Medication Management
Treatment
What medication management involves
Psychiatric medication management is the ongoing process of evaluating symptoms, selecting and adjusting medication when it is indicated, and monitoring the response over time. It begins with a psychiatric evaluation and continues through follow-up appointments for as long as you are in treatment with us.
At your first appointment, we will review your history, current symptoms, prior treatment, medical conditions, and goals of treatment. During your visit, we will determine a working diagnosis and develop a care plan that is right for you. Medication is one part of that plan, and whether it is recommended depends on the diagnosis, on what has been tried before, and on your preferences.
Prescribing
How we prescribe
Mental health treatment is complex and treatment plans can become complicated. That is why at Lakeridge Psychiatry, we feel it is important to ensure that prescribing is done thoughtfully and to reassess which medications are necessary. We will check in regularly during appointments to evaluate your progress and how your treatment plan may need to change over time.
When a medication is started, we will discuss the reason for it, what it is expected to do, how long it may take to work, and the side effects to watch for. Changes are generally made one at a time, so that the effect of each change can be understood. Where several medications are being taken together, we consider how they interact with one another and with any medications prescribed for your medical conditions.
Not every treatment plan requires medication, and not every plan requires more of it. Where a medication is no longer providing benefit, or where the regimen has grown over time, we may recommend reducing or discontinuing it.
Appointments
Appointments and how often you will be seen
The initial psychiatric evaluation is 60 minutes. Follow-up appointments are scheduled as either a 25-minute medication follow-up or a 50-minute medication-plus-therapy follow-up, depending on what your treatment plan calls for.
How often you are seen is a clinical decision. Early in treatment, or after a change in medication, appointments are usually more frequent. As symptoms stabilize, visits may be spaced further apart. Patients receiving prescriptions from this practice are seen at least every three months, and more often when the medication, the diagnosis, or your circumstances call for it. Certain medications, including controlled substances, require shorter intervals.
Refills
Refills and monitoring
Routine refill requests may be submitted through the patient portal or by your pharmacy. We ask that you request refills at your appointments where possible, so that a request is not made when you are close to running out.
A refill is not issued when a visit is overdue, when the medication is changing, or when monitoring is outstanding; in those situations an appointment is offered instead. The full list, and the additional rules for controlled substances, are on the Clinic Policies page.
Some medications require laboratory monitoring, and we will arrange it and review the results with you. Where a medical condition or another physician's treatment is relevant to your psychiatric medications, we will coordinate with that physician.
Not every treatment plan requires medication, and not every plan requires more of it.
Schedule
Getting started
Schedule an appointment today to meet with our care team and we will review your treatment history, medical conditions, and goals of treatment. You may call 972-332-5922 or book online.