Navigating the New Frontier of Depression Treatment with Spravato Therapy

What does a Spravato treatment look like?

Ever feel like you've hit a wall with depression treatment? You're not alone, and there's a new horizon in mental health care that's changing lives. Join me, Sean Goddard, and my trusty co-host Garfield Bowen on the Viking Psychiatry Podcast as we introduce you to Spravato, an innovative therapy that's redefining the battle against stubborn depression and acute suicidality. Unlock the mysteries of this FDA-approved treatment and learn why it could be your next step toward remission after other medications have let you down.

This episode isn't just a discussion; it's a journey through the Spravato experience. From the tranquility of our treatment rooms to the nuts and bolts of the therapy protocol, we guide you through what to expect during your Spravato journey. Whether you're a patient, a loved one, or a professional seeking to expand your toolkit, our conversation offers deep insights into managing treatment-resistant depression. Discover the serene setting that helps patients relax as Spravato works its magic, and learn about the commitment needed to truly make a difference in your mental health journey.

To learn more about Viking Psychiatry go to:
https://www.vikingpsychiatry.com/

Viking Psychiatry
260-459-9225

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Welcome to the Viking Psychiatry Podcast, where you get the support you need when you need it. At the helm is Sean Goddard, owner of Viking Psychiatry, veteran and dual certified nurse practitioner specializing in mental health.

Speaker 2: 0:19

Ever wonder what a provider treatment entails. In our upcoming episode, the owner of Viking Psychiatry pulls back the curtain on the cutting edge depression therapy. Welcome back everyone. Garfield Bowen, co-host, slash producer, back in the studio with Sean Gatta Sean, how you doing today.

Speaker 3: 0:39

I'm doing great. It's a pleasure to be here with you.

Speaker 2: 0:42

So, sean, what does a Spravada treatment look like?

Speaker 3: 0:47

Yes, I think that's a two-part question, right?

Speaker 3: 0:49

What does a standard treatment look like and what do people go through? And so, if you talk about a standard treatment, clients come in, we get a set of vitals on them which includes like blood pressure, pulse, ox, heart rate, and then, depending on the amount of dose that they're getting, they have multiple devices that they spray in their nose what's called intranasally and then they get to sit back in a dark room with a nebula light going on in the ceiling right and some sound machines going on in the background, sit back in a recliner and you kind of just relax and let go and let the spravato take you where it takes you in your mind, and then after about 40 minutes, we come in and we check your blood pressure again, make sure that you're doing okay, and then you get to sit back, relax a little bit more time the last hour is not near as intense and then at two hour mark we check those vitals again and if you're doing well, you're doing stable, then you get to leave in the company of somebody driving you home.

Speaker 2: 1:53

Okay, so someone coming for treatment, how long should they expect to stay?

Speaker 3: 1:58

Yeah, so for a standard treatment it's going to be on average about two to two and a half hours, and then there is a protocol associated with that treatment, right. So when we treat depression right especially when you're talking about depression that's been there a while we really have to hit at it a few times. And so with a standard Spravato treatment you actually come in twice a week for four weeks, and then once a week for four weeks, and then once every other week for four weeks. So you have about a 12-week commitment with this, and so we hit it really hard at the beginning and then we begin to taper you down to make sure, as your depression improves from the Spravato, that you're able to maintain that remission and that improvement without having to continue Spravato on a semi-weekly or every other week type schedule.

Speaker 2: 2:52

We talked about depression in some of the other episode and it's such a vast topic and is different level of depression which patients Sean will be ideal for Spravato.

Speaker 3: 3:14

You know, when it comes to the appropriate client for Spravato, it really comes down to the individual wanting to make a difference.

Speaker 3: 3:18

But when it comes to the FDA approval and what's expected, they do expect people to either A have treatment-resistant depression, and so most people, when you say a word like treatment-res depression, or what I call stubborn depression, for people to make sense they think that you have to fail five, six, seven, eight, 10 medications, and most insurance companies only require that you failed two to three medications, right? So this isn't a first line treatment for somebody who's just going to get their depression treated for the first time. But if you've tried two or three medications and you haven't responded well, you don't need to go through another five or six failures and another year or two years, right? You become eligible for Spravato at that time. And the other side of it is it's approved to treat acute suicidality. So if you have somebody that's struggling with suicidal thoughts, those failures don't matter. It's about that acute need for treatment. And in that case, anybody who is feeling acute suicidality leaving aside any reasons that might leave you medically unqualified for Spravato that's somebody who could potentially get Spravato right away.

Speaker 2: 4:26

This sounds like a great thing for you to have in your tool chest, huh.

Speaker 3: 4:30

It's one of the best tools I have and I'm so glad that we have it available here for people to choose from.

Speaker 2: 4:36

Love it. Sean, you have a wonderful rest of the day. We'll see you in the next episode. Thank you, I'm looking forward to it.

Speaker 1: 4:40

Thank you, I'm looking forward to it. Thanks for listening to the Viking Psychiatry Podcast, where you get the support you need when you need it. For a complimentary consultation, visit vikingpsychiatrycom or call 260-459-9225. That's 260-459-9225.