EsKetamine (Spravato)
There are many ways to treat depression, but, if others haven’t worked for you, esketamine may provide relief. A nasal spray that’s been proven to help with even treatment-resistant depression, esketamine is safe and effective. Here at Sal Psychiatry, esketamine can be a part of a personalized treatment plan made for your specific needs.
What is Esketamine, Exactly?
As you can tell from the name, esketamine is a form of ketamine. That said, it’s not the same as ketamine. Esketamine has fewer side effects while also being more potent than ketamine. This is what’s called a “Schedule II Controlled Substance.” As such, you can only use it at a certified clinic (like ours) while being monitored by medical professionals.
What Does It Do?
Simply put, it treats the depression that nothing else can. Many who have come to us for esketamine tried many other treatments first, only to see less than the results they wanted. Additionally, it can provide help for Major Depressive Disorder with acute suicidal ideation, too. One of the many reasons that esketamine has become so popular is that it can provide quicker relief than other antidepressants or treatments may be able to on their own.
How Does it Work?
In short, it activates something called “neuroplasticity” in your brain. That’s the word for how your brain grows and changes. If you’re struggling with depression, it’s likely that you’ve become stuck in the same negative thought patterns, over and over. Esketamine can help your brain to change and grow, thus finding a way out of those patterns.
Traditional antidepressants work by increasing serotonin, dopamine, and other chemicals in your brain. Those chemicals can be thought of as “messengers” in your brain, they communicate between your brain cells, impacting your mood. Esketamine, on the other hand, increases glutamate. Of all the chemical messengers in your brain, that’s the most abundant. This is one more way that esketamine is unique from other treatments, and a reason it’s able to work so rapidly.
Is it Safe?
Yes. When overseen by a medical professional in a clinical environment, esketamine is safe. You don’t have to take our word for it. The FDA has approved it for both treatment-resistant depression as well as Major Depressive Disorder. You don’t inject anything, nothing “breaks the skin” or anything of that nature. As a nasal inhalant, it is a completely noninvasive treatment.
How is Care Administered?
We’ll make sure you feel completely comfortable and squared away. Then, when you’re ready, you’ll use the esketamine yourself, always monitored by our staff. Typically, treatment consists of using it three times with a five minute gap between each. As we design each treatment plan for the specific needs of our patients, your treatment may be different.
Then, our medical professional will sit with you for the next couple of hours. The side effects of esketamine can consist of hallucinations, feeling intoxicated, headaches, and more. We make sure that you’re feeling as you should before you leave. It’s one more way that we can tailor your treatment to you.
Esketamine Treatment: Part of Your Treatment Plan
There are many who come to us just for esketamine treatment, but there are many others who utilize it as part of a larger treatment plan. You can use esketamine while also receiving therapy and more. It’s understandable that you may wonder if esketamine is right for you, or you may have more questions about how all of this works. To determine whether or not you would be a good fit for esketamine or another, you can message us through our site or give us a call.
