Medication Management Specialist
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Palo Alto Mind Body
Concierge Psychiatry & Ketamine Therapy Clinic located in Palo Alto, CA
Overcoming many mental health issues often must start with an understanding that they are frequently caused by an imbalance in the chemicals that are naturally present in our brains. Medication Management is an integral part of your mental health care because medications can help restore brain chemicals needed to improve your symptoms. M Rameen Ghorieshi, MD, MPH, and colleagues at Palo Alto Mind Body have years of specialized training and experience in psychiatric medication management, developing customized treatments, and optimizing each patient’s care. To schedule an initial consultation, call the office in Palo Alto, California, or send a confidential email. We also serve many patients located in the surrounding Bay Area, such as South Bay, North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, San Jose, and San Francisco.
Medication Management Q & A
What is medication therapy management?
Medications are often an integral part of psychiatric treatment because they can help balance the brain chemicals associated with many mental health disorders.
When you need a psychiatric medication, you also need a doctor to manage your medications, protect your health, and help you achieve the best therapeutic results.
The psychiatrists at Palo Alto Mind Body keep up with the latest research and advances in psychotropic medications. They use their expertise to prescribe the right remedy at the right dose for each patient so you get the most effective medication therapy management.
Palo Alto Mind Body also offers integrated pain management services and uses Suboxone® for pain.
How does medication management protect your health?
Psychopharmacology, or using medication to treat psychiatric conditions, requires expert management that is often not available from your family doctor that does not specialize in treating mental health challenges. Without this expertise, some providers depend on a trial-and-error method to see if they can help you find what will work. This method can be a slow, ineffective, and frustrating process because of complexities such as:
- multiple classifications of psychotropic medications from which to choose
- each classification includes numerous medications with different mechanisms of action
- every patient metabolizes and responds to each medication differently
In other words, it is a complex field that requires ongoing expert management of your health to provide the best possible path to recovery.
When you receive medication management, the providers at Palo Alto Mind Body:
- Teach you about drug options, potential risks, and side effects
- Evaluate the drug’s effectiveness for your specific situation
- Monitor for signs of adverse effects
- Adjust the type of medication and dose as needed for optimal effect
- Order blood tests as necessary to assess the drug’s systemic impact
It takes time to see how your body metabolizes a drug, and for many psychotropic drugs, it may take weeks before it takes effect. The highly specialized approach to medication management at Palo Alto Mind Body will meticulously support you through this often-difficult process.
How does genetic testing support medication management?
Genetic markers show how your body metabolizes medication. With the information from genetic testing, your doctor at Palo Alto Mind Body can determine how variations in your genetics will impact medication and dosing decisions.
Genetic testing only requires a quick cheek swab. It is painless and can be a highly effective means of gathering information on your specific genetic information. With this information, Dr. Ghorieshi can more effectively prescribe the best medication for your specific needs.
What happens at your first medication management appointment?
Your initial consultation is devoted to learning about your medical and psychiatric history. If you’ve been on other medications for a while, your doctor may order blood work to be sure you’re healthy. You will learn about the benefits of how genetic testing can help your doctor more quickly determine the right medications and dosages for your situation.
Your doctor may also perform or schedule a psychiatric evaluation if you haven’t already been diagnosed. After talking about treatment goals, your doctor develops a customized plan and prescribes your medication accordingly.
At Palo Alto Mind Body, you have access to comprehensive medication management. To schedule an appointment, call or send a confidential email. Please note, we also serve many patients located in the surrounding Bay Area, such as South Bay, North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, San Jose, and San Francisco.