The Patient’s Guide to Psychiatric Medication Management

With any medication, it’s important to take it as prescribed. But with psychiatric medication management, that can be extra important. Missing doses or mixing in other things like supplements or alcohol can lead to issues. The more medications you or your child need to take, the greater this risk. 

That’s why Alejandra Suzuki, MD, FAPA, and our team at Americas TMS Center offer psychiatric medication management. With this kind of medical care, Dr. Suzuki works to improve the effects of your or your child’s medication while minimizing side effects. 

How psychiatric medication management works

Medication management can take many forms. Even using a pill organizer at home is a type of medication management. 

What Dr. Suzuki and our team offer is a significant step up. With medication management at Americas TMS Center, you introduce medical expertise and dedicated supervision. 

That matters because the list of psychiatric medications is extensive. Some have contraindications with other medications or even supplements, meaning they can cause side effects that range from uncomfortable to downright dangerous. 

During medication management, Dr. Suzuki reviews all your medications and any other items you add to your daily routine, such as supplements. This allows her to fine-tune your prescriptions and their dosages. Her goal is to optimize the benefits (i.e., symptom relief) while minimizing risks.

You might benefit from psychiatric medication management if:

• You’re taking multiple medications and have trouble keeping your doses straight
• You’re experiencing side effects that interfere with your quality of life
• You aren’t getting sufficient relief from your symptoms
• You want to taper off a medication

All of the above also applies if your child takes psychiatric medication and struggles with one of the outlined issues.

What to expect with medication management 

Dr. Suzuki doesn’t take a one-and-done approach with medication management. Instead, she continually works with you, adjusting your medication type, dosage, and delivery method as needed. If you have trouble swallowing pills, for example, she might recommend a patch or liquid instead. 

If new symptoms arise or you have trouble taking your prescribed doses at the right time, let Dr. Suzuki know. She partners with you to find solutions to any challenges you’re facing. 

If you aren’t getting relief from your antidepressants anymore, for example, you and Dr. Suzuki can chart a new path forward. That could mean trying an alternative prescription or exploring a different form of treatment altogether (e.g., TMS). 

With medication management, you get regular check-ins with Dr. Suzuki. This way, she can assess the ongoing effectiveness of your medication(s). She can also help you decide if/when it’s time to taper off any of your prescriptions. 

If you think you or your child might benefit from psychiatric medication management, call our office or book an appointment online today.