Anxiety/Depression or other problem?

[WindomEarle]

I'm a 30 year old male (6'2 330lbs).  I've been on Cymbalta for about 2 years due to chronic neck pain.  My doctor believes my neck pain is depression/anxiety related.  However, I have not seen any improvement in my neck situation.

I've noticed within the last year or so, that my heart is beating fast/hard after I eat.  I can physically see my heart beating at the bottom of my neck (under the adam's apple).  Accompanying this, I will occassionally get a quick sharp pain in my left chest and left bicep that only lasts a few seconds.

I went to my doctor with these symptoms and he believes that they are depression related.  

Though the cymbalta seems to relax me and help me be more social, it hasn't really hasn't addressed the problems I went to see the doctor for.  Any suggestions?

[ParamedFlorena]

It is in my personal opinion that a healthy body comes of activity and rest all in balance. The body does after all warn when something is wrong by giving pain-clues. Pain can be treated with medications but also with physical activity. It's not just a rumor of flash of media-term.

You can read more about my experience in my journal entry about psychosomatic ailments:

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/8144


Florena

[goodeys]

I too am on Cymbalta, I was prescribed this as I have been through a barrage of medical testing for chest pain which radiated through to my back and as no physical cause was discovered i was there left with the anxiety tag. I am now trying to accept that this is somatic pain but the Cymbalta has not improved it at all.

I think that your doctor should exhast a physical cause first and then if you are left with 'somatic' pain then they should perhaps look at changing your drugs. I am pushing for mine to be changed as they are not doing what they were prescibed to do and with
all the drugs on the market I think that I should seek another one that I may benefit more from.

Good luck with everything
Sam

[ParamedFlorena]

Anxiety and depression do go hand in hand in many cases. I will absolutely not question the diagnose you have already. We're not here to make you feel even more uncertain about the diagnose.

What I'd personally do - and what was suggested to me after the sting in the chest was awared by my GP (I sat in her office with the sting and told her I was noticing it right there and then and she didn't check it at all) - was psychosomatic physio-therapy. A physiotherapist can help you untie aches and pains that comes from tensed musculature. With anxiety, we're logically enough tensing up. Exercise did make my pains much more copeable - I struggled for years with a sting in the chest, ache in a shoulder that radiated to the tip of my fingers.

What I am thinking is that the pain in your neck comes from tensed musculature (I am not a medical doctor and it is only a suggestion based on my own experience with anxiety/depression), but if MRI is suggested it is a good idea to accept it - in the matter of ruling out and making a correct diagnosis. Ask your GP if physio-therapy could be an alternative for you.

A check of heart-rhythm and bloodpressure can reassure you if you need to be 100% that your heart is not the matter?

Good luck and check back here if you have more questions about this!
Florena

[Cindee56]

Hi, my son took Cymbalta and he could not tolerate it.  He said it made him too tired and bothered his stomach.  I think the neck pain must be something else.  You could have arthritis in your neck or a herniated disc.  You need to see an orthopedic doctor and maybe get an MRI to find out why you have pain.

The heart situation you should see a cardiologist.  He will order the appropriate tests.  Your doctor does not seem to be taking you seriously, so you need to take action.

[Jikan]

Namaste,

I'm not certain why your doctor would be so adamant that your symptoms are caused by depression, however, not knowing your history I wouldn't even venture a guess.

If you feel there are other factors involved and you're not receiving satisfactory answers from your doctor, you may want to seek a second opinion.

Michael