Your first visit, hour by hour.
We know how hard depression that hasn’t responded to treatment is, so we’ve thought through every step for you, from the moment you reach out to your first treatment and beyond. Here’s the whole path, and what each part feels like.
From your first call to your first treatment, usually in days.
- You registerFill in the registration form online, about ten minutes. Our team starts your insurance check and reaches out to schedule your evaluation.
- Your evaluationUsually within one business day, and almost always a video visit you do from home. A clinician goes through your history, your medications and your health, and decides with you whether Spravato fits.
- Insurance approvalWe handle the prior authorization. 95% of ours are approved the first time.
- Your first treatmentUsually two to three days after you first reach us.
Three things to plan ahead.
Arrange a ride home. You can’t drive until the next day, after a night’s sleep. Skip food for two hours beforehand, and drinks for 30 minutes, because Spravato can make some people queasy. Bring something to listen to, if you like; we keep headphones and eye masks on hand too.
You stay for two hours, and our team stays with you.
- We check you inOne of our Sherpas, the specially trained team members who look after you on every treatment day, checks your blood pressure and oxygen level and checks in with you. One of our clinicians always sees you too, to talk through your progress on Spravato and offer insight and guidance along the way.
- You take the spraySitting in a comfortable chair, you use the nasal spray yourself, with your Sherpa guiding you through it. We keep a variety of mints and candies on hand for the taste.
- You restFor at least two hours. Most people put on music, close their eyes or doze. We check your blood pressure along the way. If you’d like company, a Sherpa is always on standby to sit with you; if you’d rather have peace, bring your own headphones or use our eye masks and noise-cancelling headphones.
- We make sure you’re readyA clinician checks on you before you leave, and your ride takes you home.
Questions about the first visit? Ask us before you register.
Call us and connect with someone who is there to help you. If Spravato isn’t the right fit, we’ll tell you plainly.
Name, date of birth and insurer. We check your plan and call you back. No commitment.
Check my coverageRegister once, and our team starts your insurance check and reaches out to schedule your evaluation.
Request an evaluationThe first hour can feel strange. That’s expected.
Most people feel floaty or a little detached for a while after a dose: as if the room is slightly removed, or time moves differently. It’s one of the most common effects of Spravato, it peaks early, and it settles well before you leave.
Sleepiness, dizziness and nausea can also happen, and your blood pressure rises for a while, which is why we check it. For most people that’s the whole of it: a couple of sleepy hours with us, then home feeling like themselves, without a week of side effects to manage. Our team has given more than 30,000 treatments and has seen every version of a first session. What Spravato feels like · Side effects.
Twice a week to start, then less often.
Being close matters in the first month, which is why we have four New Jersey offices. After that we look for the least frequent schedule that keeps you well, from once a week to once a month and everywhere in between.
30 doses
Every day.
Side effectsEvery single day: sedation, dry mouth, sexual side effects, weight gain.
8 visits
Twice a week.
4 visits
Down to once a week.
2–4 visits a month
Down to once a week or every other week. Dashed: weeks you may or may not need.
Side effectsMostly gone by the end of each visit.
What people ask about the first visit.
Do I have to come in for the evaluation?
Usually not. Almost every evaluation is a video visit you do from home. You come to one of our offices for the treatments themselves, which have to be given in a certified office.
How long does a Spravato appointment take?
Plan on a little over two hours: a short check-in, the dose itself, then at least two hours of rest and monitoring before you leave.
How often do you take Spravato?
Twice a week for the first four weeks, once a week for the next four, and after that as infrequently as keeps you well. We reassess with you regularly: for some people that’s once a week, for others once a month, and everywhere in between.
Can I drive after Spravato?
Not the same day. Someone else needs to drive you home, and you can drive again the next day after a night’s sleep.
Can someone come with me?
Yes. Many people bring the person who’s driving them home. Call ahead and we’ll tell you how it works at your office.
How long will I be on Spravato?
For as long as it helps you. If Spravato is working, you can stay on it for as long as you need the treatment, and we regularly check in with you to find the least frequent schedule that keeps you well.