Spravato treatment in Minneapolis for treatment-resistant depression. Learn how it works, who may qualify, and what to expect.
Spravato treatment is a supervised treatment option for certain adults with treatment-resistant depression, it can be frustrating to keep searching for an option that may help. Spravato® (esketamine) is a prescription nasal spray used for certain adults with treatment-resistant depression.
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Spravato is the brand name for esketamine, a prescription medication administered as a nasal spray.
It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for specific uses in adults, including treatment-resistant depression. Depending on the indication, Spravato is used alongside an oral antidepressant and is administered under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
Unlike many traditional antidepressants that primarily affect serotonin, Spravato acts on the brain’s glutamate system through NMDA receptors.
That difference is one reason esketamine is considered a different approach to treating depression.
Spravato isn’t appropriate for everyone, and it isn’t a guaranteed solution. Your clinician will review your symptoms, treatment history, medical history, medications, and other relevant factors to determine whether it may be appropriate for you.
Treatment-resistant depression generally refers to depression that has not improved adequately after appropriate trials of antidepressant treatment. That can leave people feeling stuck.
You may have taken medication as prescribed, worked with a therapist, made changes to your routine, and still feel that depression is interfering with your life.
Treatment-resistant depression does not mean that there are no options left. It means your treatment plan may need to be reconsidered.
Spravato is one option that a qualified healthcare professional may consider for eligible patients.
Spravato contains esketamine, which affects the glutamate system in the brain.
Glutamate is one of the brain’s major neurotransmitters and plays an important role in communication between nerve cells. Esketamine’s effects on NMDA receptors can influence glutamate signaling and downstream pathways involved in brain connectivity and plasticity.
The exact relationship between these effects and improvements in depression symptoms is complex and continues to be studied.
What is important for patients to know is that Spravato works differently from conventional antidepressants.
That does not automatically make it better. It makes it a different treatment approach that may be appropriate in specific circumstances.
Before starting Spravato treatment, your clinician will professionally monitor you.
Your clinician may consider factors such as:
An evaluation is necessary before treatment begins.
Spravato is not something you should start based solely on an online symptom checklist or a general description of treatment-resistant depression.
One of the biggest questions patients have is simple:
What will actually happen when I come in?
Spravato is administered as a nasal spray in a certified healthcare setting. Your care team will provide instructions on how to use the nasal device and will monitor you after administration.
Because esketamine can cause temporary effects such as sedation, dizziness, changes in perception, or dissociation, you remain under observation during the required monitoring period.
Your healthcare team will review relevant health information and determine whether it is appropriate to proceed with treatment that day.
Blood pressure may also be checked before administration. You will receive instructions about eating, drinking, medications, transportation, and other preparation requirements.
You administer the nasal spray according to instructions from your healthcare provider. You don’t need to do anything complicated.
The focus is simply on taking the medication as directed and allowing the clinical team to monitor your response.
You’ll remain at the office for observation. Your healthcare team will monitor you for potential side effects and determine when it is appropriate for you to leave.
Because Spravato can temporarily affect alertness, judgment, coordination, and perception, patients generally need to arrange transportation home and should not drive or operate machinery until the following day after a restful night’s sleep, according to prescribing guidance.
Your treatment team will provide specific instructions for your situation.
Everyone responds differently. Some people experience temporary sensations or changes in perception after receiving esketamine. These can include dizziness, drowsiness, feeling disconnected from your surroundings, nausea, or changes in how things look or feel.
For some patients, these effects can feel unusual or unfamiliar. That’s one reason Spravato isn’t administered as a medication you simply pick up and take at home.
You’ll be in a monitored clinical environment where your care team can observe your response and provide support if needed.
Spravato has potential risks and side effects, and understanding them is an important part of deciding whether treatment is appropriate.
Reported adverse effects can include:
Most importantly, Spravato can cause temporary changes in alertness, judgment, coordination, and awareness.
For this reason, patients are monitored after treatment and should follow their provider’s instructions about driving and other activities.
Spravato also carries warnings and precautions related to sedation, dissociation, abuse and misuse, and other risks. Your healthcare professional will review the potential benefits and risks with you before treatment.
Spravato requires administration and monitoring under a healthcare professional’s supervision. This is an important difference between Spravato and many medications that can be taken at home.
The monitoring period allows your care team to observe your blood pressure, alertness, and overall response to treatment. You don’t have to navigate unexpected sensations by yourself.
Spravato treatment is provided in a series of sessions rather than as a single appointment.
The dosing schedule can vary depending on the indication and stage of treatment. Your healthcare provider will explain your schedule and how often you need to come to the office.
Because you’ll need to remain for observation after receiving the medication, you should plan to spend a significant portion of your day at the clinic rather than treating the appointment like a quick prescription pickup. Your care team will explain what to expect before your first session.
Spravato is not simply another version of a conventional antidepressant. Traditional antidepressants and esketamine work through different mechanisms, and the choice between treatment approaches depends on your individual circumstances.
For eligible patients, Spravato may be considered when depression has not responded adequately to previous treatments.
It is also commonly used alongside an oral antidepressant rather than automatically replacing existing medication. Your clinician can help determine how Spravato fits into your broader treatment plan.
Spravato and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) are both treatment options that may be considered when depression has not responded adequately to conventional approaches, but they work very differently.
Spravato is a prescription medication delivered through a nasal spray. It affects neurotransmitter activity in the brain and requires monitoring after each administration.
TMS uses magnetic pulses to stimulate targeted areas of the brain. It does not involve medication and is administered during scheduled treatment sessions.
Neither option is automatically the right choice for everyone. The best approach depends on factors such as your diagnosis, previous treatment response, medical history, preferences, and treatment goals.
If you’re considering both options, your clinician can help you understand the differences and determine which may be appropriate.
Learn more about TMS Therapy at Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare
Don’t expect every session to feel the same. Some patients may notice changes in symptoms during treatment, while others may require more time before determining whether the treatment is helping.
Your clinician will monitor your progress rather than relying on one good or bad day. Your symptoms, functioning, side effects, and overall response can all help inform decisions about continuing or adjusting your treatment plan.
The goal is not simply to complete a series of sessions. It’s to determine whether the treatment is providing meaningful benefit for you.
Choosing a treatment for depression is a personal decision.
At Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare, Spravato treatment is provided as part of a broader approach to behavioral healthcare. Our team can evaluate your symptoms and treatment history, explain your options, and help you understand whether Spravato may be appropriate for your needs.
We also provide other behavioral health services, allowing your care to be considered within the larger context of your mental health rather than as an isolated treatment. You deserve to understand why a treatment is being recommended not simply be told to try it.
No. Spravato contains esketamine, a specific form of ketamine, but it is a distinct prescription medication with its own FDA-approved indications, dosing, administration requirements, and safety considerations.
Spravato is administered as a nasal spray under the supervision of a healthcare professional in a certified treatment setting. Patients are monitored after administration.
No. Spravato must be administered under the supervision of a healthcare professional through the required safety program.
For the FDA-approved treatment of treatment-resistant depression, Spravato is used in conjunction with an oral antidepressant. Your clinician can explain how this applies to your treatment plan.
Some patients may experience changes in depressive symptoms relatively early in treatment, but individual responses vary. Spravato should not be presented as an instant treatment or a guaranteed rapid solution.
Yes. Spravato can cause side effects such as dissociation, dizziness, nausea, sedation, and increased blood pressure. Your healthcare team monitors you during and after treatment and discusses potential risks before treatment begins.
Patients should arrange transportation and follow their healthcare provider’s instructions regarding driving and other activities after treatment. Spravato can temporarily affect alertness, judgment, coordination, and perception.
No. Spravato is approved for specific indications and has important contraindications and precautions. A healthcare professional must evaluate your medical history, medications, symptoms, and other factors before determining whether it is appropriate.
If you’ve been living with depression that hasn’t improved enough with previous treatments, you don’t have to assume you’ve run out of options. Spravato may be one treatment worth discussing with a qualified mental health professional.
At Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare, we can review your treatment history, answer your questions, and help you understand whether Spravato is appropriate for your situation.
Schedule a Spravato consultation to discuss your options with our team.
You don’t have to make the decision alone. The first step is simply having an informed conversation about what comes next.
