Medication Management

What is medication management? 

The experienced psychiatrists at DuPage Psychiatric Care PLLC prescribe and monitor medications, an essential mental health service commonly referred to as medication management. 

Follow-up appointments are scheduled as long as you take psychiatric medications, allowing your provider to evaluate your progress and adjust your medication as needed to ensure optimal mental health. 

When would I need medication management? 

Psychiatric medicines ease the symptoms of most mental health disorders. If you have moderate to severe symptoms or a serious condition, like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, medication management is essential for restoring your well-being.  

You may benefit from medication management if you’re diagnosed with:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Panic attacks
• Bipolar disorder
• Eating disorders
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  
  

Most people achieve the best results when they combine medication with therapy.  

Does medication management include genetic testing? 

Your DuPage Psychiatric Care PLLC provider may recommend GeneSight® genetic testing. This testing reveals crucial information about the way your body responds to medications, including:

• How your body metabolizes psychiatric medications
• How your genetic makeup changes the effectiveness of medications
• Which psychiatric medications are likely to cause side effects
• Effect of smoking on the way your body metabolizes medications
  
  

Why should you consider this type of genetic testing? Because there are many psychiatric medicines, and each one has a different way of working inside your body. 

Genetic testing gives your provider the information needed to prescribe the medication and dose that’s best for you. Without this information, you may need to try several medications before finding the one that improves your symptoms.  

What happens during medication management appointments? 

During your first appointment, your provider completes a psychiatric assessment to diagnose your mental health disorder, determine the severity of your symptoms, and create a treatment plan. They may recommend medication management, therapy, or both. 

They explain the benefits and risks of the medication you may need; then you decide if you want to take it. 

At follow-up appointments, your provider learns how you’re doing, if your symptoms have improved, and whether you have side effects or any problems with the medicine. Then, they decide whether to refill the same prescription or change the dose or medicine. 

Call DuPage Psychiatric Care PLLC or use online booking to request a medication management appointment today.