u/Beginning-Date-9837

Hi everyone, I am almost done with my first month of the treatment and wanted to share my experiences. I made a post a couple of weeks back asking for advice before beginning with the treatment and got so much support and warmth in return. So I wanted to forward that care by sharing my experience. For context, I was diagnosed with PTSD and major depressive disorder. I had been prescribed seven different kinds of anti-depressants over the last few years. And recently, my depression just became exponentially worse. My SI was off the charts, something that I didn't know was possible. My anxiety spiralled out of control over little things. And I haven't felt that warmth of happiness in so long. My doctor recommended Spravato because we had cycled through different types of anti-depressants and somehow they were just making me worse. This was AFTER I had taken the genesight test to ascertain what meds were the best. I initially wasn't in favor of doing this treatment because I was extremely anxious about getting high, and that too in a strange place. But I agreed eventually because once you hit the rock bottom, you just want a way out. The community gave me really good advice and their experiences really helped me feel more relaxed. So this has happened so far:

1. Spravato WILL make you high. But it's nothing to be concerned about. Unfortunately my body is metabolizing the medication way slower than the average people so I get high too fast and still remain loopy for hours after the treatment. Please know this is not an average experience, or that's what I have been told by the doctors. Usually, the high will wear off pretty much within the treatment hours and you might feel almost sober once the treatment ends. Every body reacts differently to the medication but even in worse case scenarios, like mine where I'm very high very quick and cannot escape it for hours, it is still very safe. I also remind myself when I'm soaring lol that I'm under observation anyhow and the staff and the doctor are there to help me
2. Nausea. Oh my god the nausea. Again, this is very specific to my body because the medication is not metabolizing fast enough inside me. But experiencing nausea is very very normal. If you have a weak stomach or get upset gut easily, I'd strongly recommend to not eat anything for 2-3 hours before the session. I know it's anyhow expected but my god, my body really hates Spravato. I usually eat a banana or saltine crackers after the session since it's easier on my stomach.
3. Taste. Disgusting. Hate it. 0/10. I can't even eat a candy to offset the taste because even a sip of water makes me sick during the treatment so I'm stuck with that heinous taste for the whole of two hours.
4. Now, about how the treatment actually affected me. I'd be very honest when I say that I didn't experience anything, any change after the first two sessions. My depression actually worsened after my third session. I felt so envious of the people posting about their positive experiences whereas I was out here puking and being sad. I had accepted that this too was a fail. But it's when I began to notice the little changes. My SI had decreased. Not immensely but enough that I was surprised when I wasn't crashing out about everything lol. My anxiety felt more in control, and I could rationalize issues without spiralling. See, for me, Spravato didn't really make me a happy person. It didn't make me suddenly laugh more or brighten up the world magically. It just lessened the grief I was carrying, allowing more space for new experiences and emotions. You will notice that you are doing more things steadily. You feel a fraction more rested after your sleep, you clean a fraction more, you get out of your bed a fraction more. It was after my 6th session that I truly noticed how much of emotional weight that I was carrying was gone. It's a slow process but it works. I just had to be realistic about the outcomes and expectations. Spravato won't make you suddenly laugh more but it will help emotionally declutter your mind so that you can finally find the energy to smile more. It takes time, you just have to observe the minor changes happening slowly. I am still nauseous after treatments, still getting high but I feel more present in my mind and body.

It's already such a long post so I won't stretch it any further but I wanted to share my experiences because I did read a lot of posts of people who weren't experiencing the benefits. Everybody will react differently with Spravato. Some will see changes within one session, some might take a few weeks for them to see that change. This is not to say that Spravato is the holy grail and will fix everyone's depression equally. But I'm glad I decided to stick with it despite the intense side effects.

The sky feels so blue and the flowers smell more fragrant now. I hope I keep on feeling human. And I hope the same for you.

Edit: Oh forgot to add, we have lowered my dose to help with my side effects.

Hi everyone,

I'm beginning with my first Spravato treatment today. I have been researching a lot about what to expect, been reading people's testimonies, and had an in-depth talk with my psych about the treatment itself. My main anxiety is the 'high' that is a byproduct of this treatment. I am not a big fan of losing the grip on my reality but can deal with it. My main issue is the patterns and other minor distortions in reality. I might be blowing this way out of proportion and the treatment might turn out better than my expectations, but anxiety of any kind of hardly rational :')

So I'm would love to know what should I realistically be expecting *during* the treatment? I completely understand that every person will have their unique experience but reading about them might ground me better.

Also, any tips to help calm down during the treatment? I have ADHD and I need to be doing something to feel same. I'm thinking of sketching and drawing because it may help me to focus on something that I like.

Thanks!