The hallucinogenic drug is an option but not without risk
People in Phoenix suffering from severe depression now have a Ketamine-derived nasal spray available for treatment. PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A ketamine-derived nasal spray is now available for the millions of Americans living with severe depression.
The hallucinogenic drug is an option when traditional treatment isn’t working, but it’s not without risk.
“I was debilitated. I couldn’t function,” said Spencer Eldredge.
Eldredge has always struggled with depression. He said over the years, he’s attempted just about everything to manage it, to no avail.
“I kind of just felt stuck and that’s as good as it’s gonna get,” he said.
Eldredge finally found relief. He said things immediately got better about six months ago when he tried Spravato .
“It’s so life-changing,” said Eldredge.
Spravato is a ketamine-derived nasal spray that is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression.The Johnson & Johnson drug has been on the market since 2019 , but could only be prescribed alongside an oral antidepressant. The Johnson & Johnson drug has been on the market since 2019.(Arizona’s Family) That changed this month when the FDA greenlit Spravato as a stand-alone therapy .“So, if an antidepressant isn’t working for a client now what we can do is we can stop that antidepressant and initiate the esketamine, the Spravato, without continuing another drug,” said Dr. Robbie Westerman, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at Camelback Integrated Health and Wellness . “It has been a game changer.”Westerman explained this is not something you can just pick up at a pharmacy and take at home.“It’s pretty intense. It’s got to be monitored,” said Westerman. “It’s very, very regulated.”Because of the risks for sedation, dissociation, abuse and misuse, it is only available at health care settings that are part of the manufacturer’s certified Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy program .“The superiority to this medication versus other antidepressants makes it worth it,” said Westerman.At Camelback Integrated Health and Wellness, patients sit in a recliner in a therapy room to self-administer the medication under the supervision of a medical provider and three nasal spray devices are used in one two-hour session.“It does feel good, […]
Ketamine-derived nasal spray treating Phoenix patients with severe depression
