Getting Started with Spravato®
Someone who has been on several medications for a lengthy period of time without any improvement in their depression may be a good candidate to get started on Spravato®. Spravato® is the first nasal spray medication that is a treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). Spravato® is FDA-approved to treat depression in combination with an oral antidepressant. The best way to find out if Spravato® is right for you is to talk to your healthcare provider.
Before prescribing Spravato® to you, your healthcare provider will review your medical history and discuss potential side effects and interactions. If it is determined that Spravato® is the right treatment plan for you, your treatment plan can be mapped out and your appointments can then be scheduled.
You will also have to enroll in REMS to keep track of any serious side effects you may experience. Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) is a way to manage known risks and is required by the FDA. After your treatment, it simply means that the healthcare provider is required to submit Patient Monitoring forms to the Spravato® REMS system. Due to the risks of serious side effects, and to mitigate abuse and misuse of Spravato®, the REMS program has been put into place. Your healthcare provider will walk you through the steps of completing the patient section of the Spravato® REMS Patient enrollment form.
Once Spravato® treatments begin, they are administered one to two times each week.
1st Month
2 treatments per week
2nd Month
1 treatment per week
Subsequent Months
1 treatment every week or every 2 weeks
Some things you should be aware of about Spravato® Treatment Days:
- Some patients experience nausea and vomiting, therefore you should not eat for at least 2 hours before taking Spravato®.
- Do not drink any liquids at least 30 minutes before taking Spravato®.
- You will self-administer Spravato® nasal spray under supervision of a Healthcare Provider.
- There will be an Observation Period after Spravato® is self-administered. During this time you will be monitored for at least two hours to check for possible side effects. At this time you may read, listen to music or just sit and relax.
- When your healthcare provider gives the okay, you will be allowed to leave.
- After your treatments, you won’t be able to drive until the next day, so please plan for someone to pick you up on treatment days.
- After your treatments, refrain from operating heavy machinery or performing anything that requires your full attention and alertness.
As your treatment plan progresses, you should share your progress with your healthcare provider in order to gauge the effectiveness of Spravato® for you.
Don’t stay in the dark about Spravato®. Discuss the facts, side effects, and interactions with Dr. St. John, and decide together if Spravato® is the right treatment option for you.
To learn more visit our Spravato® page.
References
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org
https://www.spravato.com
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