What Is Medication Management?
Medication management is the ongoing process of monitoring, adjusting, and optimizing your psychiatric medications. It is what happens after the initial evaluation -- the regular check-ins where we make sure your treatment is actually working and adjust it when it is not.
This is the core of what a psychiatric practice does. We prescribe and manage medications for ADHD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, PMDD, insomnia, and other conditions. We do it carefully, with regular follow-ups, because getting medication right is a process -- not a one-time event.
How It Works
After your initial psychiatric evaluation, we schedule follow-up appointments to track how your medication is working. Early on, these visits may be every 2-4 weeks while we dial in the right medication and dosage. Once you are stable, visits typically move to every 1-3 months.
At each visit, we check in on your symptoms, side effects, sleep, appetite, and daily function. We adjust medications as needed. If something is not working, we pivot. If it is working, we keep going.
Medications We Prescribe
We prescribe the full range of psychiatric medications based on your diagnosis and needs. For ADHD -- Adderall, Vyvanse, Concerta, Ritalin, Strattera, Wellbutrin, Qelbree. For depression and anxiety -- Zoloft, Lexapro, Prozac, Effexor, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, buspirone, hydroxyzine. For bipolar disorder -- Lamictal, lithium. For sleep and PTSD -- prazosin, hydroxyzine, trazodone.
We also use GeneSight testing when standard trial and error is not getting results. It helps us find medications your body is more likely to respond to.
What to Expect
Follow-up visits are shorter than your initial evaluation -- usually 15-30 minutes. We focus on how you are doing, what has changed, and what needs adjusting. You should come prepared to talk honestly about how the medication is affecting you -- good and bad.
Insurance and Payment
Medication management visits are covered by most insurance plans. We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and AHCCCS. Cash pay is available.