Medication Management

Medications often help patients recover from mental health problems like depression and anxiety or manage incurable conditions like bipolar disorder. Haresh Tharwani, MD, DFAPA, and the team at MD Psychiatry & Emotional Health, PLLC, have offices in Durham and Cary, North Carolina, where they provide medication management to ensure patients receive optimal benefits from their medicines without experiencing unpleasant side effects. To benefit from medication management, call MD Psychiatry & Emotional Health, PLLC, today or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online.

What is medication management?

Psychiatric medications play a vital role in treating many mental health disorders. However, these powerful drugs can cause disagreeable side effects in some patients, and the first one you try might not be the most effective. Medication management ensures that your medication works for you and you don’t suffer any dangerous or distressing effects.

Finding the best medication and dosage usually involves a degree of trial and error because no drug works the same for every patient. Numerous medications are available to treat mental health disorders, and there are often multiple subclasses within each type of drug.

For example, the three main classes of antidepressants are:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Tricyclic antidepressants
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

Most patients do well with SSRIs, but there are many different kinds. If SSRIs don’t produce results, there are different kinds of tricyclic antidepressants to try, and so on.

The MD Psychiatry & Emotional Health, PLLC, team uses their expertise and experience to select a suitable medication. Medication management ensures that your drugs are carefully evaluated and monitored to optimize your results.

What problems can medication management address?

Medication management addresses several key issues with psychiatric drugs, including:

Side effects  

All drugs, including psychiatric medications, can cause side effects. Medication management enables your provider to take action if you develop any side effects, changing you to a drug that doesn’t adversely affect you.

Drug interactions

It’s helpful for your provider to know about all your medications, not just psychiatric drugs. That includes medicines for physical health problems, like blood pressure pills and any supplements or herbal remedies you use.

These substances can interact with your psychiatric medications. For example, the popular herbal remedy for depression, St. John’s wort, shouldn’t be mixed with prescription antidepressants. Medication management ensures any issues like these come to light.

Adherence problems

Medications only work if the patient follows the instructions on their prescription. Some people don’t take the correct dose, take it at the wrong time of day, miss doses, or stop taking their medications.  

Regular medication management consultations allow your provider to ensure you’re taking your meds as prescribed.

What does a medication management appointment involve?

Your provider at MD Psychiatry & Emotional Health, PLLC, begins your medication management appointment by reviewing your medical history. They discuss your symptoms and how well your current medication is working.

If you’re having any problems with your medication or it isn’t helping, your provider can suggest an alternative and change your prescription.

To benefit from expert medication management, call MD Psychiatry & Emotional Health, PLLC, today or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online.