DR Ahbijeet help please

[bosnianworrier]

Dear doctor,

After years of searching for my "feelings" I think that I finally found a name for it. Neuropathy.


-My feelings involve (burning/electrical/irritating/itchy) feeling mostly in my thighs, arms and hands and ankle joints. Not on the skin but kinda more to the bone or the nerves.

This all started when I was about 12 years old. Now I am 28. I experienced this shock when I got suddenly and extremly scared of something. The first few years it was extreme and unbearable. I felt this feeling in most of my body including the brain. What also came with it was depersonalization or derealization. There was no doctors available because it was a war zone.

When I finally got out of that country, about 5 years later, doctors diagnosed me with depression and anxiety. I started anti-depressants and was feeling much better than the first 5 years.

Now I still have this feeling 24/7 but it is moderate and I feel some pressure in my brain. The "pain" worsens and lessens throughout the day depends of how stresfull I get. SMOKING cigarettes makes it much worse. Depersonalization, POOR MEMORY and lack of concetration is present.

My questions to you are,

1: Could this neuropathy be all from my diagnosed chronic anxiety or can anxiety cause the same symptoms?
2: Can sudden extreme fear cause neuropathy?
3: Can neuropathy cause memory loss?

Also to mention, less that 2 years ago I saw a neurologist, did a brain CT scan and he said he didn't see nothing wrong. I didn't mention neuropathy to him because I didn't know how to explain it.

So to repeat, the first  few years it was unbearable, then it got severe and now changes from mild to moderate (mostly moderate) especially when I think or talk about it.

Other symptoms/conditions that I now still have are:
-Generalized anxiety disorder + lots of stress
-Some depression and OCD
-Depersonalization
-POOR MEMORY (both long and short term)
-Lack of concetration
-Impotence (may be from anti-depressants)
The last 3 started about 3 years ago.

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Please keep in mind the possibility of recurrent depression. Memory problems are common in depression. In fact, depression is known to affect concentration, short term memory, executive abilities, abilities to organize and plan, etc.

You may need an antidepressant along with your psychotherapy.

Regards  

[bosnianworrier]

Thanx for such a quick reply. I am seeing a psychologist next week for the first time in my life.

The reason I asked weather anxiety can cause neuropathy is because of idiopathic neuropathy. Often they cannot find the cause.

In 1 hand I am happy that these neuropatic feeling have lessened and dont control my life any more, but on the other hand I'm scared because my memory is getting bad.

But like you said, it could all be psychological.

Thanks again

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

To answer your queries, anxiety per se does not cause neuropathy. But if you have neuropathy from some other cause, anxiety can worsen the symptoms by making you more apprehensive of the situation. Neuropathy needs a definite physical cause.

I feel your symptoms are due to the long term psychological problems you are having. Also keep a watch on your medication. Some of the antidepressants can produce discontinuation syndrome upon stopping suddenly.

Have you sought help from any psychologist?

Regards