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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Stress? Depression? Anxiety?
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.
Stress? Depression? Anxiety?
by PizzaPie1018, Oct 11, 2007 11:07AM
Dr. Gould: Hoping you can help with my question, is it stress/anxiety/depression related? I am a 41 year old female with no significant past medical history. For the past 3 1/2 months I have been suffering from lip tingling/numbness, mostly the left lower lip along with my tongue being numb. This is a CONSTANT feeling, it never goes away. I have not lost the ability to taste but eating/drinking/smoking does, most times, aggravate the symptoms. A few weeks after the mouth symptoms my hands started to get pins and needles. First one side, then the other now it can do it simultaneously. I also have had several episodes of just the pinky tips going numb. The hand/finger symptoms are not constant, they do come and go. I have had full blood work up and all was normal. My B12 however was 260 which is in the low normal range. I just had another blood work up that is going to check into that further as well as some other blood tests. I had a negative MRI the films were reviewed by 2 neurologists. I had a full dental exam and tissue and gums are all healthy. I had a full gynecological workup that was normal. I was getting daily headaches but that has subsided. Yesterday, I had an EMG done and those results were also normal. I have extreme fatigue but yet I am not sleeping well and I used to be a champion sleeper. I may have some slight depression since I am coming up on the 1st anniversary of my brothers death. His death has affected me greatly. I have been seeing a therapist for the last 3 months. Doctor prescribed Cymbalta 60mg daily, Rozerem and Fioricet. I do work in a stressful job and for the past year have had many additional stressors. Yesterday the neurologist also prescribed Neurontin 300mg which I haven't started yet. (I read today on an anxiety post that a girl was getting tingling in her feet and she was prescribed Neurontin and it stopped her tingling. I am going to fill my presciption today.) Any thoughts? Thank you so much! Lisa
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Oct 11, 2007 02:35PM
, Oct 11, 2007 02:35PM
To: Lisa
This is a very puzzling set of symptoms, and my first thought was b12, which you said was low, but if not b12, then some other metabolic equivalent. I believe you are being treated quite well and quit thoroughly. Although this is not a typical stress anxiety picture, it still could all be an anxiety equivalent related to the anniversary of your brother's death...I have seen similar kind of reactions, and if that turns out to be the case, then be sure and get off most of the medications as soon as you can.If I were you, I would review with your therapist all of the specific details,and your reaction, to his death...it will be pain, but in this case, probably necessary.
