Spravato® treatment

 
 

Welcome to our Spravato treatment option

Important Information About Spravato® and Treatment Requirements

Spravato® is only available at a REMS-certified Spravato treatment center under the supervision of a healthcare provider. We want to be able to provide our patients with a variety of treatment options, so we are now an approved Spravato facility. Spravato is a medication designed to bring relief to adults struggling with depression, it is taken along with an oral antidepressant. With the active ingredient esketamine, this nasal spray treatment has helped some individuals regain control over their mental health.

We are an adjunct treatment clinic, meaning, we are not a therapist office. We partner with therapists who don’t offer this treatment at their facility, but who would like to refer their patients to this treatment option. If you are a therapist looking to refer your patient, please check out our provider referral page for Spravato.

Spravato is only approved for treatment in the following:

  • Adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD)

  • Depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal thoughts or actions

If you have not been diagnosed with either of the above, the program will not approve your application for this treatment currently.

Additional Spravato Requirements

So, if you have been diagnosed with TRD or MDD, you have checked one of the requirement boxes needed; however, we aren’t done. Next, Spravato has two medication requirements in order for insurance to approve this treatment, and both are required:

  1. You must currently be on ONE oral antidepressant medication.

  2. You will need to have tried and failed at least TWO other medications of adequate dose and duration during your current episode.

(If you don’t meet the requirements, but are still interested in Ketamine treatment, please check out our Ketamine IV Therapy treatment and schedule a consult to discuss it with our Clinic Provider - this treatment may be a great fit for you.)

Spravato Insurance Coverage

Not all insurance companies provide coverage for this treatment, and those that do cover it, don’t always provide the same coverage as every other insurance. This treatment cost hinges on your specific coverage, and it is subject to deductibles, copays, etc.

Spravato Costs and Coverage

The Spravato.com website has a dedicated Affordability Support page that covers information around the cost and coverage of this treatment. Our clinic does not determine the pricing on this treatment.

Don’t meet the Spravato requirements?

That’s ok! Consider an alternative Ketamine Treatment for Depression

If you do not meet the above requirements, you’re not out of options with us! Consider looking into our Ketamine IV Therapy treatment as an alternative solution. We’ve had several patients who’ve experienced some incredible success stories with this customized treatment.

What is Spravato?

Spravato is the first FDA-approved nasal spray prescription medicine approved for depression in adults. Spravato works in a unique way by targeting the brain’s NMDA receptors. It is used to treat:

  • Adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD)

  • Depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal thoughts or actions

In a six-year clinical study of adults with treatment-resistant depression, those who took Spravato and an oral antidepressant experienced a greater reduction of depression symptoms at four weeks.

How does it work?

The nasal spray will be administered under the supervision of one of our clinic health care providers. It will be administered in the clinic, and you can expect to be at the clinic for a minimum of two hours.

First, you will have to complete the initial pre-approval form below to see if you qualify for coverage and the program.

If treatment is recommended, you’ll get enrolled in the program and you will follow the standard 8-week treatment plan, followed by an ongoing maintenance plan.

You and one of our medical professionals will decide how long you stay on Spravato based on:

  • How you respond to it

  • How stable your response is

After eight weeks of treatment, we’ll determine the ongoing maintenance dosing frequency based on how you feel. It will either be two hours once every week, or once every other week.

What should I expect on treatment days?

  • Eating and Drinking: Because some patients may experience nausea or vomiting, you should avoid eating two hours before, and drinking liquids 30 minutes before, taking Spravato.

  • Arrange for a ride: You’ll need to arrange for rides to and from your Spravato treatments. Because of possible side effects affecting mental alertness and motor coordination, you won’t be able to drive, operate machinery or do anything where you need to be completely alert until the day after a treatment session, following a restful sleep, even if you think you feel well enough to do so.

  • Dress Comfortably: After administering Spravato, you may rest comfortably while your clinic healthcare provider monitors you for any side effects, you’ll be monitored for at least two hours. Dress comfortably so you can relax during and after treatment. When your clinic healthcare provider gives you the okay, you’ll be ready to leave.

  • Treatment Administration: You will administer the nasal spray yourself under the supervision of one of our healthcare providers. They will walk you through it.

  • Post Treatment: Don’t drive, operate machinery or do anything where you need to be completely alert until the day after a treatment session, after a full night of rest.

  • Other Medications: If you take a nasal corticosteroid or nasal decongestant medicine, take these medicines at least one hour before taking Spravato. Before starting Spravato, tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines that you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Taking Spravato with certain medicines or alcohol may cause side effects.

  • Patient Response: Not all patients will respond to Spravato. Your healthcare provider will evaluate your symptoms over the four-week course of treatment to see if you have had satisfactory improvement.

Spravato time commitment

Each time you come into the clinic for a treatment, you can expect to be there for at least two hours per session. This is for patient safety.

  • Weeks 1-4: You’ll be administered SPRAVATO® twice a week for four weeks at the clinic (four hours per week).

  • Weeks 5-8: You’ll be administered SPRAVATO® once a week for four weeks at the clinic (two hours per week).

  • Weeks 9+ (Ongoing Maintenance): You’ll be administered SPRAVATO® once every week or once every other week, based on your response.

Spravato potential side effects

If these common side effects occur, they usually happen right after taking Spravato and go away the same day.

Most Common Side Effects

  • Dizziness

  • Nausea

  • Feeling sleepy

  • Spinning sensation

  • Numbness

  • Feeling anxious

  • Lack of energy

  • Increased blood pressure

  • Vomiting

  • Feeling very happy or excited

More Serious Side Effects

  • Feeling sleepy (sedation)

  • Feeling dissociation (disconnected from yourself, your thoughts, feelings and things around you)

  • Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (very rare)

  • Temporary increase in blood pressure that may last about four hours after a dose

  • Problems with thinking clearly

  • Bladder problems (very rare)

 

Additional Spravato resources to consider reading

The above information is just an overview. Before considering this medication, consider reading these additional resources. Below are two Spravato Patient Starter Guides. One focuses on Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) and the other focuses on Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). These guides are comprehensive patient-focused resources to help prepare patients for what to expect before, during, and after treatment with Spravato. We’ve also provided a link to Spravato Provider resources and Patient resources.

 

How to get the Spravato process started

Please fill out the below form. This is the first step in the approval process to see if you qualify for this treatment. We can’t submit this form to your insurance for approval unless you provide all necessary information. Additionally, you must email a photo of the front and back of your insurance card to ivketamineofnwa@gmail.com to complete this step of the process and be considered for this treatment.