Dr. Jessica Langenhan

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Reconsider stimulant: The goal for blood pressure is to be <120 and <80. I'm not sure what stimulants you are taking before you workout, but stimulants can affect blo... Read More

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433 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 23-year-old male asked:

What blood tests should i do besides magnesium if i suffer from panic atacks and anxiety.its not a psychiatry prob i tried their medication 8 years

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Causes of anxiety: I would consider thyroid function if that hasn't been done yet. Cortisol is another thing to consider. I usually check these more for depression than ... Read More

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4.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 36-year-old male asked:

Hi everybody. i have been put on buspar (buspirone) 5 mg a day, add-on to my 200mg zoloft. it's been 9 weeks and no change. what can be done.

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Low-dose BuSpar (buspirone): In my experience, 5mg of Buspar (buspirone) is a rather low dose for most people. Also, Buspar (buspirone) tends to have rather subtle effects, compar... Read More

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4.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 37-year-old male asked:

Please share a tip in the form of a haiku on living with manic depressive disorder.

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Ignore: Maintain a schedule. Speak openly with doctor. Trust you can treat it.

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558 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Heidi Fowler agrees1 doctor agrees

A 23-year-old female asked:

How to get rid of anxiety of being a new parent?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Talk with others: It's not truly realistic to get rid of anxiety about things like parenthood completely, but it is possible to manage your anxiety. Talk to other paren... Read More

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2.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Susan Rhoads and 7 doctors agree8 doctors agree

3 thanks

A 25-year-old female asked:

Can an accurate psychiatry diagnosis come from a 15min session?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Quick diagnosis: Personally, i find it very difficult to diagnose in psychiatry in only 15 minutes unless I have a lot of background information (old records, informat... Read More

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4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Alan Ali and 7 doctors agree8 doctors agree

2 comments

A 34-year-old female asked:

Prescribed citalopram 10mg, pregabalin 50mg twice daily & diazepam 2mg twice daily. have severe long term anxiety. is this combination safe? thanks.

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Med safety: The combination of the pregabalin and the diazepam can make you tired and dizzy, so I would advise not taking them at the same time. Also, diazepam is... Read More

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985 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A female asked:

Are there any vitamins/supplements that help with short term memory loss due to ssris? i've tried paxil, busbar, zoloft - all seem to effect my memory

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Help for memory: There aren't necessarily vitamins with proven direct effects on memory, but the B-complex vitamins support brain/nervous system health. A healthy diet... Read More

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880 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 49-year-old female asked:

On 20mg amitriptyline over a year for chronic sinus related headaches. it works for me, but worried about addiction? also, does it cause weight gain?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Amitriptyline effect: Amitriptyline typically doesn't have an addictive quality. Also, if a patient takes the medication appropriately (following prescription directions, n... Read More

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4.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 44-year-old female asked:

If i caught a severe case of stomach flu in the summer on a cruise, can i get it again?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Viral recurrence: A variety of viruses can cause GI (stomach) illness, so while you may have better immunity against the virus that made you sick over the summer, it do... Read More

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433 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 19-year-old female asked:

Doctor told me to increase citalopram from 20mg to 30mg. been on 20mg for 3 weeks but will i have any bad side effects from increasing?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Unlikely: If you have been taking the 20mg of Citalopram without a problem, it is unlikely you will have a problem with increasing to 30mg. Citalopram tends to ... Read More

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2.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Jeffrey Juchau agrees1 doctor agrees

A 21-year-old female asked:

My weight is average but i have a high body fat percentage. how do i change this without losing too much weight?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Diet and exercise: I would suggest evaluating your diet (perhaps consulting with a nutritionist) to determine a healthy balance of fat/carbohydrate/protein intake. Also,... Read More

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433 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 18-year-old female asked:

On 25mg of sertraline for anxiety,been on this for weeks,doc said to go up to 50mg after 1 week,too scared because of side effects i got with 25mg!?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Dosage effects: If you had side effects from starting the 25mg, it is possible that there may be side effects from increasing the dosage. If those side effects are to... Read More

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985 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A female asked:

Does psychiatry medicines increase androjen? when i was 16 a had a very feminin body but now i have very thick torso and wide shoulders

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Medication effects: Risperdal and Invega are two psychiatric medications that are known for having hormonal effects, but it can't really be said that all psychiatric medi... Read More

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985 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 33-year-old female asked:

Is it normal for citalopram to cause extreme fatigue, lack of motivation, inability to concentrate and irritability? i have been on it almost 3 months

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Citalopram effects: The symptoms that you list are usually some of the things that Citalopram is prescribed to TREAT, so if you are still having these symptoms or side ef... Read More

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985 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Lois A Freisleben-Cook agrees1 doctor agrees

A male asked:

Is mixing gabapentin with adderall safe?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Caution with mixing: Gabapentin and Adderall have essentially opposing effects, so it may not make sense to take the two of them together. It is always important to use ca... Read More

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433 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 63-year-old female asked:

Does 20 mg of cymbalta do much for depression or anxiety?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Cymbalta dosing: 20mg of Cymbalta is on the low end of the dosing range for this medication, but everyone responds differently to medication. Some people are more sens... Read More

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433 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 24-year-old male asked:

I'm having nausea with strattera 100mg.i start from once to twice a day.i'm on ritalin 40-60 mg per day too.how long it will take nausea to go away?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Possible dose effect: With the Ritalin and Strattera at those doses, you are taking a fair amount of medication. The nausea may be a result of the fact that you are on high... Read More

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594 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 28-year-old male asked:

I suffer with unwanted thoughts and compulsive actions again and again. i am on medication. please tell me some self help tips.

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Other options: I would consult with a therapist who specializes in helping to manage unwanted thoughts and actions. He/she can give you specific tips that are better... Read More

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588 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Al Hegab and 2 doctors agree3 doctors agree

A 28-year-old female asked:

Sometimes i get so angry that my chest hurts and my heart feels like it's going to explode. i am afraid that i have caused irreversible damage to my heart.

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Effects of anger: Anger and stress are not healthy for the heart, but a cardiologist would have to evaluate you to determine what, if any, damage there is. Seeking help... Read More

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588 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 51-year-old male asked:

Is it safe to take 5-10 mg reglan qhs only for long term? took 2 months, reflux much better; stopped, much worse. worried about tardive dyskinesia.

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Other options: I understand your concerns about long-term Reglan use, and I'm wondering whether you have been tried on other medications for reflux? Other medication... Read More

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985 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 35-year-old male asked:

Can't sleep very well without taken heavy duty sleep aid muscle relaxer or nyquil. and even when i do take the meds i still feel sleepy no matter what time of day i go bed and get really bad coughing where i can't catch my breath and almost vomits?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Assessing sleep: Taking muscle relaxants or NyQuil is not going to help you to get quality/natural sleep. I would suggest talking to your physician about getting a sle... Read More

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433 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Frank Kuitems and 9 doctors agree10 doctors agree

1 comment

A 40-year-old female asked:

I get extremely exhausted immediately after eating however i am not diabetic, my fasting blood glucose is very normal. what is happening?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Eval of exhaustion: Your fasting glucose probably won't help explain what is happening after eating, when you are clearly not in fasting mode. It could be helpful to test... Read More

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575 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 24-year-old male asked:

Can one go to psychiatry to remove depression and then stop medications when it is all gone?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Depression treatment: The answer to this depends on the severity of the depression and what the suspected triggers to the depression were. If depression was very severe or ... Read More

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4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Evan Altman and 4 doctors agree5 doctors agree

A 31-year-old female asked:

What is the difference between psychopharmacology and psychiatry? would a psychopharmacologist help more in finding the correct medicine?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Definitions : A psychopharmacologist is typically a psychiatrist who identifies as having studied psychiatric medications in significant depth and has a very techni... Read More

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4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Linda Callaghan and 4 doctors agree5 doctors agree

4 thanks

A 30-year-old male asked:

Some psychiatry medicines give unbearable burning sensation (can't explain) in stomach which is not nausea.but i can cope up with the same medicine of some other brand. why is it so?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Med side effect: Different brands/formulations of medications can have different coatings or "fillers" (the non-active part of the medicine) that someone might be sens... Read More

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4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Donald Jacobson agrees1 doctor agrees

A 29-year-old male asked:

I measure my blood pressure 3 times a day. however, i get very anxious when reading. does anxiety cause blood pressure to rise? how much? heart rate g

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Effects on pressure: Blood pressure can be affected by many things, including anxiety, dehydration, stimulants like caffeine. There is a phenomenon called "white coat hype... Read More

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4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Pamela Pappas and another doctor agree2 doctors agree

4 thanks

A 16-year-old male asked:

Healthy breakfast options for vegetarians?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Many options: There are a lot of options for healthy breakfasts that don't involve meat or eggs: -Oatmeal topped with fruit and/or nuts -Smoothies made with non-dai... Read More

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601 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 26-year-old male asked:

Due to spenzo depot injection an antisychotic i lost my sexual desire .can it be treated.

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Med side effects: Depot injections usually last 4-6 weeks. Once the medication wears off, the side effects should as well. I would speak to your doctor about your conce... Read More

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575 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 21-year-old male asked:

Ive tried sertraline /fluoxetine/venlafaxine for my anxiety and nothing works not even cbt whats the best anti anxiety i can take? what can i do?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Anxiety help: There is no "best" medication for anxiety because different medications work for different people. It does take 4 to 6 weeks for meds like sertraline ... Read More

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433 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 20-year-old male asked:

I am on gabapentin for anxiety disorder. the pill bottle says take 1-3 pills twice daily. so is it safe if i take 6 pills one day but only 4 the next?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Gabapentin dosing: It seems that you are following the parameters of how the prescription has been written, but I would advise to clarify the prescription directions wit... Read More

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433 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Ed Friedlander agrees1 doctor agrees

A 30-year-old female asked:

Psych says to increase my 150 mg wellbutrin dose to receive full benefits. but i already feel so good on low dose. why increase? i don't understand.

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Dose adjustments: First, make sure to discuss any concerns with your psychiatrist. It is true that positive effects can be felt at lower doses of medications such as We... Read More

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582 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Philip Miller agrees1 doctor agrees

A 18-year-old female asked:

I am prescribed 1 40mg propranolol (beta blocker) twice a day for anxiety. i have had 1 today to start it off,should i stay at 1 or increase to 2?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Propranolol dosing: Propranolol, as a beta blocker, can lower blood pressure and heart rate, so I would advise to stick with 1 tablet initially. Low blood pressure can ca... Read More

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985 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 33-year-old female asked:

Can you have anxiety and not know it? also what medication is best for anxiety without depression.

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Anxiety eval: Anxiety is something everyone experiences as a normal course of life--ie, when having to give a speech, before a big test, etc. It's when anxiety star... Read More

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594 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A female asked:

Is it safe to drink alcohol if i took a 600mg ibuprofen 8hours ago?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Med interactions: It is smart to be aware of the risk of interactions with medications and substances such as alcohol. Ibuprofen usually lasts in the system for around ... Read More

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575 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Heidi Fowler agrees1 doctor agrees

A 64-year-old female asked:

Can i use the supplement rhodiola with the anti-depressants paxil 40 mgs and effexor 112mgs and the sedative ativan 1mg or will it effect seratonlevel?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Caution w/supplement: Rhodiola is thought to affect serotonin levels, so I would advise against using it when you are already taking 2 medications that act on serotonin (th... Read More

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594 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 22-year-old female asked:

I believe i am struggling with binge eating disorder and i was wondering what i could do about it without medication.

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Therapy: I would encourage you to seek a therapist who has experience with this type of eating disorder. Seeing a nutritionist who can help you to manage healt... Read More

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2.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Evan Altman and 3 doctors agree4 doctors agree

A 23-year-old female asked:

I have gad& my anxiety's been out of control for a long time. i've tried klonopin and buspar, neither worked. is there another med you'd recommend?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Anxiety medication: I would consider an antidepressant that is also used for GAD. The SSRI's such as citalopram or sertraline are such examples. These medications help wi... Read More

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985 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 28-year-old female asked:

Any therapists on here? i have a memory of being raped as a kid.still not sure if it was a dream or real? it's all fuzzy to me. i wish i knew

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Difficult to tell: This is a very difficult question to answer, because dreams can sometimes seem very real, but you also don't want to make assumptions or jump to concl... Read More

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601 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 39-year-old male asked:

I am on 120mg duloxetine up from 60mg taken all in am i now feel overmedicated, my head is buzzing and my thinking is less lucid . would asking my dr to change to 60mg at am & 60mg at night help or would it not be worth taking at night as i sleep?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Splitting dose: Increasing the dosage of duloxetine from 60mg to 120mg was a large step, so you are probably feeling the effects from that dosage increase. I often ha... Read More

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601 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Jovita Anyanwu and 5 doctors agree6 doctors agree

A 40-year-old member asked:

Help please? i want to know what are residential treatment centers like?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Wide variation: Residential treatment centers can vary greatly, depending on who is running them, what the staff is like, etc. Such treatment centers are meant to pro... Read More

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558 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Heidi Fowler agrees1 doctor agrees

A 34-year-old female asked:

If i take .5mg of ativan 3-4 times a month, will i become addicted and go through withdrawal?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Addiction risk low: With that current dosing frequency, it is unlikely that you will become addicted to the Ativan. Addiction can be defined in various ways, but it usual... Read More

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575 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 22-year-old female asked:

Please give me example on how do anti depression medicine help me if i take 1 time only before an event i have. plz help? please

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Using antidepressant: Anti-depressant medication doesn't work, unfortunately, after just taking one time. They take effect after taking them consistently, and it usually ta... Read More

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588 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 36-year-old female asked:

Ive been on fluoxitine for 10 years. 40 mg. 2 weeks ago i picked up my refill and have felt anxious ever since. any chance they gave me the wrong dose? or do i just need to up my dosage because my body has changed?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Fluoxetine dosage: I would double-check with the pharmacy and with your doctor to see whether the dosage had been changed. Dosage increases with fluoxetine can cause anx... Read More

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588 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Frank Amico Jr and 2 doctors agree3 doctors agree

A member asked:

What is pseudoephedrine?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Cold medicine : Pseudoephedrine is an ingredient in some cold medicines, meant to help with nasal/sinus congestion. It is a stimulant that has been used inappropriate... Read More

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413 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Gurmukh Singh agrees1 doctor agrees

A member asked:

Where can i find help (housing, testing, therapy) for my 30 yr old sister? she has split personalities, severe bipolar, depression, schizophrenia, al

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Resources: Most counties in the U.S. have mental health programs that can provide assistance for patients with mental health diagnoses even if patients don't hav... Read More

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582 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 30-year-old female asked:

Ive been taking venlafaxine for about 6 months now.. ive been skipping periods is this normal or what .. its driving me crazy?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Missed periods: Many things can cause menstrual irregularities such as missed periods--including stress, sleep changes, diet changes, and medications. I would speak t... Read More

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582 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 61-year-old female asked:

Is taking a ssri safe for 20 or thirty years? does it cause memory loss?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Typically, yes: If you continue to benefit from the SSRI and are not having side effects, I would consider it safe to continue, even for 20 or 30 years. If you are st... Read More

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2.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Evan Altman and 3 doctors agree4 doctors agree

A female asked:

I took the doxepin 10mg over 2 hours ago n not even slightly tired can i take a 5mg melatonin too?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Combined sleep aides: Generally speaking, if you are not feeling sleepy from the sleep aide you've been prescribed and at least 30 minutes has passed, it's okay to take mel... Read More

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601 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 18-year-old male asked:

Could i take my 20 mg of prozac (fluoxetine) and 5 mg of aripiprazole at night instead of in the morning due to feeling really drowsy?

Psychiatry 18 years experience

Timing of medication: It's fine to take those medications at night if you feel they are making you sleepy. The important thing is to try to develop a schedule of taking the... Read More

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985 viewsAnswered >2 years ago