Esketamine
Esketamine (Spravato) is the first rapid-acting medication for depression. It can work within hours.
Esketamine calms the part of the brain that’s responsible for anxious, self-critical, ruminative thoughts, called the default mode network.
Esketamine is the FDA approved ingredient in ketamine, a medicine that has been used successfully for mood disorders since the 1990’s.
Our team will work with your insurance
to help get this medicine covered
Esketamine is given through a nasal spray 1-2 times a week in the office. That way we can monitor for side effects, which can include drowsiness, temporary out-of-body sensations, and increased blood pressure.
Esketamine is approved for office use only because it can be abused in high doses.
After Recovery
Some people stay well after recovery and can slowly come off the treatment. Others continue esketamine 1-2 times a month. Many patients find success by starting with esketamine to get better quickly and then switching to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a magnetic therapy that has more long-lasting effects for depression.
Esketamine and TMS are available at our Winston-Salem office: 104 Cambridge Plaza Dr at the corner of Country Club and Jonestown Rd.