Spravato (Esketamine) Therapy

If you’ve already tried more than one antidepressant without adequate relief, don’t give up hope. Spencer Simon, PA-C, and the caring team at Beautiful Mind Behavioral Health Services in Burlington, North Carolina, can determine whether ketamine treatment with SpravatoTM nasal spray therapy is right for you. To find out if you’re a good candidate for Spravato Nasal Spray therapy for adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) or for depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal thoughts or actions, call our office and book an appointment today.

What is ketamine?

Ketamine is traditionally an anesthetic medication, but recent research shows promise for its new application in mental health. Ketamine provides rapid relief in some cases of major depressive disorder (depression), especially depression that fails to improve with medication.

What role does ketamine play in mental health?

About 10–30% of people with depression don’t experience sufficient relief with antidepressant medication treatment. This resistance to treatment can make the desperate and hopeless moods associated with depression even more severe. But there is another solution.

The team at Beautiful Mind Behavioral Health Services partners with nearby clinics to offer esketamine nasal spray, which has the S-form of ketamine, for patients with treatment-resistant depression. Esketamine may also treat depression combined with anxiety.

Spravato

Spravato, or esketamine, is an FDA-approved nasal spray that only uses the S-ketamine molecule. You administer the nasal spray yourself under clinical supervision, but only at a REMS-certified clinic. Spravato isn’t available to take at home.

Is ketamine therapy right for me?

Ketamine is never the first line of treatment, even for severe symptoms of depression. The team at Beautiful Mind Behavioral Health Services explores every other available treatment first, including:

• Medication
• Psychotherapy
• Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES)
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

You may be a candidate for ketamine therapy if you continue to suffer from moderate to severe depression after trying one or more of these treatments. Because ketamine is potentially addictive, active substance abuse may disqualify you from consideration.

What should I expect from ketamine therapy?

The team at Beautiful Mind Behavioral Health Services determines the best type of ketamine therapy for you, depending on your condition and medical history.

Ketamine may cause a variety of side effects, including:

• High blood pressure
• Nausea and vomiting
• Changes in perception, such as time speeding up or slowing down
• Dissociative states or out-of-body experiences

Your provider stays with you to monitor the treatment effects while you relax. You may want to bring items from home, such as a blanket or music. You stay at the treatment center for at least two hours after treatment before you can go home.

Esketamine (Spravato) is more potent than ketamine. To learn more about Spravato Nasal Spray infusion therapy, call Beautiful Mind Behavioral Health Services or book an appointment online today.