Lewis A. Van Osdel

Psychiatrist | Psychiatry

11602 Southwest Breyman Avenue Portland Oregon, 97219 Show map

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About
Contacts & Locations

About

Served 22 Active Years and 6 Years in the US Army Reserves

Education and Training

George Washington Unviersity

Board Certification

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology- Addiction

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Provider Details

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Lewis A. Van Osdel

Lewis A. Van Osdel's Expert Contributions

My Answers

Can people with bipolar work?
If your symptoms (mood swings to mania & depression) are controlled, then you should be able to work. READ MORE
What is the best mood stabilizer for anxiety?
“Mood stabilizer” is the term used for medications that control the mood swings in bipolar disorder, and they will control both mood swings from normal to mania or depression. If you are bipolar and having the most difficulty with depression, you need a mood stabilizer. Bipolar patients should not take antidepressants unless they are also on a mood stabilizer also. If not, the antidepressant may kick them into a manic episode. In my opinion the best all around mood stabilizer is lamotrigine (Lamictal,) but it has to started at a low dose and increased slowly to avoid a serious but uncommon allergic-like skin rash that turns into boils. Anxiety is best treated with one of the antidepressants that raise brain serotonin (SSRI’s & SNRI’s). and if adjusted properly mirtazapine (Remeron) is most often my first choice, but low doses (15-20mgs) are the most sedating. The best dose is usually 30mg, but going up to 37.5, or down to 22.5mg may be needed. READ MORE
What are some alternatives to antidepressants?
Regular exercise helps, but you can also take 5-HTTP (hydroxytriptophane), the immediate precursor to serotonin in the brain. If there are significant symptoms of chronic fatigue, oversleeping, overeating, etc., then take the precursor of norepinephrine, namely, L-tyrosine. READ MORE
Spouse on antidepressants?
Zoloft and all SSRI’s can decrease libido (sex drive,) but these meds mostly block or delay orgasm. Wellbutrin increases brain norepinephrine & some dopamine, but not serotonin (which SSRI’s do.) It’s been my experience that most people with chronic depression are low in thyroid, but most Dr’s don’t know how best to diagnose and treat it. TSH levels are assumed to be the best diagnostic test, but it should be a clinical diagnosis, and the best red flag is that the temperatures are low (> half below 98.2*F) I’m an MD, but I would suggest that you’re more likely to get better diagnosis and treatment from an ND (naturopath) You & your wife will also be helped, I strongly suspect, with some good marital therapy READ MORE
Can a psychiatrist help with my memory loss?
Maybe, as it depends on a particular psychiatrists training and experience and the details of your mother's history and symptoms. I have had more experience than most psychiatrists. Given the lack of details in the question, I can only give general suggestions. 1st make dietary changes: decrease carbs to get the A1c down below 5,3. One of the new names for Alzheimer's is type 3 diabetes. Add 4 or more tsps of virgin coconut oil mixed into food. Stop any statins, and actively raise cholesterol,if it's below 160. Avoid omega-6 oils & all hydrogenated fats, plus any brain excitatory substances, such as MSG. A brain SPECT would be helpful in many of these cases. Many psychological tests may be helpful with making a more exacting diagnose, but performing a screening MOCA, would be very helpful and easily given. It's important to be sure the patients memory problems aren't being caused or aggravated by a medication. Also poor kidney or liver function could be part of the cause. Several vitamin deficiencies, especially some of B vitamins. Psychotherapy & almost all Rx meds are not much help. READ MORE
Why do I have stabbing pain in my lower abdomen?
We need more details to get an accurate diagnosis. A sexually transmitted disease is usually confined to the external genitalia, the vagina & uterus, which would be felt as lower abdominal pain. If there's pain on urination, there may be a urinary tract infection, and if the infection ascends up the ureters, then pain could be perceived as lower abdominal. A thorough history, pelvic & abdominal exams, and blood count to see if neutrophils are up b/o an infection, plus cultures of the pelvic area, will likely be helpful in making an accurate diagnosis. READ MORE
Is premenstrual syndrome normal?
It's often better to think of "normal" as a setting on the washing machine. PMS is not a healthy condition, but is fairly common, yet that doesn't make it normal. It can almost always be improved by treating the underlying hypothyroidism. Unfortunately, most physicians don't know how to diagnose hypothyroidism, assuming that just checking a TSH, when medical literature has clearly repeatedly invalidated the assumption that checking the TSH is appropriate. The surest way to pick a doctor to diagnose & treat hypothyroidism would be to consult a naturopathic doctor. READ MORE
Is negative thinking a disease?
I would need more information to make a proper diagnosis. However, if your symptoms are more than a nuisance and actually interfere with your health or functioning, then you probably have one of the anxiety disorders as an accepted, official diagnostic criteria. However, you would have to have more symptoms than just negative thinking. READ MORE

Areas of expertise and specialization

Addiction PsychiatryAdolescentAdultChild

Internships

Triple Army Medical Center

Fellowships

Letterman Army Medical Center

Professional Society Memberships

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Society of US Army Flight Surgeons, Association of Military Surgeons of the US, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry