Locations
Office
Lake Oswego, OR
Phone
Insurances accepted
Oregon Health Plan
Health Net of Oregon
About
Bio
I have extensive background in all ages and work primarily in community mental health centers
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Psychiatry
Child Psychiatry
Doctor Q&A
223 Answers
290 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes: Buspar (buspirone) is an anxiety medication that is very safe when taken with other medications, including topamax.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
No: There are no interactions between the 2 medications and can be taken together.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Viagra (sildenafil): Studies have shown that medications like viagra (sildenafil) and Cialis may help women's libido. However, the reasons for a low libido are many and in... Read More
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
None: There should be no problem combining Effexor (venlafaxine) and suboxone. They do not interact with each other.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Call 911: If your mother is unresponsive she could be experiencing any of a number of problems, including what is called catatonia, as well as possibly a medica... Read More
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Ask school: The best think for your child is for you to team up with his teachers and school to get their opinion as to how he is doing. The school district is re... Read More
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Not a diagnosis: The term "high functioning autism" is a term usually referring to individuals who have some but not all symptoms of autism. It is not truly a diagnos... Read More
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes: There is a lot of research to show that meditation helps promote good mental health. If done correctly it can calm the mind down and help with focus. ... Read More
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
No: A depression is an episode of bipolar disorder. It is called bipolar because there are 2 poles: a mania in which energy is too high and thoughts too ... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes: There is no problem taking any ssri antidepressant with the diet pills. These appear to contain caffeine and cocoa, which can increase anxiety. But th... Read More
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Anxiety: What you describe is consistent with anxiety. Your heartbeat is likely not visible but rather your breathing quickly. And the knot you feel is typical... Read More
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 53-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
No: According to all studies so far, any antipsychotic used for the purpose of treating behavioral problems or psychosis related to dementia is associated... Read More
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Many causes: There are numerous possible causes for chronic problems with what is considered to be working memory deficits. These can include psychiatric illnesses... Read More
2.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Stop immediately: Unlike SSRIs, bupropion and its long acting versions can be stopped abruptly without negative consequences. What's more, given that it works on differ... Read More
3.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Maybe: Depending on whether there has been a recent change in medications, many of the ones you are on can cause headaches, although some, like Lamotrigine a... Read More
4.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 51-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes.. But: Combining the 2 medications at the dose you mention should be safe but not necessary. Both medications are related (zoloft is an ssri and Pristiq (des... Read More
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 17-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Depends: Most studies show that cannabis use can have negative effects on cognition, including memory, if it is used by teenagers and young adults and if it is... Read More
4.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes: Stomach ache is a very common symptom of anxiety. If there are other symptoms, like burning sensation around that area, you should try taking antacids... Read More
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
No: Like any other paradoxical reaction, it can just happen. It is seen more commonly in children and individuals with developmental delays, like autism o... Read More
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
SSRI's: Some antidepressants, known as ssri's, have side effects that are sometimes used for individuals who suffer from premature ejaculation. They are gener... Read More
4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes but: Mirtazapine and Buspirone can be taken together safely usually. However, be aware of a rare but dangerous side effect called serotonin syndrome that c... Read More
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes: Both medications can be combined as long as you are aware that the combination will make you sleepier.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Probably: Generally, there is no problem using probiotics when taking stimulants. However, if the probiotics acidify the stomach (like citrus does) then the med... Read More
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Call the doctor: It is important to call your doctor and ask him/her to call a refill to a local pharmacy. Unless you can obtain another similar antidepressant from a ... Read More
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Not necessarily: It is always easier to gain weight than to lose it. However, if it was the medicine that caused the weight gain then some weight loss should happen sh... Read More
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
For what?: I am not sure why you would be switching medications. If you are taking Mirtazapine for depression, you are not taking a therapeutic dose (30 mg is th... Read More
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Like mania: When high on meth, a person can lose sleep for days at a time, become very agitated and have severe mood swings. These can include extreme irritabilit... Read More
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Get him help too: If talking to him and involving him in the care of the baby is not enough, encourage him to seek counseling to help him cope with your depression. Als... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes: Anxiety is necessary to avoid dangerous situations. In fact, a lack of anxiety is just as dangerous as too much anxiety and can lead to poor decision ... Read More
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
A good assessment: While children who have adhd and who have bipolar disorder share some symptoms, a mental health expert can identify specific symptoms like severe inso... Read More
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Depends: Psychosis is a group of symptoms that can occur in some cases of severe depression. These symptoms include hallucinations and delusions. In cases wher... Read More
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes: While unusual, children can develop symptoms of bipolar disorder in childhood. While most individuals develop symptoms of bipolar
disorder in adolesc... Read More
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
No: While it is true that some foods have a lot of anxiety-causing products, like caffeine, if you suffer from an anxiety disorder, it is not from food. ... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Seek Help Soon: Anorexia nervosa can be a very deadly disease if left untreated. The person can develop heart problems suddenly if she is not getting the proper nutri... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Maybe: Lamotrigine is an anti seizure medication also used to help people with bipolar disorder have fewer severe mood episodes. Duloxetine is an snri antid... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Depends: Like anything else, anxiety comes at different levels of severity. If your anxiety is mild or is specific to a situation (like a fear of flying), a br... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
No: While excessive alcohol consumption has been associated with dementia, and while people with schizophrenia often drink a lot, schizophrenia is not cau... Read More
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes: If by "work well" you mean whether medications don't interact with each other then all medications used for adhd can also be used with medications tha... Read More
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes: If the depression is the first one ever and caused by a bad situation and there is little family history of depression, there is a good chance that fu... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Many: Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder in which an individual develops severe episodes of depression or mania that come and go. Borderline personality di... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
At night: Most people who take Cymbalta (duloxetine) tend to have sleepiness as a side effect. Therefore, it is better taken in the evening. However, every per... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
No: The only reason a psychiatrist would hospitalize you against your will is if you area t risk of harming yourself or someone else. Simply having a del... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Many symptoms: Symptoms of a mania include loss of sleep for over 3 days with increased and excessive energy. Often there are racing thoughts, pressured speech and d... Read More
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Many: While there are many over-the-counter remedies that are used for treatment of insomnia, the best prevention is to have a good sleep schedule (also cal... Read More
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Maybe: Adhd has a very strong hereditary component. That means that in most cases
it tends to run in families. However, in some cases adhd can be the result ... Read More
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Yes: Deja vu is a common experience and usually happens without the presence of a medical or psychiatric cause. If you are experiencing other more unusual ... Read More
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Sadism: From the name of the famous french count who wrote about his fantasies in the 18th century. However, individuals who are sadistic also often have pers... Read More
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Depends: Depending on how bad your mood is there are a number of options. The best studied for mild depression is st johns wort but if your mood is only someti... Read More
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Depends: The first thing to do is make sure a good evaluation is done by someone with expertise in the diagnosis, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist or a pri... Read More
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Maybe: Coffee is a stimulant and as such it can lead to greater symptoms of anxiety or racing heart if combined with other stimulants.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions, provide medical advice, write prescriptions, and more.
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
4
Recommendations
724
Thank you notes
May 12, 2014
Well trained,experienced,knowledgeable,bi-lingual
Psychiatrist! A great contributor to HealthTap. Responses to questions informative.
Sep 16, 2013
Thanks for your contribution at Health Tap
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Soto is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer or tip was very helpful! It just seemed wierd, like he smokes like a tiny but and everyone else has way more and can act normal but he gets crazy. Thank you!!
HealthTap member
Thanks for your quick reply! Really appreciative on this area with your assistance and vast expertise in the field of this type of question. Totally will utilize info.
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! I was on Ritalin for 15 years and now have these symptoms. Is there anything to increase the dopamine level?
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, VA
Graduated 1995MD
Residency
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIV HOSPITAL
Awards
Top Psychiatrist , Second Place, Oregon - Winter
2013
Top Psychiatrist , Second Place, Oregon - Summer
2013
Top Doctor, First Place, Oregon - Spring
2016
Affiliations
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions, provide medical advice, write prescriptions, and more.
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