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I am a psychiatrist trained at UC Irvine and UC San Diego. Was on faculty at UCLA for about 10 years.
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
Addiction Medicine
ADHD & Autism
Languages spoken
Mandarin
Doctor Q&A
309 Answers
66 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Rule out depression: Big problem if depression or other treatable diseases are missed, especially in the elderly nursing home resident. Dementia is just memory deficits. ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Better day: It is never the end and it will always be within our power to strive for a better day. There is never guarantee that a better day will come. But, the ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Not directly: But symptoms that stelazine is treating may come back. Unless you are being directed to reduce dose by your doctor, this is a bad idea. Recurrence of ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Many causes: Crying and wanting to die are symptoms that are common in those suffering from depression. However, it is important to make sure all causes of depress... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Yes: Actually more common than grandiose delusions. Part of depression syndrome when patients feel worthless. Body dysmorphic disorder can also have this s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 51-year-old female asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Ineffective pumping: Your heart is failing as a pump, that is why your ejection fraction is only 38%. Ejection fraction means your heart is pushing out 38% of blood per b... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old female asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
No: If you have to ask on healthtap, the answer is no. Death from prescription drug abuse is now a major health problem: http://www.Foxnews.Com/health/20... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Will Not Work: Using purging to lose weight does not make sense. The reason is that you will get hungry/urge and eat again. If it were possible to not eat when you... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Limit reached: For what you can do on your own. I am really impressed that you already did 4 pregnancy tests. The two positive tests concerns me. You definitely reac... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
No: I have never met a patient who has depression that stay the same over a long period of time. They feel bad, then things get better, then the depressio... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Yes depends: There are quite a few classes of drugs that are known to increase rates of akathesia. In addition, there are individuals (3-5%) who will experience ak... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Talk first: As a fathers, i will be more hurt by silent suspicion than by a frank conversation. Clearly, you think this is important enough to take action. Going ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Acceptance: You have taken a very important step towards recovery by recognizing you are suffering from depression. This opens the door to even greater understand... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Preventive drugs: You may want to try petadolex, a herbal extract of the butterbur plant, level a (highest) recommended by the american headache society in 2012. Patien... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Targeting: If an antibiotic targets a protein that is only essential to prokaryotic cells, then in eukaryotic cells, it will not work as an antibiotic. It is al... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
If prescribed: You and your doctor must weigh the potential risks and benefits when deciding to use Intuniv (guanfacine) or any medication. This does not mean he/she... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Not enough: Problem with xanax (alprazolam) (and many similar anxiety drugs) is that it wears off. Another problem is that some doctors don't worry enough about t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Regular schooling: Adhd patients do not need to go to special school. Regular school is fine. Same with adults. They can work at regular jobs.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Tough decision: But knowing our own limitations is a strength, not selfish. I have seen families that stretch beyond their limits, ending up hurting themselves and th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Depends on severity: Can try behavioral techniques, or medication. Depends on what is causing it, can tailor treatment to optimize. First thing is to make sure you are not... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Reuptake inhibitor: Milnacipran blocks reuptake of neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine, thus increasing the availability of those neurotransmitters at neuronal... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Spend time together: Depression distorts perception and colors every experience. More than during other times, being loved is an achor and reminder that life is still wort... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Also virus: Hepatitis (liver inflammation), both acute and chronic, are commonly caused by a variety of virus, leading to hepatitis a, b, c, d, e. The only way t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Too good: Recreational drugs are bad mainly because they make you feel too good. Bypassing the brain's pleasure, reward, stimulation, and relaxation systems in ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Fungus has spores: Spores are like tiny seeds, inert until conditions become favorable for growing into fungus. Spores are extremely difficult, and for all practical con... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Possible PTSD or: Brief psychotic disorder with marked stressor, depending mainly on duration. Either diagnosis should be psychiatrically evaluated and treated. Unless... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Days to weeks: Don't give up too soon. Keep taking it and let your doctor know how things are going. Unless you are getting worse, keep current dose. Your doctor pr... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
See a doctor now!: Headaches that are getting worse need to be fully evaluated. Extra suffering aside, you don't want to delay finding out a brain tumor, for example, t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 26-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Long term effects: Brain of unborn baby is very sensitive to methamphetamine effect. Please do not underestimate toxic potential based on clearance time after single use... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Sounds serious: You already decided to get professional help by chiropractor. You should either go back to chiropractor to tell him/her of your continuing problem or ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Severity + Duration: Bad enough for long enough is how these diagnoses have been defined. When faced with a decision whether to seek medical attention, general tendency is... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Yes: Brain trauma can cause mood and personality changes. It is extremely important to inform your doctor if you detect any of these types of changes after... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Need change: After your doctor decides nothing else is causing recurrence of depression, a change in dose might be useful. You definitely want to let your doctor ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Preventive drugs: You may want to try petadolex, a herbal extract of the butterbur plant, level a (highest) recommended by the american headache society in 2012. Patien... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Not toxic: If one-time overdose, since our body can tolerate quite a wide range of vitamin doses, unless you keep overdosing over a period of time, that would be... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Keep safe: First priority is to prevent self-harm. Second is to figure out cause of depression and start treatment. Encouragement to stay socially active and par... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Early indicators: Almost any behavioral change can be early indicator. Some of the more sensitive and thus earliest include insomnia, social withdrawal, irritability, c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Treatment: Both psychotherapy and medication can help. Finding a psychiatrist will be a good next step.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old male asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Scared enough: To go see a doctor? That will be the only way to find out. If you are too scared to go see a doctor, because you don't really want to know, then tha... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Pick your poison: While lung disease risk may be lower with nasal and oral tobacco, you will get higher risk of oral, head and neck cancer. The most compelling reason ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Good if stops use: If this tongue piercing opportunity leads to your husband stopping tobacco use, then this will become a very good thing. If he continues to use tobac... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Both: The way i see it is that brain and body are connected. In fibromyalgia, you have symptoms that come from both the body and the brain. Furthermore, the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Caring interest: Doctors don't learn everything in medical school. Worse yet, medical knowledge and technology change so fast that most of what each doctor uses everyd... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Regular exercise: Exercise is an important component of fibromyalgia treatment. Especially for fibromyalgia, goal of exercise is to maintain flexibility and tone. Try... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Fibromyalgia impact: Because impact of fibromyalgia symptoms is the best measure of disease, dr. Robert bennett published the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (fiqr) that... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old female asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Lots of generics: Biggest problem for your situation is that there are many different versions of generic bupropion. Since most likely you are not allergic to active in... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Yes: Have you sat down with your doctor who made the diagnosis? That will be a good starting point in terms of getting useful advice, because you will nee... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Accept: Parents have needs too. While children's feelings are important, parents' happiness are important too. Once kids are older/adults, parents may wish to... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 17-year-old female asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Depends on how: many doctors are involved at the same time. Because symptoms for these 3 things overlap, it is unhelpful for a single doctor to diagnose all three of... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. Andrew Hoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Isolation after move: After moving, social relationships need to be re-established. Since you are taking psychiatric medications, you can ask your psychiatrist about suppo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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.
3
Recommendations
501
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Ho is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Ho is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Jun 6, 2012
very quick to respond, super nice! :)
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Your answer makes me so feel much better! Thanks so much for your time
HealthTap member
Thanks for your quick reply! Not really sure what conditions you're referring to? Could you elabora
HealthTap member
Thanks for your quick reply! Sorry but this didn't help me it wasn't what I asked but thank you
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
UC San Diego School of Medicine, CA
Graduated 1991MD
Residency
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO MEDICAL CENTER
Completed 1995
Awards
HealthTap Scholar
HealthTap ClubMD
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