Now accepting new patients
Now accepting new patients
Spravato is given in a calm, supervised setting at our Benton office. Knowing the rhythm of a visit ahead of time can take a lot of the worry out of starting.
Before your dose, our team checks your blood pressure and gets you settled in a comfortable, quiet space. You self administer the nasal spray under staff guidance, usually a few sprays across the session. After your dose, you relax in the office for about 2 hours while we monitor how you are doing. Because esketamine can cause short lived dizziness or a sense of detachment, this monitoring period keeps you safe and supported until those effects pass.
This is the most important difference from TMS. You cannot drive after a Spravato session. Please arrange for someone to drive you home, and do not drive or operate machinery until the next day after a restful night of sleep. It also helps to avoid eating for a couple of hours before your appointment and to limit fluids right before your dose, which can reduce nausea. Our team will give you the exact instructions.
Spravato follows a structured schedule under its safety program. Most people start with an induction phase of two sessions per week for the first 4 weeks. After that, dosing usually steps down to once a week for weeks 5 through 8. From there, many people move to a maintenance phase of once every one to two weeks, based on how they respond. Dr. McGaugh will tailor the plan to you and adjust as you improve.
During and shortly after a dose, some people feel calm, a little dreamy, or briefly detached. Mild dizziness, a temporary rise in blood pressure, or nausea can also happen. These effects are watched closely during your monitoring time and typically fade within the same visit. Many people begin to notice mood improvement within the first few weeks of treatment.
Ready to begin? Schedule your Spravato consultation
