Spravato (esketamine) is an FDA-approved nasal spray used to treat treatment-resistant depression, major depressive disorder, and suicidal ideation. Unlike conventional antidepressants that may take weeks or months to show effects, Spravato works rapidly in a few days or even hours.
Understanding how long Spravato stays in your system, how long the effects last, and what impacts its metabolism can help you make informed treatment decisions.
How Long Does Spravato Stay in Your System?
When you take Spravato at Bespoke Treatment clinic, half of the medication is quickly absorbed through the nasal passages and enters your bloodstream. Spravato starts working quickly, peaking in your bloodstream within 20 to 40 minutes of taking it. Once in your body, Spravato distributes all over your body, with part of it attaching to proteins in the blood. The active ingredient, esketamine, attaches to NMDA receptors in the brain, which relieves depression symptoms.
Unlike some medications that pass through the liver before entering your bloodstream, Spravato skips this first-pass process and starts working immediately. Once in your system, your liver breaks it down using enzymes and converts it into another compound called noresketamine. Your body then further processes noresketamine before it is eliminated mainly through urine.
Spravato is removed from your body in two steps. Within 2 to 4 hours, the concentration of the drug reduces significantly, while its total breakdown takes 7 to 12 hours. This is the medicine’s half-life or the time it takes for its concentration in the body to reduce by half. However, tiny traces of the medication linger in your system for 2 to 4 days based on your metabolism and the function of the liver. While the drug is eliminated within days, its therapeutic effect may persist much longer.
Duration of Spravato’s Effects on Depression Symptoms
Most patients feel relief within hours of administration. The Spravato effects typically last for several hours. Some individuals might feel the effects for as long as 24 hours following the initial dose. Although Spravato is eliminated from the body within a few days, its impact on symptoms of depression lasts longer.
Patients who respond well to Spravato may experience extended benefits when used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, including therapy and oral antidepressants.
What Affects How Long Spravato Stays in the System?
If you’re curious about how long Spravato lasts in your body, the answer to this question depends on several factors. The duration of Spravato’s effects is not uniform and can depend on many factors unique to each individual.
Metabolism & Liver Enzymes
One important factor is how fast a person’s metabolism works, which affects how quickly the body processes the medication. Since the liver metabolizes Spravato, individuals with impaired liver function may process it more slowly.
Dosage and Frequency
The effectiveness of Spravato and how long it lasts also depends on the dose given. Higher doses or more frequent dosing can increase the duration of esketamine in the system.
Individual Physiology
Your body weight, hydration level, and overall condition affect drug metabolism and clearance.
Stage of Treatment
During the initial month, the Induction Phase, you will be on Spravato at one of our Nevada or California Bespoke Therapy locations twice weekly. The drug may take longer to start working during the initial treatment phase. During the second month, the frequency decreases gradually based on your symptom improvement. After this, you will sit down with your provider at Bespoke Therapy to determine a long-term maintenance schedule, which can be weekly to every three months, depending on your needs and progress.
So, how long Spravato remains in your system can vary depending on where you are in treatment.
How Spravato Can Transform Your Mental Health
Spravato is a promising treatment for people with treatment-resistant depression who have not responded to traditional therapies. By stimulating the NMDA receptors and glutamate release, Spravato helps the brain, breaking cycles of negative thoughts and depression symptoms.
Key benefits of undergoing Spravato treatment at Bespoke Treatment include:
- Symptom relief in a matter of days or hours
- Improvements in treatment-resistant depression when other treatments have failed
- Reducing suicidal ideation and providing immediate relief
- Boost of neuroplasticity, stimulating long-term resilience
Why Choose Personalized Treatment with Spravato at Bespoke Treatment
Spravato’s rapid action makes it a game-changer for treating depression. If previously used antidepressants have not been effective, turning to Spravato could be the next measure towards healing and recovery.
Understanding how long Spravato stays in the body and its effects can help set realistic expectations for treatment and long-term mental health improvement.
If you or someone you love is suffering from treatment-resistant depression, Bespoke Treatment can help. Book an appointment today and learn if Spravato is the right option for you. Contact us today to find out more.
