When you receive Spravato®, you will relax in a comfortable, private room. Our team will guide you through self-administering the nasal spray, and we will monitor you closely over the next two hours, including routine blood pressure checks.

During this window, you may experience a temporary increase in blood pressure, increased fatigue or mild anxiety. Additionally, about 60% to 70% of patients experience a sense of dissociation—often described as a calm, "floaty," or out-of-body sensation. To ensure your ultimate safety, the FDA requires all patients to remain in the office for this full two-hour observation period.

  • While Spravato® is highly effective, it does come with specific side effects that require careful management. These can include sedation (feeling sleepy or losing consciousness), dissociation (feeling temporarily disconnected from your body or thoughts), a brief increase in blood pressure, difficulty thinking clearly, or bladder issues.

    Because your safety is our highest priority, Spravato® can only be administered through a strict FDA safety program called Spravato® REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy). Under this program, certified healthcare facilities like Westside NeuroTherapeutics closely monitor patients during and immediately after treatment.

    Important Ride-Home Policy Throughout the rest of your treatment day, you will be fully alert and able to advocate for yourself. However, due to the anesthetic qualities derived from the ketamine molecule, your reflexes may be temporarily slowed. For this reason, patients are strictly prohibited from driving on the day of treatment. Please ensure you arrange a ride home with a family member, friend, or rideshare service.

Spravato®, the only FDA-approved nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression

What is Spravato®? Spravato® is an FDA-approved nasal spray made from esketamine (a variant of ketamine) specifically designed to treat depression. Because it is fast-acting and works differently than traditional oral antidepressants, it is self-administered right here in our office under medical supervision to ensure your comfort and safety.

  • Spravato® is specifically for individuals navigating treatment-resistant depression, with or without acute suicidal thoughts. For our patients, we define "treatment-resistant" as having tried at least two different antidepressants without seeing significant improvement, or experiencing side effects that outweighed the benefits.

  • While traditional antidepressants rely on increasing serotonin or norepinephrine, Spravato® takes a completely different path. It targets NMDA receptors in the brain to trigger the release of glutamate—a crucial neurotransmitter. This process rapidly boosts neuroplasticity, allowing the brain to repair, regrow, and rewire its neural pathways. By creating these new connections, Spravato® helps patients break free from deeply ingrained, negative thought patterns.

  • Spravato® begins with a 1-month induction phase where patients receive treatment twice a week. Following this first month, the schedule transitions into an optimization phase, tapering down to once a week for the next 2 months. Studies show that patients can begin seeing meaningful improvement in their symptoms at any point during these first three months.

    After this initial period, you will continue to return for regular maintenance sessions to sustain your progress and prevent relapse, though likely less frequently. The exact frequency is highly individualized and will be personally tailored to your needs by our Medical Director, Dr. Bystritsky.