has become a hot topic recently, especially throughout the COVID pandemic. Everyone is realizing the value of our overall health and wellness. There are countless podcasts, books, social media posts, news and talk show segments that are promoting wellness and...

StrIVeMD Ketamine and Wellness are here to help you with ketamine therapy for a multitude of mood disorders.  It can work wonders for treatment resistant depression (TRD), as well as crippling anxiety.  We have a full spectrum approach that is tailored to your particular situation and needs.  We also add...

Being a teenager can feel overwhelming, stressful, and downright hard – even in the best of times. But the COVID-19 pandemic has piled on a whole slew of never-before-seen challenges and pressure for today’s teens.   The disconnection, uncertainty, fear, and disruption of normal day-to-day life have weighed heavily on...

We all experience feelings of sadness, disinterest, and hopelessness from time to time. But when those feelings linger for weeks, months, or even years, it can feel like there’s a dark, gloomy cloud looming over your life. If you’ve been struggling with persistent feelings of emptiness, sadness, or distress or...

Here we are in 2022, in this post-pandemic era feeling like we are finally regaining some normalcy. This return to the days of freedom, socialization, travel and happiness was evident as we embarked on The Mariner of the Seas for our first cruise after 2 years for Groove Cruise, four...

As a budding music producer, the experiences of being a DJ at events is phenomenal!  Having the privilege of attending Elrow in Miami during Art Basel this year was both surreal and gratifying.  All of us have such busy schedules and are going a thousand miles per minute every day. ...

Although research continues to be published in regards to the growing benefits for ketamine infusions in adult populations, there are still few studies in adolescents. This is NOT because the treatment may not be as beneficial, but this is mainly due to natural progression of evidence based science. Almost all research, clinical...

Migraine headache. The mere mention of which has been known to provoke anxiety in even the most stoic of individuals. For many of us, migraines are a debilitating malady that haunts our daily lives, often without warning and frequently without relief. It can have a profound effect on our social,...

The pandemic is like nothing most of us have ever seen in our lives. As a physician working in the hospital, let me tell you, it is not over yet. Life in the hospital and around the world has changed. According to the World Health Organization1, over 96 million people have...

Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, has affected over 24 million Americans and caused over 408,000 deaths as of January 21, 2021.1 There is hope, as there are 2 main vaccines out and a third is on the way; however, given the backlog and shortage, it is estimated that we...

We are all so done with 2020! We hear the word COVID or pandemic and we start to cringe, turn the tv off, turn the radio off or close our web browser. So we ask, how do we maintain our physical and mental health? Especially since millions of us are NOT traveling, how do...

COVID-19 has changed life as we know it. The pandemic has affected so many lives and continues to do so. I have seen first-hand the potential devastating effects of this infection as a neurologist practicing in the outpatient and inpatient settings. Two new research studies have looked into the neurologic...

The “COVID-19” holidays are just around the corner, and we all must remain vigilant! The National Institute of Health (NIH) and Center of Disease Control (CDC) recently released recommendations to have a safe Thanksgiving. Lower Risk Activities Small dinner with people in your ‘CoVID Bubble’ or family household. Having a...

Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, has affected over 8.7 million Americans and caused over 225,000 deaths as of October 26, 2020.[1] Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading US infectious disease expert and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases, declared this morning that we are...

As with all things in life, change happens. The name RevIVe Wellness & Ketamine has been good to us for a little over a year now. However, as our services have evolved, we do not feel it properly describes who we are and therefore feels the need for change.  Our...

Well, this is the new normal, for our foreseeable future. As Americans, we do a GREAT job of adapting to stressful circumstances. That being said, this is a life stressor for ALL of us around the country. Especially our youth. Pediatric and adolescent patients NEED structure. They need a regimented...

Fear and anxiety about a new disease and its repercussions can cause overwhelming emotional responses to the people affected. In the case of CoVID-19, we are ALL affected. Our way of life, our freedom, our daily functions, really it’s been everything. Social distancing and other public health actions are necessary...

Is 2020 over yet? Well, we are more than halfway to 2021 thankfully, and it probably can’t come sooner our mental health may just depend on it. The riots made us forget about COVID-19 for about a week, and with phase 3 underway, it’s refreshing to see more people walking...

Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is unfortunately a very common mental health disorder. People can develop flashbacks, insomnia, anxiety, etc after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event. If these feelings last more than a few months, you may have post-traumatic stress disorder1 and it may be time to seek help. This can...

Can you believe it’s June 2020 already? Yeah, us neither- and we are ready for it to go away. Let’s talk about some of the badness that has happened this year so far1 – Australian Fires- 72,000 square miles burned and over ONE BILLION animals died.2 President Donald Trump impeachment trial...

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID 19 has been ravaging the world for several months. And, it will likely have a lasting effect for even longer. For how long, no one truly knows. One thing for certain though is that life has changed because of it, but to what...

Recreational marijuana was legalized on January 1, 2020, making Illinois the 11th state in the country to do so. Purchasers of marijuana must be 21 years old and can buy marijuana with or without a medical card. At this time, only dispensaries equipped to sell medical marijuana are allowed to sell...

Marijuana is becoming more accepted in this country as time goes on. As of April 20201, there are approximately 11 states plus the District of Columbia that have legalized recreational marijuana and 12 states that have not. The remainder of the states have legalized marijuana solely for medical reasons, although some...

Marijuana or Cannabis has such underreported benefits due to the stigma that unfortunately it was given back during the anti-drug campaign of the 1980’s. Due to the politicizing nature, health professionals were discouraged against studying the benefits and indications for certain medications, such as Cannabis. Cannabis contains CBD which is...

Recreational marijuana was legalized on January 1, 2020, making Illinois the 11th state in the country to do so. Purchasers of marijuana must be 21 years old and can buy marijuana with or without a medical card. At this time, only dispensaries equipped to sell medical marijuana are allowed to sell...

May is Mental Health month, and it has never been more important than this year in the midst of our global pandemic. Historically resources and information have focused on the one in five individuals who have a mental health concern in any given year. However, this year IS different. In...

Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, is a viral disease that allegedly originated in a lab in Wuhan China. Symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, body aches, loss of taste and smell, and cough. The world has 2.6 million cases, with the USA having over 800,000 cases, the most...

This is an unprecedented time. The novel coronavirus 2019 pandemic has become a time that will be recorded in history, similar to the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 or the SARS pandemic of 2002- 2004. The Spanish Flu pandemic reportedly caused 500 million infections and over 50 million deaths, worldwide.  SARS...

Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, is a viral disease that originated in China. Symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, body aches, and cough. The world has over 1.45 million cases, with the USA having nearly 400,000 cases, the most reported cases in the world1. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading...

Due to the recent coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic, the death toll is rising. We hear about many patients who are getting sick with COVID-19 and developing significant health consequences, and unfortunately in many cases not making it out of the hospital. Another, maybe less reported way that this pandemic is...

As the new Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the human population, the focus is on containing the spread. As a society, we have to be socially responsible and continue social distancing. This is key to flattening the curve. Despite our precautions, we continue to watch as...

Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, is a viral disease that originated in China. Symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, body aches, and cough. The USA has passed 5600 deaths and has over 236,000 cases1, with the USA having the most reported cases in the world. Dr. Anthony Fauci,...

Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, is a viral disease that originated in Wuhan China. Symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, body aches, and cough. The case fatality rate worldwide up to the date of this article is 4.6%. The USA has passed 3100 deaths1 and has over 164,000 cases2, with the...

With all the hysteria regarding this new invasive virus, it is hard to know what is true and what is simply hysteria. So many things are closing, including schools, extracurricular activities, concerts, and sporting events. Products are running low in stores, such as toilet paper, canned goods, hand sanitizer, and...

Recession Depression – How Financial Market Fluctuations can Lead to Increased Anxiety and Mood Disorders Investing is emotional. Although experts try to drive decisions with data, analytics and evidence, regardless there is emotion fueling much of the financial markets. With that same premise, we know that changes in the market,...

Drinking is a norm in our society. With the holidays, this is a very common thing to do with friends and family. It’s definitely possible to have fun without drinking (I like Red Bull) but drinking is a CNS depressant and causes a feeling of relaxation. As we get older,...

Recreational marijuana was legalized on January 1, 2020, making Illinois the 11th state in the country to do so. Purchasers of marijuana must be 21 years old and can buy marijuana with or without a medical card. At this time, only dispensaries equipped to sell medical marijuana are allowed to...

Neurodegenerative disorders are abundant but treatments are far and few between. These disorders are highly associated with the detrimental effects of reactive oxygen species from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is the imbalance of the creation and elimination of reactive oxygen species or free radicals that results in damage to cells,...

When an individual suffers from depression, chronic pain, and other related illnesses it may be beneficial to receive ketamine infusion treatments. This therapy is considered an alternative based treatment to traditional medications with long-lasting side effects. Often times ketamine infusion therapy works better, faster, and safer than conventional treatments. Ketamine is NOT a...

This is a story familiar to all of us during the winter. Frequency and duration can vary but at some point in time, everyone seems to get sick. Whether it’s a tickle in the throat, a mild headache, or just feeling run down, the common cold is very difficult to...

Most people who have migraines also experience nausea and vomiting during an attack, but what if that connection goes deeper – into the gut? What if there is a link between migraine and gut health and by taking care of your gut you may be able to better manage your...

Glutathione is a potent antioxidant found in our red blood cells and is made in the liver. It is responsible for neutralizing reactive oxygen species (ROS) like free radicals that can cause damage and death to cells. It is found in one of two forms- reduced or oxidized. Typically, more...

According to studies, Seventy-five percent of all Americans are dehydrated EVERY day. Although the study showed that most people had, in fact, drank 8 glasses of fluids per day, they still had net fluid loss, leading to chronic dehydration. This is due to the domination of caffeinated beverages (Too much Starbucks,...

Alcohol can be a good thing and a bad thing. In moderation, according to the Mayo Clinic, there is some evidence that it can help lower your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, or stroke. Their definition of moderate drinking is one alcoholic beverage per day for women of all ages...

We see a lot of patients with chronic disease in clinic. Most of our patients have depression as well, that they attribute to their chronic disease. We are not psychiatrists, and don’t manage antidepressants, but we do have to be aware of side effects and potentially dangerous drug interactions with...

Ketamine and Suicide: How an anesthetic, once used recreationally is breaking the mold and saving lives. Could this be the cure for depression you’ve been looking for? Suicide. It’s not a dirty word. But you’ve likely heard it spoken more times than you’d like. You may have even uttered those...

Injuries to the head are very common, unfortunately. From athletes of all ages, work place accidents, fender benders, and head butts from grandchildren while rough housing, I have seen all sorts of head injuries that resulted in a stereotypical constellation of symptoms in my neurology practice.  According to the Mayo Clinic,...

There has been a lot in the news regarding Ketamine and its use and potential benefits in a variety of mood disorders,- including major depressive disorders. This includes a 2017 article in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggesting Ketamine may be effective in treating suicidality, and subsequently hundreds of articles...

Intermittent Fasting, or IF as many call it, has been catching on the past few years as a great way to lose weight. There is even a Reddit thread for beginners. So, what is it exactly, is it hard, and does it work? There are a lot of fad diets out there,...

You wake up and it hits you. Dry mouth. Opening your eyes makes you flinch – it’s just too bright. And when you do sit up, how is it that you feel hungry and sick at the same time? How many drinks did you have last night? And why didn’t...

Headaches are almost ubiquitous. You talk to your neighbors or family members and, more than likely, almost one quarter of them will have migraine headaches. These severe headaches are bad enough, but some people even have chronic migraines, which are defined by the International Headache Society as fifteen or more...

Who could use more sleep? I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who would say no to that question. I think as a whole, most of us are sleep deprived, whether it is lack of time to sleep or just poor quality. Sleep is very important for brain function. I...

This is a summary of Guidelines on the Use of Intravenous Ketamine Infusions for Chronic Pain from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists July 2018. This is the first time that a multidisciplinary consortium of experts have published consensus...

Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, has been described as “complex somatic, cognitive, affective, and behavioral effects of psychological trauma.” PTSD symptoms are characterized by flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, depression, avoidance of reminders of the original trauma, and sleep disturbance that lead to social and interpersonal dysfunction. Triggers of PTSD include: War and...

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States and the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide claimed the lives of 47,000 people. This is the highest it has been in at least 50 years according to government records. It was the second leading...

Did you know depression alone can cause what looks just like dementia? When not controlled, depression can cause memory problems, poor concentration, personality type changes, sleep issues, apathy, etca. And not just major depression. You want to make sure you’re recognizing and then treating even milder depressed moods, as it...

The sun is shining. The temperature is warm. No clouds can be seen in the sky. And you have plans to meet with friends at the beach. Sounds like the potential for a great day, right? But if you suffer from depression, despite the sunny blue skies, you tend to...

Your partner or friend has said they’re worried about you. Maybe you can’t stop reliving the traffic accident you were in a few months back. You’re struggling with mood swings and low self-esteem. Or you’re avoiding social situations, and spending more time on your own – concentrating solely on work,...

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is something all women know. PMS is characterized by the presence of both physical and behavioral symptoms. The most common behavioral symptom is mood swings. Other frequent symptoms include irritability, anxiety, depression, and diminished interest in activities. The most common physical symptoms are bloating and extreme fatigue....

Depression, or Major Depressive disorder (MDD), is a common mental health disorder in the USA. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 7.1% of all US adults, or 17.3 million people, had an episode of depression in 2017. The prevalence of depression was higher among females...

Headaches are ubiquitous. I have never met someone who has never had a headache in their life. As a neurologist, I see a lot of patients specifically for this disorder. The World Health Organization estimates that about 50-75% of adults in the world aged between 18-65 years have had headaches in...

Robin Williams’s friends: “He was always happy. Everyone adored him…” Kate Spade’s dad: “I just talked to her an hour before and she was planning a trip. She was like her brand- happy, cheerful and full of color.” Anthony Bourdain’s best friend: “He loved his life and had this extraordinary...

Everyone gets stressed, right? Just a fact of life when you work hard for a living. But do you feel: Like nothing gives you joy – even hobbies and activities you used to enjoy? As though it’s difficult to concentrate on the simplest tasks? Constantly that you’re in a bad...

The flights are booked, the hotel reservations made, and you’ve planned the itinerary – or embraced the lack of one! You’re looking forward to the soft sand and blue waves. Except… you’re looking in the mirror and you don’t like what you see. You’ve been working hard and not taking...

It’s spring, and you’re probably thinking about all the traveling you’d like to do now that the warm weather is finally here. Or you’re looking forward to enjoying a drink, while sitting outside in the sun with friends. You could even be considering an exotic getaway, sipping cocktails by the...