Doctor Prescribes Inexpensive Generic Ketamine Nasal Spray

There’s a new drug for depression. It’s called esketamine (Spravato) and it is pricey! We’re talking thousands of dollars a month pricey. The FDA approved this nasal spray for “treatment-resistant depression.” The agency describes its approval of Spravato in the New England Journal of Medicine (May 22, 2019) “Esketamine represents a novel treatment for a severe and life-threatening condition, and its rapid onset of effect is a key benefit. The studies provide evidence of clinically meaningful efficacy when esketamine is used in combination with a newly initiated oral antidepressant.” But some doctors are prescribing the much older and inexpensive generic ketamine. Here is one example.

How Does a Doctor Prescribe Inexpensive Generic Ketamine?

Q. As a doctor, I prescribe generic ketamine for my hard-to-treat depressed patients. A compounding pharmacy makes it into an affordable nasal spray. My patients have called it a game changer.

A. Ketamine (Ketalar) has been available since 1970 as an injectable anesthetic. Some doctors have prescribed it off-label for people with chronic pain or challenging depression. The generic form is relatively inexpensive.

A brand-new FDA-approved chemical cousin of ketamine, esketamine (Spravato), is now available. A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry (June 1, 2019) found that esketamine nasal spray worked better than placebo nasal spray to alleviate treatment-resistant depression. The conclusions:

“Current treatment options for treatment-resistant depression have considerable limitations in terms of efficacy and patient acceptability. Esketamine is expected to address an unmet medical need in this population through its novel mechanism of action and rapid onset of antidepressant efficacy. The study supports the efficacy and safety of esketamine nasal spray as a rapidly acting antidepressant for patients with treatment-resistant depression.”

Esketamine Side Effects:

Eskatamine does have some side effects. They include dizziness, a bad taste in the mouth, dissociation and nausea. The dissociation could be described as a feeling of not being connected to the body.

The brand name Spravato has another drawback. It is expected to cost over $4000 a month.

Learn more about Inexpensive Generic Ketamine:

We have written quite a lot about this fascinating compound. Here are some links:

For a comprehensive overview of ketamine and its fascinating history go to:

Surprising Ketamine Side Effects and Anti-Suicide Benefits

Here is a discussion of ketamine IV infusions:

Will Ketamine Really Battle Life-Long Depression?

To get a personal perspective here is a story from Lori in Colorado:

“My husband has struggled with serious depress for close to 20 years. While conventional antidepressants and psychotherapy allows him to live a relatively normal life, he has encountered periods when these modality are ineffective.

“About five years ago, when the options were between electroconvulsant therapy (ECT) or a trial of ketamine compounded locally, my husband and his psychiatrist decided to try ketamine. My husband has used it as a ‘rescue’ drug since. He has used it 5-6 times throughout those years.

“He experiences relief for many months before needing another dose. Luckily he has not encountered any side effects and he has not needed any hospitalizations, ECT, or had any suicide attempts since.”

Share Your Own Story:

We recognize that ketamine has not been approved for the treatment of depression! Its only FDA-approved use is as an anesthetic. Any physician who prescribes it for hard-to-treat depression or suicidal thoughts is taking a risk. The FDA generally frowns on such activities, but doctors are allowed to prescribe a medicine “off-label” as long as they can justify such treatment. 

We would like to learn about personal experience with either ketamine or esketamine. Has your doctor prescribed Spravato? Did your insurance company pay for it? Many people will want to know how well it worked and whether there were uncomfortable side effects.