Ascend Knowledge Base
Health Guides
Clear, clinician-reviewed answers to the questions patients actually ask. Written by the team at Ascend Mind and Body, serving Tampa Bay and all of Florida.
53clinician-reviewed guides
3care areas
FLTampa Bay + statewide telehealth
Not sure where to begin? Read first, then decide.
These decision guides walk through the questions patients ask most, so you can have a more informed conversation with a Florida-licensed clinician.
Decision guide
Is Ketamine Therapy Right for You?
A straight-talk decision guide: who ketamine therapy helps, who should wait, and the questions to ask before you start.
Read the guide →Decision guide
Which GLP-1 Is Right for You?
A decision guide comparing semaglutide and tirzepatide by use case, mechanism, and what to ask a prescriber.
Read the guide →Decision guide
Perimenopause or Something Else?
How to tell perimenopause from thyroid, anxiety or depression, and other causes, and when to get evaluated.
Read the guide →Ketamine Therapy
13 guidesEvidence, candidacy, cost, and what to expect from supervised ketamine care for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD.
- Is Ketamine Therapy Right for You?A straight-talk decision guide: who ketamine therapy helps, who should wait, and the questions to ask before you start.
- What Is Ketamine Therapy?What ketamine therapy actually is, how it works in the brain, and what it treats, in plain language.
- Ketamine for Treatment-Resistant DepressionWhat the evidence actually shows about ketamine for depression that has not responded to other treatments.
- Does Ketamine Therapy Get You High?An honest description of what ketamine therapy feels like and how it differs from getting high.
- How Much Does Ketamine Therapy Cost?What ketamine therapy typically costs, why insurance is complicated, and how to compare options honestly.
- At-Home vs In-Clinic KetamineAt-home versus in-clinic ketamine, compared honestly on safety, monitoring, and who each option fits.
- What to Expect at a Ketamine InfusionA step-by-step walkthrough of a ketamine infusion visit, from check-in to aftercare.
- How Many Ketamine Sessions Do You Need?How many ketamine sessions most people need, from the initial series to maintenance, and how response is tracked.
- Ketamine for PTSDWhat the evidence shows about ketamine for PTSD, how it differs from depression use, and who it may help.
- Ketamine vs Traditional AntidepressantsHow ketamine and traditional antidepressants differ in mechanism, speed, and durability, and when each fits.
- Ketamine Integration: Why the Days After MatterWhat ketamine integration is, why the days after a session matter, and how therapy makes relief last.
- Ketamine Therapy in Wesley Chapel, FLHow supervised ketamine therapy works at Ascend's Wesley Chapel clinic, and how Tampa and Lakeland patients access it.
Women's Health
21 guidesStraight answers on perimenopause, menopause, hormones, and the symptoms women are too often told to ignore.
- Perimenopause or Something Else?How to tell perimenopause from thyroid, anxiety or depression, and other causes, and when to get evaluated.
- Hot Flashes: Why They Happen and What Helps
- HRT: Benefits, Risks, and Who It Is For
- PCOS Symptoms: Signs, Diagnosis, and Management
- Endometriosis: Symptoms Too Often Dismissed
- Night Sweats: Causes Beyond Menopause
- Signs of Perimenopause: How to Know It Is Starting
- When Does Perimenopause Start?
- Bioidentical vs Synthetic Hormones
- Menopause and Weight Gain Explained
- The 34 Symptoms of Perimenopause
- Perimenopause Brain Fog: Causes and What Helps
- Perimenopause and Sleep: Why You Wake at 3am
- Perimenopause and Hair Loss: Why It Happens
- Perimenopause Test: Can You Actually Test for It?
- How Long Does Perimenopause Last?
- Vaginal Dryness and GSM: A Treatable Symptom
- Low Libido in Women: Hormonal and Psychological Causes
- Heavy Periods: When to Get Evaluated
- Female Fertility After 35: What Actually Changes
- Why Hormones, Mood, and Metabolism Go Together
Weight Loss & GLP-1
19 guidesHow GLP-1 medications actually work, compared honestly, with the practical details.
- Which GLP-1 Is Right for You?A decision guide comparing semaglutide and tirzepatide by use case, mechanism, and what to ask a prescriber.
- GLP-1 Facial Volume Loss: Causes and PreventionWhy the face can look hollow after fast weight loss, and the practical steps that reduce it.
- GLP-1 Side Effects: What Is Normal and How to ManageThe common GLP-1 side effects, what is normal versus a red flag, and how to manage them under supervision.
- Semaglutide for Weight Loss: What to ExpectHow semaglutide works for weight loss, the typical dosing schedule, and what results are realistic.
- Compounded vs Brand-Name SemaglutideWhat compounded semaglutide is, how it differs from FDA-approved products, and what the FDA has said about it.
- How Much Does Semaglutide Cost Without Insurance?What semaglutide costs without insurance, why prices vary so widely, and how to estimate real out-of-pocket cost.
- Semaglutide Dosage Chart: How Titration WorksHow semaglutide titration works, and why doses are increased gradually.
- What Happens When You Stop a GLP-1?What the research shows about appetite return and weight regain after stopping a GLP-1, and how to plan for it.
- GLP-1s and Hair Loss: Drug or Weight Loss?Why hair shedding happens on a GLP-1, whether it is the drug or the weight loss, and what helps.
- How Do GLP-1 Medications Work for Weight Loss?How GLP-1 medications mimic a gut hormone to reduce appetite and slow digestion for weight loss.
- Who Qualifies for GLP-1 Weight Loss Medication?The BMI criteria, weight-related conditions, and contraindications that determine GLP-1 eligibility.
- What to Eat on a GLP-1: A Practical Food GuideA practical food guide for GLP-1s: protein first, foods that ease nausea, and what to limit.
- Can You Drink Alcohol on a GLP-1?Whether you can drink on a GLP-1, why interest in alcohol often drops, and the risks to weigh.
- Protein and Muscle on GLP-1sHow protein, resistance training, and a sensible pace protect muscle during GLP-1 weight loss.
- GLP-1 Injection Guide: Sites, Timing, RotationWhere to inject a GLP-1, why to rotate sites, weekly timing, and storage basics.
- Bariatric Surgery vs GLP-1: How to DecideHow bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications compare on results, risk, and durability, and how to choose.