Do you need to be supervised after taking Spravato? The answer is yes, because the medication can cause temporary side effects that may affect how you feel, think, move, and respond after treatment. Spravato is not a medication you pick up from a pharmacy and take at home. Instead, only certified healthcare settings can administer it under a safety protocol called the Spravato REMS Program.
After each dose, our team will monitor you for at least two hours before your provider decides whether you are ready to leave. While this may sound intimidating at first, the goal of the supervision period is to protect your safety and comfort. At Upswing Psychiatry, we do not rush you through treatment. We give you the support, structure, and personalized care you need while your body responds to the medication.
Spravato is an esketamine nasal spray approved for adults with treatment-resistant depression and, when taken with an oral antidepressant, for adults with major depressive disorder who have acute suicidal thoughts or actions. However, it is important to know that although anxiety often accompanies depression, Spravato does not yet have approval to treat it.
Patients need supervision after receiving Spravato because it can cause side effects such as:
The medication can also make you feel disconnected from your surroundings or give you a floating sensation for a short time. These effects usually occur soon after treatment and often improve the same day, but they still need to be monitored carefully.
During your visit, your provider will check on how you are feeling and may monitor your blood pressure, alertness, breathing, and overall readiness to leave. You should not drive, operate machinery, or do anything that requires full alertness until the next day after a restful sleep.
After you take Spravato, you stay at the office while our care team monitors your vital signs. You do not need to perform a certain way or explain everything you are feeling. Rather, you can rest while trained staff watch your response.
This observation time helps your provider see how you tolerate the medication. It also gives you space to recover before going home. Because Spravato can temporarily affect balance, alertness, and perception, you will need someone else to drive you home after treatment.
The first 14 sessions of Spavato treatment are referred to as the introduction phase. A typical early schedule includes treatment twice a week for four weeks, once a week for four weeks, and then once every other week for one month. Skipping a week during the last month helps determine the maintenance therapy schedule that might work best for you.
Continuation or maintenance therapy begins after those first 14 rounds, at which time we individualize your schedule. Some people may need ongoing treatment up to once weekly, while others may need less frequent visits. Your provider adjusts the plan based on your symptoms, response, side effects, and long-term goals. Regardless of the frequency, we monitor your responses after each Spravato treatment.
While Upswing Psychiatry is a busy single-center practice, your care never feels impersonal. While you do need supervision after taking Spravato, you deserve empathy, prompt attention, practical support, and a treatment plan that addresses your emotional, mental, and medical needs.
If you are considering Spravato, supervision is not a barrier. It is part of what makes treatment safer. With the right team, your monitoring period can feel calm, structured, and reassuring, giving you the chance to focus on getting better while your providers focus on keeping you safe. To learn more about whether you need to be supervised after taking Spravato, schedule your consultation with Upswing Psychiatry.