Steady follow-up for real life
Psychiatric medicine is not a one-time fix. Doses need adjusting, side effects come and go, and life throws curveballs: a new shift, a layoff, a new grandbaby, a health scare. Medication management is the regular follow-up that keeps your treatment working as those things change. At our Hickory office, that means a provider who remembers your history and takes the time to ask how things are really going.
What we treat
We manage medicines for depression, anxiety and panic, obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADHD, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress, PMDD, and sleep problems tied to mental health. We see adults and teens 15 and older, and many of our patients are moving their care over from a family doctor who started a medicine years ago.
Built around shift work
Plenty of our patients work first, second, or third shift at the fiber-optic plants, the distribution centers, the furniture factories, or the hospitals. Working nights and sleeping days throws off your body clock, and medicine timing matters more than most people realize. Some medicines give you energy and belong right after you wake up, whenever that is. Others make you drowsy and work best before your main sleep. Your provider will plan doses around the schedule you actually keep.
Medicine and safety on the job
If you run heavy equipment, drive a forklift, or work around moving machinery, sedating medicines can be dangerous. Tell your provider exactly what your job involves. We will choose options that keep you alert at work. If your employer does drug testing, prescribed medicines are generally handled through a medical review process, and your provider can explain what to expect.
What each follow-up covers
At each visit we check how you are sleeping, eating, and feeling, how well you are concentrating, and whether you have had side effects. We ask about any new prescriptions from urgent care or other doctors, since some common medicines interact with psychiatric ones. A quick questionnaire like the PHQ-9 or GAD-7 gives us a score to compare against last time, so we can see progress on paper even when it feels slow.
Lab checks and monitoring
Some medicines need regular blood work. Lithium levels have to be checked, along with kidney and thyroid function. Certain mood stabilizers and antipsychotics call for weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol checks. ADHD stimulants mean keeping an eye on blood pressure and heart rate, and because they are Schedule II controlled substances, each fill takes a new prescription after your provider checks North Carolina's controlled substance database.
When the plan needs to change
It is normal to need adjustments. A medicine may help but cause side effects, or help some but not enough. Options include changing the dose, switching medicines, or adding a second one. If you have been through several medicines without luck, GeneSight testing can show whether your genes affect how your body handles them.
Do not quit cold turkey
Stopping some psychiatric medicines suddenly can cause dizziness, flu-like symptoms, or a quick return of depression or anxiety. If you want to come off a medicine, tell your provider, and we will plan a slow, safe taper together.
Older adults and long medicine lists
Retirees around Lake Hickory and Lake Norman often take five, eight, or ten medicines from different doctors. Some common ones, like sleep aids, bladder pills, and older allergy medicines, can cloud memory or raise fall risk, and they can interact with antidepressants. Your provider will go over the whole list, flag anything that may be working against you, and coordinate with your family doctor on safer swaps. Bring a bag with every bottle, including the ones you only take now and then.
Getting started
New patients usually begin with a psychiatric evaluation. If you are transferring care, bring every bottle or an up-to-date list. We are at 520 8th St NE in Hickory, and you can become a patient without a referral.
Why Choose Catawba Valley Psychiatry and Mental Health?
- Providers across Hickory and the Catawba Valley who actually listen and take their time
- Now accepting new patients because waiting makes everything harder
- We accept most major insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare — and work with you on costs
- A practice that treats you like a person, not a number