Depression and Anxiety
How can GoMDUSA help if I suffer from anxiety or depression?

The GoMDUSA medical team can help by giving you anxiety medicines (SSRIs or SNRIs) or depression medicines (antidepressants) that should improve how you feel. Our service is private, convenient and affordable and based around a video consultation with one of our doctors or nurse practitioners. The GoMDUSA Pharmacy can ship your medicines direct to your door in discreet packaging.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a very common mental health condition. Someone’s got anxiety if they have constant excessive worry seen many days of the week for at least 6 months. The worry often comes from multiple sources, finances, work, or health. These symptoms are often difficult to control and can be stressful or interfere with a person’s ability to function.

What's the cause of anxiety?

We don’t know exactly what causes anxiety. The cause can be factors specific to you (internal factors), changes related to your overall environment and situation (external factors), or a particular significant event.

What is depression?

Depression is the most common mental health condition. Someone’s got depression if they have a depressed mood and little interest in doing things more days than not for over a 3 months.

What's the cause of depression?

We don’t know exactly what causes depression. The cause can be factors specific to you (internal factors), changes related to your overall environment and situation (external factors), or a particular significant event.

Who can use our anxiety and depression service?

You can use our service if you’re between the ages of 25 and 60. If you have a history of suicidal thoughts or actions, bipolar, mania, psychosis, schizophrenia, alcohol or other drug use, HIV, seizures, glaucoma or family history of glaucoma, pregnant, or breastfeeding, we recommend that you see a doctor or nurse practitioner in person instead of using our service.

If you require a work note for your employer, or need to be evaluated for a disability of work compensation, then you should see a doctor or nurse practitioner in person and not use our service.

If you feel like you’re a danger to yourself or others or might harm yourself or others, please contact 911 immediately, go to your nearest emergency room or hospital, or contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Which medicines can GoMDUSA prescribe?

We can prescribe anti-depressants known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), SNRI (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors). SSRIs include sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), escitalopram(Lexapro), and paroxetine (Paxil). SNRIs include venlafaxine (Effexor) and duloxetine (Cymbalta). Atypical antidepressants include bupriopion (Wellbutrin).

We do not prescribe benzodiazepines or sedatives.

How much does the medicine cost?

You can get the medicine shipped to you from 95$/month, including free fast delivery.

Are anxiety and depression medicines effective?

Yes, but like any medicine an anxiety treatment isn’t guaranteed to work. The goal is to improve your mood and keep it there. All of the medicines we prescribe have been demonstrated to be effective through extensive research studies. You’ll be able to discuss which treatment option is right for you with a member of our medical team during your video consultation.

How quickly do the medicines work?

It can take 4 to 6 weeks of taking the medicine every day before you feel an improvement - during this period you’re ‘responding’ to the treatment. Typically you’ll feel the full benefits after 3 months. We can adjust your medicine dosage after 4 weeks, based on how you feel.

Once you feel that you’re on the appropriate dose of medicine - what doctors or nurse practitioners generally refer to as a patient being ‘in remission’ - we recommend you take your medicine for a minimum of 9 to 12 months before thinking about stopping. If you’ve had 2 or more episodes of anxiety or 3 or more episodes of depression that required prescription medicine you should talk to our team about the option of ongoing ‘maintenance’ treatment. Talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner if deciding to stop medicine and if tapering off the medicine is necessary.

How does the anxiety service work?

It’s very easy to use our anxiety and depression service. It should take you no more than 15 minutes to complete. The steps are:

  1. Complete our simple health questionnaire
  2. Create an account (make sure you do this to save your answers)
  3. Pay consultation fee with your credit/debit card (we’ll place a hold on your card straightaway, but we won’t charge your card until after your consultation)
  4. Video consultation with a GoMDUSA doctor or nurse practitioner.
  5. Receive your medicine in the mail with our free fast delivery.

We’ll follow up with your after your consultation to make sure you’re doing ok. You can also message us anytime, or call the GoMDUSA Pharmacy and ask to speak to one of the pharmacists.

Can I get refills with my prescription?

Not initially, no. Typically we’ll write a one month prescription after your initial video consultation. We’ll want you to come back before the end of the first month to tell us how you’re doing and to complete a follow-up video consultation. Assuming the treatment is working as desired and depending upon your personal medical history, our medical team can then prescribe a 30, 60 or 90 day course at a time.

Make sure you come back to us for a follow-up consultation before your medicine runs out as we don’t want you to have a gap in care.

Is it safe to use the anxiety and depression service?

Yes. It's safe to use our anxiety and depression service as long as you answer our health questions fully and accurately and are open and candid with our medical team during the video visit. A member of GoMDUSA’s medical team will decide if it's appropriate to give you a prescription based on our strict medical guidelines.

The medicines we prescribe come with risks, and it’s important you make an informed decision about the trade-offs of starting treatment. Please read the information we provide about the risks and benefits of treatment and only take the medicine according to the instructions. If you have any side effects with the medicine, let us know.

If you feel like you’re a danger to yourself or others or might harm yourself or others, please contact 911 immediately, go to your nearest emergency room or hospital, or contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Can a doctor or nurse practitioner diagnose anxiety and depression remotely?

Yes, our medical team can diagnose anxiety and depression by asking you the same questions that they’d ask if they saw you in person. On video we can also help you understand the treatment options and answer any questions you have. Because our medical team works to such strict medical guidelines, we maintain the same or higher standards than if we saw you in person. The doctor or nurse practitioner will let you know if they think you need to see a clinician in person rather than use GoMDUSA.

How's GoMDUSA different from other online anxiety and depression services?

We pride ourselves on great clinical and customer service. We have a fantastic support team and medical team who will all take as much time with you as you need. Unlike other telehealth companies, for anxiety and depression we provide live video consultations with our medical team. This ensures that you get the best quality care and can ask any questions you have. The pharmacy team at GoMDUSA Pharmacy is also available to answer any questions you have if you want to call them.

What if the medicine doesn't work?

The medicines typically take 4 to 6 weeks to see some improvement and up to 2 to 3 months before anxiety and depression symptoms resolve. It depends on how an individual person responds to the particular dose and medicine prescribed.

You’ll typically need to take the medicine every day for 4 to 6 weeks before you feel an improvement. During this time you’re ‘responding to treatment’.

It can take 4 to 6 weeks of taking the medicine every day before you feel an improvement - during this period you’re ‘responding’ to the treatment. Typically you’ll feel the full benefits after 3 months. We can adjust your medicine dosage after 4 weeks, based on how you feel.

As a precaution, our medical team will need to have a video consultation before you receive a new refill prescription to ensure you are responding to the right medicine and the right dose. Make sure you either go to the website to initiate a consultation before you run out of medicine. You’ll answer the questionnaire again just like the first time. Our medical team prescribes in 30 days, 60, or 90 days of medicine at a time.

What alternative anxiety treatment options are there?

You always have the option of not doing anything about your anxiety or trying to improve your anxiety through techniques that don’t involve taking any prescription medicines. This can include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

We list the following online sources for therapy for your convenience. We don’t endorse or recommend any of these individual third party programs.

www.online-therapy.com

https://www.betterhelp.com/

Although there’s no clear evidence that exercise alone can improve depression, for general health we do recommend moderate exercise (fast walking, running, or cycling or upper and lower body weight training), 3 to 5 times per week, and 45 to 60 minutes each time. It may take up to 3 months to see overall improvement in mood.

Physical activity by exercising 60% to 90% of maximal heart rate three times a week for 20 minutes or yoga can be helpful to decrease anxiety. Avoiding triggers like caffeine, stimulants, nicotine, and stress) and improving your quality and quantity of sleep can also be helpful.

Do not stop your prescription medicine without consulting your doctor or nurse practitioner.