Medications. Our visitors are always asking about psychiatric medications. "What's this medication used for? What are it's side-effects? The dosage seems to high for me."

Our guest, Dr. Lorraine Roth, will be discussing all aspects of psychiatric medications and taking your personal questions.

Dr. Roth is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology specializing in the practice of Psychopharmacology -- medication for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

• Some of the non-psychotic conditions for which medication is prescribed include depression, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
• Psychotrophic medication is usually necessary for the treatment of the major psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, manic-depression (bipolar affective disorder), and major recurrent depression.

Dr. Roth practices in the Chicago area, and is licensed to practice medicine in both Illinois and North Carolina. A graduate of the University Of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas, Dr. Roth received her Medical Degree in 1979. She completed her residency in Psychiatry at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, in 1983. Dr. Roth also completed a fourth-year post-graduate fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry through Duke University, at the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina.

Dr. Lorraine Roth specializes in the practice of Psychopharmacology. She discusses the best medications for psychiatric disorders and the side-effects of medications.

David is the HealthyPlace.com moderator.

The people in blue are audience members.

David: Good Evening. I'm David Roberts. I'm the moderator for tonight's conference. I want to welcome everyone to HealthyPlace.com. Our topic tonight is "Psychiatric Medications". Our guest is psychiatrist, Lorraine Roth, M.D.

Dr. Lorraine Roth is a board-certified psychiatrist based in Chicago, Illinois. She specializes in psychopharmacology, medication for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

David: Good Evening Dr. Roth and welcome to HealthyPlace.com. We appreciate you being here tonight.

Has science gotten to the point where most of the psychiatric disorders can be attributed, at least in part, to a brain chemical imbalance?

Dr. Roth: We think we know most of the biochemical pathways evolve in many psychiatric disorders, but we don't have everything at this point in time.

David: Do you picture a time, in the not too distant future, when there will be a psychiatric medication for most mental illnesses that will give the patient significant relief?

Dr. Roth: We already have medications which can give a considerable amount of relief for most psychiatric disorders. Personality disorders or character problems are more or less unable to offer help, medication wise.

David: Why is it that, for some people, finding the right medication is still a "hit and miss" type of thing?

Dr. Roth: Medicine is not perfected in terms of knowing precisely which meds will work for any one individual. It's not unlike the antibiotics that work for some and not others.

David: As I understand it, there are no blood or other types of tests that can pinpoint which brain chemical may be out of whack. So, is choosing the right medication still a matter of trial and error?

Dr. Roth: For the most part, yes. But there are certain tests that can be run for certain conditions, but it is far from being an exact science in this point in time.

David: Can you elaborate on that a bit? Explain more about these tests and what they are used for?

Dr. Roth: Most of the tests are used in research settings, for example, we can test cortisol levels to determine if someone is responding to an antidepressant but we can't test to see exactly which antidepressant is going to work the best.

David: Since many of these medications are fairly new, do patients have to worry about the long-term effects of taking them?

Dr. Roth: That depends on which meds you are concerned about. Some meds have to be watched more closely for long-term effects. Others, you do not have to worry about side-effects.

David: One last question from me before we start taking some audience questions. Today, all types of doctors, not just psychiatrists, can prescribe psychiatric medications. What's your thought about this and having people going to their family physician and getting antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, etc.?

Dr. Roth: There is no problem for mild symptoms, such as temporary insomnia, transient stressors, etc., but for more serious illnesses, you would probably want someone more familiar with psychiatric medications and patients.

David: By the way, which medications do patients have to worry about the long-term effects?

Dr. Roth: Medications which are called anti-psychotic, which may cause long-term movement disorder or meds which may affect the thyroid glands.

David: We have a lot of questions from the audience, so let's get started Dr. Roth.

hawthorne: I have epilepsy controlled by medication and my doctor has put me on Serzone for Panic Disorder. I'm a little bit scared of taking it as I have heard it can cause seizures. Do I need to be concerned?

Dr. Roth: Probably not, if you are taking the recommended dose. It is very important with antidepressants like serzone to take exactly what is prescribed and not taking extra.

cd: Which medications affect the thyroid gland?

Dr. Roth: Lithium is probably the most common culprit, but it is nothing to be to concerned about if you are taking it because it can be checked on a regular basis for any significant problems that may arise.

Annie1973: I have severe depressive disorder with anxiety. I have had problems with side-effects on most medications. Due to my history with drug abuse and suicide attempts, my doctor won't prescribe a few medications that do work for more than a short while. Any suggestions? I only take Buspar at the moment and it does very little.

Dr. Roth: That would be very difficult for me to comment on. Given what you have told me, I would probably do the same thing your doctor is doing. I would prescribe the meds that work best but in small amounts.