Medication Management

Psychiatric medications can transform your life if you’re diagnosed with a mental health disorder. You can depend on the caring professionals at Anita Red, MD, if you need medication. Board-certified adult and child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Red and her experienced team specialize in medication management for children, teens, and adults. This essential service includes prescriptions, ongoing monitoring of your mental health, and genetic testing (if desired). Call to schedule an in-person appointment at their office in Pasadena, California, or request a telehealth visit if you live anywhere in California or New York state.

What is medication management?

The Anita Red, MD, team prescribes and monitors psychiatric medications, an essential service known as medication management.

Your provider schedules regular follow-up appointments as long as you take medication. Routine visits allow them to evaluate your progress and adjust your medicine as needed to improve your symptoms and maintain your mental health.

When would I need medication management? 

Your provider may recommend medication if you’re diagnosed with conditions such as:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Panic attacks
• Bipolar disorder
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Your Anita Red, MD, provider may also recommend non-medication treatments to help you achieve optimal mental health and well-being.

Does medication management include DNA testing? 

You can choose whether to have DNA testing. If you do, the Anita Red, MD, team uses GeneSight® genetic testing to evaluate your DNA and reveal essential information, such as:

• How your body metabolizes psychiatric medications
• How your genetic makeup changes the effectiveness of medications
• Which psychiatric medications have a high chance of causing side effects
• Effect of smoking on the way your body metabolizes medications

With DNA testing, your provider can immediately prescribe the medication and dose that will work best for you — a decision that’s not as straightforward as you might think.

There are numerous psychiatric medications. Each one works differently in your body, and your unique metabolism determines their level of effectiveness.

 Without genetic testing to narrow the choice, you may need to try several medications before finding the right one. That means it will take longer to improve your symptoms.

What happens during medication management appointments?

During your first medication management appointment, your Anita Red, MD, provider does a complete psychiatric evaluation to diagnose your mental health disorder and determine the severity of your symptoms and the most appropriate treatment.

After they explain the benefits and risks of the medication, you decide if you want to take it. (Parents decide for their children.)

Follow-up appointments are shorter than your initial evaluation. Your provider learns how you’re doing, if your symptoms have changed, and whether you have side effects or any problems with your medicine. Then, they decide whether to refill the same prescription or change the dose or medicine.

Call Anita Red, MD, today or request an appointment through online booking to learn if medication management can improve your life.