Psychiatric medications may be started or adjusted during inpatient hospitalization, if appropriate.
But since the most common goal of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization is stabilization and not complete recovery, inpatient hospitalization can be as short as a few days after admission. This affects prescription planning.
Various psychiatric medications can work very differently. Some medications are quick to take action, and their effectiveness can be tested in a few days. However, many psychiatric medications provide treatment via gradual improvement over a period of weeks. Medications that require more time to take complete effect cannot be thoroughly tested during most psychiatric hospitalizations.
So many patients may find that their treatment team is talking about medication trials and medication tolerance. A complete medication trial may take several weeks. Instead, the team helps a patient find a medication they can tolerate long enough to see if it's a good fit for them. Medications that are causing intolerable side effects can be switched out quickly, since your team is seeing you daily. If certain side effects can be easily mitigated, that can be problem-solved while you are in hospital.
Additionally, your team can help you develop a plan for how your medications will likely gradually change in the next few weeks or months, based on what your system tolerates in the hospital. They will also ideally help you find a provider to help you manage your prescriptions after you transition to a lower level of care.
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