Prescribing is the easy part. Knowing whether a medication is working, whether a side effect is tolerable or dangerous, whether the dose is right, and whether the original diagnosis still holds — that is the actual work, and it needs appointments long enough to do it.
What a follow-up appointment includes
- Assessment of how you have actually responded, in specific terms rather than “better or worse”.
- Systematic review of side effects, including the ones patients rarely volunteer — sexual side effects, emotional blunting, weight change, cognitive fog.
- Monitoring of vital signs and laboratory values where the medication requires it.
- Review of interactions with everything else you are prescribed, including from other physicians.
- Supportive and behavioral interventions as part of the appointment where they are warranted.
- An honest reassessment of whether the treatment is still the right one.
How treatment decisions get made
Starting, changing or stopping a medication is a decision made with you, not for you. That means the reasoning is explained: what this medication is expected to do, how long before you should expect to notice anything, what side effects are common and which ones mean you should call, and what the alternatives are — including doing nothing for now.
Deprescribing is treated with the same seriousness as prescribing. If you are on a medication that is no longer earning its place, that is a clinical finding, not a failure, and it gets addressed.
Appointment length is a clinical decision
Follow-ups run 25, 40 or 55 minutes depending on what the situation calls for. A stable patient on a steady regimen may need a short appointment. Someone in the middle of a medication change, or whose situation has shifted, needs a longer one — and here that is simply scheduled, rather than negotiated against a template.
Refills and between-appointment contact
Refill requests are handled through the practice with two full business days’ notice, and prescriptions are sent electronically to your pharmacy. Please do not stop or change a psychiatric medication without discussing it first — abrupt discontinuation of some medications causes serious withdrawal effects.
Refills for controlled substances are issued only in connection with a scheduled appointment and during regular office hours, and patients prescribed them sign a separate Controlled Substance Agreement. That agreement is standard practice and required by state and federal law.
This service
| Length | 25–55 min |
| Fee | [$XXX]–[$XXX] |
| Format | In person or video |
| Refills | 2 business days |
| Patients | Adults 18+ |
Related
Frequently asked
How often will I be seen?
Early in treatment, or during a medication change, appointments are usually every two to four weeks. Once things are stable the interval lengthens. The schedule follows the clinical situation rather than a fixed template.
Do you prescribe controlled substances?
Where clinically indicated and legally permitted, yes — for example in the treatment of adult ADHD. Patients prescribed them sign a Controlled Substance Agreement, refills are issued only in connection with appointments, and telehealth prescribing is subject to state and federal rules that may require at least one in-person appointment.
What if a medication isn’t working?
That is expected information, not bad news. Psychiatric treatment often involves more than one trial. What matters is that the trial was adequate in dose and duration, that the response was measured properly, and that the next step follows from what was learned.
Can you take over prescribing from another psychiatrist?
Yes, after a full evaluation. Dr. Torrijos will perform his own assessment and may continue or modify the existing plan based on what that assessment shows. Please have your records sent ahead where possible.
Do I also need therapy?
For many conditions the combination of medication and therapy outperforms either alone. This practice provides medication management with brief supportive intervention, and works directly with your therapist. If you do not have one, we can point you toward referrals.