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Starting any medical treatment for the first time can leave you with questions, especially if you’re looking forward to the benefits it may bring. It’s no different when you’re preparing for esketamine nasal spray treatment. Your previous mental health treatments may have consisted solely of taking antidepressants at home or visiting a therapist’s office for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). What will it be like to add SPRAVATO® treatment to your treatment plan? Preparing for SPRAVATO® treatment, also called esketamine nasal spray , can help you feel more at ease and ready for what your first day of treatment will bring. Getting Started with the SPRAVATO® Treatment As with any new treatment, you’ll first talk to your primary care provider or psychiatrist about whether you’re a fit for esketamine nasal spray. Alternatively, you can schedule an esketamine nasal spray consultation with a treatment center that has certification by the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for administering SPRAVATO® treatment. SPRAVATO® is FDA approved for treatment resistant depression (TRD) and major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation or behaviors (MDSI). Note that SPRAVATO® is not a replacement for hospitalization for those currently high at risk. At Greenbrook’s REMS-certified SPRAVATO® treatment centers, our Greenbrook-affiliated psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners will review your medical history and also conduct our own assessment to help determine whether nasal esketamine spray treatment is right for you. Certain conditions, including blood vessel disease and a history of psychosis, may make nasal esketamine spray treatment a risk for you. Make sure you discuss all previous and present conditions with your doctor or nasal esketamine spray provider before beginning treatment. If the medication is deemed a good fit, you’ll receive a SPRAVATO® prescription from the Greenbrook-affiliated provider. Your Greenbrook Care Team will put together a personalized care plan for the weeks and months to follow. Keep in mind that you will need to take a standard antidepressant along with your SPRAVATO® treatment. There are two important regulations to note when it comes to preparing for SPRAVATO® treatment: Each SPRAVATO® treatment is followed by a mandatory two-hour observation period. This means you will need to plan to stay at the center for at least two hours following your self-administration of the esketamine nasal spray. You cannot drive during the rest of the day after treatment and must arrange for transportation. These regulations are mandatory. It may be helpful to sit down and plan out several weeks’ worth of transportation once you know your nasal esketamine spray treatment schedule. In addition, if you’re wondering what to bring for the nasal esketamine spray treatment, we recommend entertainment such as an audiobook or playlist of favorite songs and a pair of headphones. You may want them during the two-hour observation period. What to Expect During SPRAVATO® Treatment On the day of treatment, you’ll need to stop eating any food two hours before your appointment and stop drinking all fluids 30 minutes before you come in. Your Greenbrook Care Team will confirm that you are prepared for the two-hour observation period and that you have a ride home. You’ll get the opportunity to practice using a “trainer sprayer” that mimics the real SPRAVATO® sprayer but does not release any medication. The Care Team will encourage you to use the restroom and set up your preferred environment in your private treatment bay or room. Some patients like reduced lighting, for example, while others don’t request light adjustments. You’ll complete a depression scale before each nasal esketamine spray treatment. Your Greenbrook provider will confirm that the dose kit is yours, show you how to administer it, and then hand it to you. Each sprayer contained 28mg of esketamine nasal spray. Patients usually start with two sprayers (56mg) and soon increase to 84mg (three sprayers) per treatment. But, your dosage maybe vary. Should you be left with a metallic taste by the spray, the Care Team will offer suckers to help make the flavor dissipate. After your dose, you’ll be encouraged to lie back in your comfortable recliner. While most patients enjoy a quiet setting, Greenbrook is prepared to accommodate patients with a more animated reaction to the medication. You may feel sleepy, dizzy, mildly dissociated, and/or nauseated during treatment. Greenbrook’s Care Team is readily available if you need assistance. How to Prepare for After your SPRAVATO® Treatment Process Most side effects begin to wane in the second hour of observation, but if you’re wondering, “Is it safe to drive immediately after SPRAVATO® treatment?” the answer is a resounding no. In addition to the mandatory ride home, you will need to block off time to rest and let side effects fully dissipate. This extended rest period is especially important in the first weeks of treatment when you’ll be taking nasal esketamine spray treatment twice a week. Do not drive or operate machinery of any kind until the day after treatment. Just take it easy, relax, and take care of yourself. If you’re unsure what activities you can do or should avoid during this time, talk to your Care Team for more information. While side effects tend to dissipate completely after a good night’s sleep, many nasal esketamine spray treatment patients begin feeling relief from depression symptoms within hours of their nasal esketamine spray treatment. Other Tips in Preparing for Your SPRAVATO® Treatment At Greenbrook, we make every effort to schedule your treatment in the afternoons or whenever it is most convenient for you. We encourage you to see each nasal esketamine spray treatment session as an opportunity to relax and take care of your mental health. If you have any questions or concerns, talk to your doctor or the Greenbrook Care Team. At Greenbrook, we’ll help you feel at ease when preparing for your nasal esketamine spray treatment. Schedule A Free Consultation To get started with nasal esketamine spray treatment, we offer free consultations at Greenbrook . If your doctor thinks you should avoid nasal esketamine spray treatment, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a drug-free, FDA-cleared option for you to consider. Learn more about how TMS works .