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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
How to get help with somatoform disorder
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
How to get help with somatoform disorder
by hi_ya, May 14, 2008 01:05PM
My mother has been having severe pain for over a year now (primarily
pain with urination and also extreme dizziness). She was diagnosed
with somatoform disorder by an assistant psychiatrist about six
months ago after a gauntlet of tests found nothing serious enough to
cause the pain she was having but has not been given any psychological
treatment for it. Instead she has been told to go to the pain clinic even
though she had been there previously and they do not treat pain
resulting from a psychological disorder.
I want to know if there are any psychologists in the Houston area that
have experience treating somatoform disorder. She even went to the
psychiatric hospital recenty and the doctors and nurses that treated
her there hadn't even heard of somatoform disorder before (although
one recognized it as 'pain disorder').
To my knowledge nobody has yet to treat her as if she actually has
somatoform disorder and instead keep giving her pain killers that she
doesn't want and don't work.
Thanks
pain with urination and also extreme dizziness). She was diagnosed
with somatoform disorder by an assistant psychiatrist about six
months ago after a gauntlet of tests found nothing serious enough to
cause the pain she was having but has not been given any psychological
treatment for it. Instead she has been told to go to the pain clinic even
though she had been there previously and they do not treat pain
resulting from a psychological disorder.
I want to know if there are any psychologists in the Houston area that
have experience treating somatoform disorder. She even went to the
psychiatric hospital recenty and the doctors and nurses that treated
her there hadn't even heard of somatoform disorder before (although
one recognized it as 'pain disorder').
To my knowledge nobody has yet to treat her as if she actually has
somatoform disorder and instead keep giving her pain killers that she
doesn't want and don't work.
Thanks
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., May 15, 2008 05:23PM
, May 15, 2008 05:23PMTo: hi ya
I would recommend you get a consultation with a local psychiatrist who should be able to treat your mother, and if not, make the proper referral. Your doctor of the hospital should be able to make that referral directly.
I just wanted to metion one thing that Dr's always overlook when it comes to women, pain and urologoy. I know you said your mother has a diagnosis already, but everyone thought I was making up my pain until someone found I had interstitial Cystitis.
I'm not sure if they tested your mother for this but it is very hard to find and most DR's dont even ever mention it.
It causes pain in the bladder because the bladder has rips and tears and turin is acidic. It can burn and feel like sharp pains or even muscle spasms. The only way to diagnose it is with a bladder distention.
I dont mean to throw somwthing else into the mix, when you are both probably trying to deal with this new diagnosis. But DR's used to think women were either making it up or imagining it.
Maybe look it up and see if your MOm fits the symotoms.
Just a thought
Hope all is well