In the past few years, new treatment for depression has emerged beyond the traditional anti-depressant oral medication. For decades, traditional treatment for major depressive disorder has been the use of oral medication such as anti-depressants and atypical anti-psychotics. While these medications can be helpful for treating the symptoms of depression, such as feelings of sadness, lack of motivation, sleep issues, and suicidal thoughts for many people, there are those who have tried and failed multiple medications in their life. Despite doing everything “right”, such as taking medication as prescribed and following up appropriately, many people do not experience relief or adequate relief from their depressive symptoms while taking these medications.
Spravato is a new, innovative treatment for treatment-resistant depression. Treatment-resistant depression is simply depressive symptoms that have not been alleviated with the use of medication or other treatment modalities. Spravato is a nasal spray for the treatment of depression in adults. Spravato has shown a greater reduction in depressive symptoms compared to oral anti-depressants alone. The Ashley Clinic in Chanute began offering Spravato treatment in January 2024. The Ashley Clinic is the only healthcare facility in Southeast Kansas certified to provide Spravato treatment. Spravato has shown improvement in depressive symptoms in as little as 24 hours after the first treatment, with continued improvement over the next 4 weeks. This is exciting for those who struggle with depression as many times oral medication can take 4-6 weeks to begin to alleviate symptoms. Many times, patients experience an improvement in their depressive symptoms within the first week. Spravato has also been shown to have long-term efficacy as well in the treatment of depression as long as patients continue their treatment regime. Side effects of Spravato are typically limited to the 2-4 hour timeframe immediately after treatment and include dizziness, tiredness, increased blood pressure, and nausea. Most patients experience few side effects outside that timeframe, making Spravato well-tolerated.
The Ashley Clinic is proud to offer Spravato treatment for patients who suffer from treatment-resistant depression. The ability to offer this service in southeast Kansas has allowed patients improved access to care that historically was reserved for those living in larger urban areas.
Amanda Alanzo PMHNP-BC
Ashley Clinic & Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center