Spravato: The Gold-Standard in Treating Major Depressive Disorder
Spravato is a nasal spray containing esketamine. The Food Drug Administration has approved Spravato to treat major depressive disorder with suicidal thoughts or actions and treatment-resistant depression. You take Spravato Atlanta under your doctor’s supervision. Doctors approve it as safe for use in adults but not in kids. You can combine Spravato treatment with oral antidepressants. Spravato gets absorbed in the tissue lining your nose, enters your bloodstream, and reaches your brain, quickly balancing the brain chemicals that regulate your mood. The medication relieves symptoms within twenty-four hours. You may note changes within the first four hours of your Spravato dose.
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When should you consider Spravato?
Your doctor can recommend Spravato if you have treatment-resistant depression. Treatment-resistant depression is a form of depression that does not improve with at least two different antidepressant medicines. Studies show that about fifty-one to seventy percent of patients who take Spravato are less likely to relapse into severe depression. You can also use Spravato if you have major depressive disorder with thoughts or actions of suicide.
How should you prepare for Spravato treatment?
Your doctor may recommend you avoid food at least two hours before Spravato treatment to lower the risk of nausea. Also, avoid drinking water at least half an hour before your treatment. Ask your healthcare provider if it is safe for you to use a corticosteroid spray or decongestant drops at least sixty minutes before treatment if you have a stuffy nose.
What happens during Spravato treatment?
You take Spravato to your doctor’s office. Your provider directs you on how to use the nasal spray device. You spray Spravato in each of your nostrils. After spraying, lean your head back and take a five-minute rest. Your healthcare provider will monitor you for at least two hours after using Spravato. Ensure you have someone to drive you home after treatment.
Side effects of Spravato
Among the usual side effects of Spravato include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, a feeling of spinning, reduced sense of touch, and tiredness. Consult your doctor if these side effects persist or become worse. Seek immediate care if you experience increased urination at night, pain or burning while urinating, or urgent or frequent urination.
Spravato can lead to a rise in blood pressure, lasting about four hours after treatment. Your doctor checks your blood pressure before and after treatment. Get immediate medical care if you experience severe effects like shortness of breath, chest pain, sudden severe headache, loss of consciousness, vision changes, and seizures.
Although rare, some patients get serious allergic reactions after Spravato treatment. Consult your doctor immediately if you experience severe allergic reaction symptoms like rash, itching, dizziness, trouble breathing, or swelling, especially in your face, tongue, or throat. Spravato is a prescribed medication, so your doctor ensures benefits outweigh the risk of side effects. Most people do not get severe side effects.
Spravato treats major depressive disorder with suicidal thoughts or actions and treatment-resistant depression. The medication is prescribed, and you take it under your provider’s supervision as it can cause severe side effects. Schedule an appointment at Psychiatric Consultants of Atlanta for Spravato medication to manage your suicidal thoughts.