Medication Management

What is medication management?

Psychiatric medications are powerful drugs that demand active management. That means you have regular appointments so your provider can keep tabs on your health, verify the medication works for you, and make any needed adjustments.

How does medication management protect my health?

Medication management protects your mental health as well as your physical wellbeing by:

Monitoring your results

It usually takes trial and error to find the best psychiatric medication and the best dose for each patient. Your provider uses their extensive experience to initially choose a drug, but they also have many choices.

For example, they can prescribe one of more than 25 different antidepressants. Though all the drugs relieve depression, each works using a different pathway.

In addition to choosing from similar drugs with different ways of working, your individual metabolism also determines the effectiveness of your medication. The way you metabolize drugs means that one antidepressant will work while others won't.

With medication management, your provider closely follows your symptoms to be sure they improve.

Finding side effects

All medications, including psychiatric drugs, can cause side effects. With routine medication management appointments, your provider finds early signs of side effects and takes steps to prevent health problems.

Overcoming roadblocks

Your medication only works when you take it as prescribed. But unfortunately, many people stop taking their psychiatric meds for several reasons.

Depending on the medicine, you may develop brain fog or lose your sex drive — or your meds may be too expensive, so you can’t refill your prescription. Medication management allows your provider to help you overcome roadblocks and get the treatment you need.

What happens during medication management appointments?

When you have your first medication management appointment, your provider at the ADHD Institute of Michigan reviews your medical and psychological history and talks about your symptoms. Then they complete a psychological evaluation to determine your diagnosis and choose the best medication.

Your provider explains the type of medication, how it works, how to take it, and any side effects you may experience. Then they send your prescription to your preferred pharmacy.

Follow-up appointments focus on how you feel, if your symptoms have improved and whether you have any physical or psychological side effects. Depending on your progress, your provider may prescribe a different medication or change the dose to improve your results.

If you need to schedule medication management, call the ADHD Institute of Michigan or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online today.