Interview: Dr. Terra Caudill, Psychiatrist
There is a shortage of psychiatrists across the country. If you don’t have access to a psychiatrist, consider using telepsychiatry to have access to patient treatment options that you need.
One of the latest advances in psychiatry is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), which is an alternative to Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), that uses small electrical currents without having to undergo anesthesia for the treatment of depression without medication. Another is the use of telemedicine to provide live video consults with psychiatrists to emergency rooms, hospitals and outpatient clinics that do not have access to a psychiatrist.
Latuda is a new treatment for Bipolar Depression. In my personal experience, I have found that it works very quickly and has very few side effects (no weight gain or need for lab tests) to treat depression in patients with Bipolar Disorder.
Fetzima is the newest SNRI, which means that if you have had patients that responded well to it’s cousins, Cymbalta, Effexor and Pristiq, Fetzima is a good new option.
Brintellix is the newest SSRI that also has very few side effects, in my experience. It is a good option for patients that need serotonin but have had weight gain or sexual side effects with other SSRIs.
Invega Sustenna is one of the most potent monthly injectable antipsychotics, which is a good option for patients with Schizophrenia that do not like to take a pill every day. Invega Trinza is the first three-month injectable antipsychotic on the market.
Abilify Maintena, the newest monthly injectable antipsychotic, can be given with Invega Sustenna to provide a mood stabilizing effect that does not require taking a daily pill.
I would like to see an antidepressant and mood stabilizer that is available in a monthly injection form for patients that do not like to take a pill every day. I would also like to see advances in TMS and similar new therapies that would allow treatment of depression efficiently without having to go to the psychiatrist’s office daily.