If you have been living with depression that has not improved with traditional medications, new treatment options could feel both hopeful and stressful. Spravato® (esketamine) nasal spray is an FDA-approved treatment designed specifically for adults with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder or depressive symptoms associated with suicidal ideation.
Spravato can only be provided in a certified medical setting where we closely observe your response and support your progress. At Upswing Psychiatry, your treatment is carefully customized and structured. Administration and monitoring for Spravato are essential to ensuring our Amarillo patients are safe and the therapy can be effective.
Clinical trials and real-world studies have shown encouraging outcomes. In pivotal studies, about 70 percent of patients experienced at least a 50 percent reduction in depression symptoms after several weeks of treating Spravato alongside an antidepressant.
Response rates can range from about 40 to 77 percent, with remission rates often between 30 and 58 percent depending on the population studied. Long-term data suggest continued benefits as well. In one study, patients who responded to treatment and continued therapy had a 51 percent lower risk of relapse compared with those who discontinued esketamine treatment.
These results are one reason Spravato could be an important option for you if your depression has been difficult to treat. At Upswing Psychiatry, we offer you individualized care, administering your esketamine treatment and monitoring your personal response to it at our Amarillo clinic.
Spravato treatment begins with what providers call the introduction phase, which includes the first 14 treatment sessions. This early stage is designed to help us closely observe how you respond to the medication and how your symptoms change over time.
The schedule starts with two treatments per week for the first four weeks. After that, treatments typically shift to once a week for the next four weeks. In the final month of the introduction phase, sessions are reduced to once every other week. This gradual change in frequency is intentional.
During the last month, the interval between treatments helps us see how one’s symptoms respond when there is more time between sessions. That information can be helpful when determining what your long-term maintenance plan may be and how often you may benefit from continued treatment.
We administer each Spravato treatment in our office under careful medical supervision. You stay at our office for roughly two hours while we observe your response to the medication. During this time, we check your vital signs and ensure you are stable and comfortable before you leave.
Safety monitoring is a required part of Spravato treatment. Because the medication can temporarily affect blood pressure, alertness, or perception, it must be administered in a certified health care setting.
After you complete the first 14 Spravato treatments, you may move into what is called continuation or maintenance therapy. This stage is more flexible and is designed around how your symptoms respond to treatment.
For some people, maintenance therapy may involve continuing treatment once a week. Others may be able to gradually increase the intervals between their treatments over time. The goal is to find a schedule that helps you maintain symptom relief while supporting your long-term stability.
Our Amarillo team works closely with you during this phase, monitoring how you feel between administered esketamine treatments and applying adjustments to the schedule as needed. Because everyone responds differently, the frequency of maintenance treatments is tailored to what works best for you.
Because depression affects each person differently, Spravato treatment is never one-size-fits-all. At Upswing Psychiatry, we focus on individualized care, ongoing support, and a clear treatment plan tailored to your needs.
With careful administration and monitoring for Spravato in Amarillo, our compassionate team guides your treatment, becoming an important step toward regaining stability and improving your quality of life. Call for an appointment today.