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Mental Health > Depression Forum > Depression as cause of physical symptoms ?
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Q: Depression as cause of physical symptoms ?
asked by: searchingforknowledge on June 4th, 2009
New User
Are the following symptoms, in relation to events, likely caused by depression? In December I was vomiting violently and felt a sharp, burning pain in my spine. I'd felt this pain before when I ruptured 2 disks coughing during bronchitis. Two days later I developed a severe headache and dizziness. A visit to the ER showed nothing other than a mild bladder infection. Ten days later I experienced the most severe chest pain I've ever had. It was as bad, or worse, than the kidney stones I had 8 years ago. A trip to the ER showed it was not a heart attack. Further tests showed I did have SVT and I was put on medication. As time passed, the dizziness attacks have increased in frequency and severity. I now get severe headaches and nausea when the dizziness occurs. I have also developed bladder incontinence issues. An MRI showed 3 bulging disks and impingement on a nerve in the lumbar spine. So, are these problems likely the figment of a depressed mind or are they real? I suffer from depression, but have not felt depressed in the past months. The psy I was seeing dismissed me last week because he felt I was not depressed and "doing great". However, my PCP says that all my symptoms are a product of depression and that needs to be treated. I told them today that the psy they had referred me to had dismissed me and said that was not a current problem. So, are these depressive symptoms, or do I need a second opinion? What kind of doctor should I go to?
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MyrahU
replied on June 4th, 2009
Active User, very eHealthy
No, not likely. Depression can do a lot of things, but not cause bulging disks in your spine. Also, your other symptoms sound too serious to just dismiss as depression. That doesn't make any sense to me. Don't let your doctor dismiss you, either. You need tests done.

Go to another General Practitioner and tell him or her that you are worried it is something else and that you want tests done. Have you been to an orthopedic surgeon about your disks? Perhaps at least some of your symptoms are connected to that issue.

Are you still feeling depressed, regardless of what your psychiatrist said? If so, then your doctor is right that it needs treatment. But that does not mean that every symptom you have is related to that. It is possible for you to have depression and a medical condition. Tell your doctor that and don't let them dismiss your symptoms.
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Users who thank MyrahU for this post: searchingforknowledge 
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searchingforknowledge
replied on June 4th, 2009
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I have not felt depressed in the last couple of months. I've made some positive changes to my life that I am happy with. I retired from my job and will begin classes Monday to certify me for a new career. I feel that my PCP is dismissing my symptoms as depression because I was very depressed 8-9 months ago. I have not seen a neurosurgeon yet. I was told I was being referred, but that department has not yet received the paperwork. My PCP has now decided to send me to an Internist and to order a cervical MRI. I'm contemplating a new physician. I wish I could go back to the neurosurgeon who did my other two cervical surgeries, but he is not on my new insurance. He advised me to see a neurosurgeon when I called his office for advice.
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