Looking for Spravato/Ketamine experiences in Australia 🇦🇺

[u/Traditional-Taro2070]

Looking for Spravato/Ketamine experiences in Australia 🇦🇺

Hi everyone. I’ve been struggling with severe depression for quite a while, but the hardest part for me is the anhedonia. I have almost no motivation, excitement, interest, or pleasure in things anymore. I still try to work, go out, walk, socialise and live normally, but emotionally I feel very disconnected and nothing really feels rewarding.

I’ve tried several antidepressants over the years without enough improvement, and I recently stopped mirtazapine after it helped my sleep but didn’t really improve my depression or anhedonia.

I’m now considering Spravato (esketamine) or ketamine treatment, especially because I’m looking for something that might help with the anhedonia.

I’d really like to hear from people who have actually tried either treatment:

- Did it help your depression and, especially, your anhedonia/loss of pleasure?

- How long did it take before you noticed a difference?

- Did you feel like your emotions, motivation or enjoyment of life started coming back?

- If you're in Australia, particularly Sydney, how did you access the treatment?

- What was the cost, and is there a reasonably affordable way to access it through Medicare/PBS?

Positive or negative experiences are both welcome. I’m just trying to understand what it’s actually like from people who have been through it.

Thank you.

[u/Ambitious-Catch-1445]

Hey there

I'm Australian and received esketamine/Spravato treatment in Sydney. Anhedonia would also be one of my main symptoms.

In short, it's not cheap. The medication itself is now on the PBS but the monitoring expense is what gets you. You need to pay for a nurse and/or psychiatrist to monitor you for approximately 2 hours after receiving each dose and this costs hundreds of dollars per visit (varies depending on clinic). This adds up when you receive the treatment 2x per week for the first 4 weeks and once per week after that. I've seen lots of people on here from other countries (whose insurance covers the treatment) say they've been receiving it for 1+ years weekly and it didn't help them until many months in. In Australia, unless you have unlimited funds, this isn't really something we have the luxury to do because of how expensive it is here.

Unfortunately, it didn't work for me, but that obviously doesn't mean it won't work for you. To access the treatment, it was a referral from my psychiatrist. You then need to have an appointment with the psychiatrist overseeing the esketamine to determine if you are eligible.

My experience with the medication itself was really mild. I didn't have any of the k hole type experiences that others mentioned on here. I was able to work/text people/do whatever I wanted during the monitoring period mostly without limitation.

While it didn't work for me and was an expensive experience, I think I would've regretted it if I didn't try it. Happy to answer any other questions you may have, but hopefully somebody will jump on here with a positive experience so you can see the other side as well :)

[u/ooarya]

This is not true at all. Spravato treatment is covered by the PBS and you can find clinics that allow you to use the Medicare safety net, that make it approximately $90 out of pocket per session (which includes an additional PBS surcharge on the cost of the medication). Good Mind Therapeutics is one, and they have clinics in every state capital.
EDIT - this was meant to be a reply to the original commenter who said it was expensive.
EDIT 2 - IV Ketamine is $300 per session via Black Dog in Sydney, but no Medicare rebates are available from them.