Locations
Office
Hillsborough, NC
About
Bio
Born (11-23-1947) & raised in Greenville, NC - Eagle Scout at age 13. Scout camp counselor, 1962-1965. Have practiced Adult & Geriatric Psychiatry at Center For Creative Balance from 1982 - present. Education: UNC, Chapel Hill - MD,1977; Wake Forest University – BS Biology,1974; HM2, US Navy, 1968–1972; J.H. Rose High School – Keetch Distinguished Service Cup, 1966. Residency: Duke University Medical Center (DUMC), Durham Regional Hospital – Chief Resident in Psychiatry, 1981-1982; DUMC – Residency in Psychiatry, 1978-1982; DUMC - Internship in Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine, 1977-1978. Current Interests: Spending time with wife, children & grandchildren; Live jazz; Long-distance hiking & camping; Woodworking; Discussing, reading & writing about politics, theology, & medicine.
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
Doctor Q&A
167 Answers
106 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Years w/o treatment: Post dramatic stress syndrome can last a lifetime if not treated appropriately. A combination of psychotherapy (especially emdr) and medication like z... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Cream on wet arms: Without knowing more, i'll guess that the itching on your arms may be from the dry skin of winter. Some people receive relief from washing with a wash... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
MOM may be helpful.: Suboxone, effexor, and viibryd (vilazodone hydrochloride) can all be contributing to excessive sweating that is the usual cause of body odor when the ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Call EMTs via 911: I presume you mean that you took ten, 3mg tablets of lexotanil (bromazepam), a medication not available in the us. It is my understanding that this i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Ignore: As said before, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!".
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 49-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Could be either.: In my experience, some highly serotonergic medicines can help with sleep while others tend to be activating. Prozac, lexapro, and zoloft all tend to b... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Amitriptyline now ok: There seems to me no good reason to avoid taking Ambien (zolpidem) and Amitriptyline at the same time as long as you get into bed as soon as you take ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 16-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
What do others say?: When dealing with the mind, almost anything is possible; and if you are feeling better and thinking more clearly, i'm very pleased for you. It also ma... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Normal experience : This is a normal experience for about half the people who eat asparagus. It is not clear why the other half do not notice a change in the smell of the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Unilateral doubtful: While gabapentin, prednisone, and Lidocaine may all cause facial and/or peripheral edema , it is doubtful that medications alone would cause unilatera... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Not if treated: In my experience, there are many professionals in a whole range of specialties who have adhd and who function quite well, especially if they are recei... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
In bed right away?: Why Ambien (zolpidem) taken only occasionally would work so well for you and then suddenly stop having any effect is a mystery to me. Have you been g... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Breathing in and out: I think it is hard to trust when severely depressed; but if there are some there who seem trustworthy if you didn't tend to "shut down, " then hands-o... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Dose dependent: Thorazine (chlorpromazine) wouldn't usually be my first choice for treating anxiety, though its use for that makes sense to me if used in low doses, s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Treating side effect: Seems to me that your anxiety is likely made worse by the high-dose dexedrine. Also, Lexapro plus Dexedrine can cause mania. Instead of lexapro, wellb... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 49-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Highly addictive!: Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant that can cause feelings of euphoria and expansive thinking but can also cause paranoia, extreme agitation, and... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Usually-stand slowly: Usually tolerated okay at those doses, but recommend standing slowly at first if noticing any dizziness or lightheaded feeling.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Connection not likely : Hives 1 1/2 wks after having been stung by a bee are probably not from the sting but rather a reaction to some food eaten, medication being taken, a s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Can't sleep, hyper: Full-blown mania frequently includes profound insomnia, rapid thoughts, grandiose delusions, hyper-religiosity, and expansive, ill-considered behavior... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Too much at once: Doesn't seem "smart" to me! taking two 20 mg generic Adderall (dextroamphetamine and racemic amphetamine) tablets at one time would exceed the recomme... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Probably not.: Since you are taking lithium twice a day and didn't describe drowsiness after the morning dose, i doubt your sense of being "knocked out" at bedtime i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 71-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Definitely!: In my experience, Prednisone definitely can cause insomnia; and in different individuals can also cause a wide range of emotional distress (from being... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Call med prescriber.: If you are not feeling better on nortriptyline from the perspective of mood, sleep, appetite, and energy, then your depression may not be responding t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Perhaps Mayo Clinic: I could not find a study of this genetic, skin disease in mn but recommend contacting the department of dermatology, mayo clinic college of medicine, ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Probably safe.: The doses you have listed (10 mg of prozac, 25 mg of vistaril, (hydroxyzine) and 0.2 mg of clonidine) seem reasonable to me, especially if there was a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Why do you want to know?: If you are seeking some sort of psychedelic experience, i can understand why you might want to locate salvia. I am not inclined, however, to try to he... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Should not mix.: Nortriptyline will not raise blood alcohol level; but in my experience, alcohol keeps antidepressant medications from providing desired benefits and i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Varies, like dreams: Hallucinations come in many forms. When hallucinating, people may perceive sounds including a voice or voices, visions, tastes, tactile sensations, an... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Almost certainly: It seems to me that all of the symptoms you described (lack of concentration, difficulty learning quickly, mental fog) could be caused or made worse b... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Why was MRI done?: It is my understanding that there can be a number of causes for scattered white matter lesions on mri. What symptoms were you having that prompted the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
"Can't control"?: It is not unusual for 20-year-old males to be interested in sex most all the time. The question here, however, is what you mean by "can't control it."... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Couple of days: Seroquel has a relatively short half life of 6 to 7 hrs, so it should be gone by now. If you had weight gain with seroquel, then it's almost a certain... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Euphoria ; agitation: Dilated pupils, euphoria, hyper energized, decreased appetite for food, difficulty sleeping when using; makes poor decisions (stealing, dealing, prost... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 51-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Caution recommended.: It is my understanding that many "virility supplements" are likely to have a stimulant effect at least to some degree. This could adversely effect you... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 28-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Tender and warm?: Is the lump tender or warmer to touch than surrounding skin? If so, there is the possibility of a localized infection or abscess. Could also be an inf... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Nefazodone maybe better: In my experience, Prozac is just as likely to cause weight gain over time as cipralex (escitalopram). Nefazodone, on the other hand, does not tend to ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
More serotonin helps: I do not think it is possible to provide a definitive answer to "what causes social phobia, " though it is an anxiety spectrum disorder that may be re... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Degree of expression: My understanding: blunted or "shallow affect" describes paucity of emotional expression in response to stimuli that normally provoke typical facial ex... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 74-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Very helpful for some: While I do not recommend the use of any illegal substance, I have known a number of people with bipolar disorder and other forms of emotional distress... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Yes: During clinical trials of Nexplanon there was reported a 5.5% incidence of depression with 1% of patients dropping out of the trial because of depress... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 49-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
^ concentration from N: Snris or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors may be perceived as improving attention due to the improvement in alertness, concentration, ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Usually no SE w incr: While side effects are frequently dose dependent and might increase with an increase in dose, in my experience, the side effects like nausea that have... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old female asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Probably okay, but..: Interaction between Aspirin and Lexapro that inhibits the uptake of serotonin in platelets and therefore makes it more likely for there to be an upper... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Perhaps?: "withdrawals" from what? It is conceivable that GABA could help with symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, or agitation that are part of some withdrawal synd... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Flat less exhausted : My understanding is that "flat affect" is a description used for people who are very depressed or who have medication-induced lack of facial... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
15 to 30 minutes: It takes about 15 to 30 minutes to notice the effects of one dose of hydroxyzine. It has been my experience that this is an excellent medication for a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Hallucinations/shakes: While I have not personally experienced delirium tremens or dts, I have seen it on a number of occasions in alcoholics withdrawing from alcohol. It is... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
It depends.: A burning sensation on the top of a big toe might have many causes. When did the burning sensation start? Is it intermittent or constant? Is there any... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Usually goes away: Tenseness from antipsychotic medications usually does go away when the antipsychotic is stopped; but if the antipsychotic is still needed, then an add... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. James Wellsanswered
Psychiatry 46 years experience
Very common: In my experience, anxiety and ocd can be so severe that someone suffering from the symptoms associated with these conditions may very commonly think h... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsReviewed >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.
4
Recommendations
236
Thank you notes
Dr. Donald Jacobson
Dec 14, 2013
Dr. Wells is a welcome newcomer to Healthtap. His responses are backed by years of practice, keen awareness of psychopharmacology, and based In sound practical advice that only a seasoned practitioner...Read More
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Wells is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Wells is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! My doctor assured me that this was safe but a 2nd opinion always helps
HealthTap member
Your answer was very helpful! Thanks :) i experience the same it is very calming and changes mood completely;)
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Thank you for the info. No changes in meds or diet. may consult dr.
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, NC
Graduated 1977MD
Residency
DUKE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Awards
Thought Leader, Third Place, North Carolina - Spring
2014
Top Psychiatrist, Third Place, North Carolina - Spring
2014
Most Influential, Third Place, Durham Region - Spring
2014
Affiliations
DUMC Clinical Faculty
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