Exploring TMS Therapy: An Alternative Treatment for Depression
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy provides a safe, noninvasive way to manage treatment-resistant depression (TMD). Learn more about the procedure here.
What to Expect with SPRAVATO for Depression: A Guide for New Patients
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a type of depression that doesn’t respond to traditional treatments. You may have it if you’ve tried at least two frontline antidepressant medications without seeing an improvement in your symptoms.
At Labyrinth Psychiatry Group in Cranford, New Jersey, psychiatrists Salvatore Savatta, MD, Karen Omilian, DO, Orrin Main, MD, and our team of licensed nurses and counselors provide several types of TRD treatment, including SPRAVATO®. This blog explains what SPRAVATO is and what to expect during treatment.
What is SPRAVATO?
SPRAVATO is a prescription nasal spray made from esketamine –– an anesthetic that’s also used to treat depression. It’s derived from ketamine, which is a dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties.
Esketamine is stronger than ketamine, but when it’s administered in small doses, it has fewer side effects. The drug was first approved by the FDA in 2019 for treatment-resistant depression. As a result, a growing number of doctors are prescribing it to manage depressive symptoms that don’t respond to traditional antidepressants.
What to expect during SPRAVATO treatment
SPRAVATO treatment involves several steps:
1. Consultation
Before prescribing SPRAVATO, we complete an in-office consultation. During this appointment, your provider reviews your medical records and asks about your symptoms and treatment goals. They also conduct a psychiatric evaluation, including which antidepressants you’ve tried, if you experienced any side effects, and whether you took the prescribed dosage.
Last, your provider conducts a lifestyle analysis, specifically asking about your sleep patterns, exercise habits, and use of alcohol or other substances. Answer each question as honestly and thoroughly as possible, as your responses help guide treatment.
2. Your initial treatment session
If your provider determines you’re a good candidate for SPRAVATO, an initial treatment session is scheduled.
At this appointment, your provider takes your blood pressure and shows you how to administer the spray. Then, they give you a SPRAVATO device and have you use it. Since SPRAVATO presents various side effects, treatment must be conducted at our medical facility.
After administering the drug, your provider monitors you for two hours. You can relax, nap, listen to music, or watch TV during this time. It’s normal to feel drowsy or dizzy, so a friend or family member must drive you home.
3. Follow-up treatments and maintenance
SPRAVATO is a cumulative treatment, meaning the results add up over time. For treatment-resistant depression, treatment is broken up into several weekly sessions.
During the first month, you visit the office twice weekly for regular SPRAVATO administration. Starting at week five, you only need one SPRAVATO dose per week. This single dose is administered through week eight. At that point, most patients return to a twice-weekly schedule, but everyone’s needs differ.*
Your provider monitors your symptoms at each visit, adjusting your dosage as needed to ensure positive results. Once your depressive symptoms begin to improve, your provider lowers your dosage over time. The results of SPRAVATO aren’t permanent, so you may need continuous treatment to prevent a relapse in the future.
Schedule a consultation
SPRAVATO is safe and effective. Research suggests that 32%-50% of patients experience a significant reduction in their depressive symptoms, allowing them to feel better and live life again.
If you’re interested in learning more about SPRAVATO, contact our team at Labyrinth Psychiatry Group today. Schedule an appointment online or over the phone.
*Individual treatment recommendations may vary.
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