Spravato

Sometimes, depression does not get better with medications or therapy, leaving you hoping for relief. Luckily, Dr. Ashley Johnson, and the team at Colorado Recovery Solutions offer a treatment called Spravato® to the community of Colorado Springs, Colorado. They are the only practice in the area that is Spravato-REMS certified and physician-owned. Dr. Ashley Johnson provides this treatment when you have depression that is resistant to other forms of therapy. To schedule a consultation with the team, call the office today, or book an appointment online.

What is Spravato®?

Spravato is an FDA-approved nasal spray containing esketamine, which is similar to the drug ketamine. It is used to treat severe forms of depression that either cause frequent suicidal thoughts or are resistant to other forms of therapy.

At this point, Spravato is only approved for the use of adults with treatment-resistant depression, and only given under the supervision of the medical team at Colorado Recovery Solutions.

Spravato works to treat depression very quickly, with effects starting in as little as a few hours after administration. This is a great benefit, as other antidepressants can take weeks to begin working.

 Even though Spravato differs from ketamine in many ways, both drugs work similarly on the brain to relieve the symptoms of depression or other conditions.

What is Spravato used for?

Spravato is typically used for treatment-resistant depression. This means that your depression symptoms have not been relieved after at least two different antidepressant medications.

It is also approved for use in clinical depression with either active thoughts of suicide or attempts to harm yourself.

To be successful, Spravato is given with at least one other anti-depression medication to increase the effects. 

Are there any side effects?

Like any other medication, Spravato does come with potential side effects. This is why it is administered in the office under close medical supervision. While not everyone experiences them, you may have mild to moderate side effects that include:

• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Anxiousness
• Emotional numbness
• High blood pressure

Typically, the benefits of Spravato administration outweigh the side effects in the treatment of severe depression. Before prescribing this treatment, the team discusses all the benefits and side effects so you can decide if you would like to proceed with treatment.

Spravato is generally covered by insurance, while ketamine infusions are not. For this reason, Spravato might be a better treatment option for some patients  

Your provider administers Spravato in the office, and you will be supervised for at least two hours to make sure you do not suffer any adverse effects. Once the team determines that you are medically safe to discharge, you may go home and relax.

To find out if Spravato is a treatment option for you, call the office in Colorado Springs today, or book a consultation online.