Medication Management

If the doctor is helping me with medications, what can I expect at the consultation appointment?

At the consultation visit you will discuss the risks and benefits of medications with your doctor. In many cases, your doctor can give you a prescription at the time of your consultation visit. In some cases, your doctor may ask you to gather additional information and schedule a follow-up visit to pick the best medication for you.

What can I expect at the follow-up appointments?

At your follow-up visit you and your doctor will talk for about 20 minutes about your experiences with your medications, possible side effects, and adjust your treatment plan accordingly. Your doctor may also talk with you about other non-medication issues depending on your situation.

If I am doing psychotherapy as well as medication management, what can I expect at the follow-up appointments?

You will schedule longer appointments and spend about 45-50 minutes with the doctor. During this visit, some of the time will be used to discuss your medications and the rest of the time will be used for the psychotherapy session. You do not need to make separate appointments for medication management and psychotherapy and you will be billed for only one appointment.

If I am doing well with my medications, will my doctor give me refills, or do I need to come every month?

It will be up to you and your doctor to determine when your next follow-up visit will be, this is highly variable for different people and different situations. The maximum time between appointments is 3 months, so the maximum medication prescribed at an appointment would be a 90 day supply.

What happens if I have side effects from the medication?

If you think you are having side effects from a medication, you can contact your doctor directly. If it is a non-urgent issue, you can leave a confidential voicemail that your doctor checks during business hours. If it is an urgent issue, you can reach your doctor on their urgent phone line anytime. If you are having severe symptoms that could be life-threatening, please call 911 or go to your closest emergency room. The emergency room doctor can call your doctor directly to get more information.

If you have more questions about medication management, please call us at 919-636-5240 option #1 or email us.