Hi, I'm new...

Hi Chrissy,

At least some of the symptoms you speak of could well be caused by depression. During some spells of my own depression, I have had digestive disorders that have left me unable to walk and in excrciating pain for hours at a time. Mostly doctors suggested an intolerance to certain foods and for ages I avoided dairy (with which I have no problems now, it seems!). Once I was even rushed to hospital with suspected apendicitis, but after eliminating that as the cause and a whole host of other tests, I was just pumped full of pain-killers and muscle relaxants and told it was probably just a viral infection (all rather vague). Amongst my other mysterious ailments that coincided with anxiety attacks and depression was the period (months on end) in which I thought I had a growth or obstruction in my throat because I couldn't swallow properly (I didn't, but it felt incredibly real). And my most award-winning moment has to be the time I gave myself a bizarre rash (huge, red, circular, welt-like swellings all over) through my own anxiety about having to do something (which due to the rash I got out of doing!). It now makes sense to me that these things are associated with the mind being under stress. -- In fact, at a very local level that most women would identify with, don't periods tend to get heavier and more painful periods at times of high stress?

My theory is that it's my body's way of asking me to slow down and take more care of myself because it recognises my illness even if I don't at that time. It may even be my body's way of getting me to the darn doctor, as I'm still pretty bad at biting the bullet and doing that for my depression when it rears its head...!

I'd definitely have more chats with your doc about this.

Take care -- and let us know how you go.

Rosie

Hi Chrissy, I wanted to welcome you to Healing Well forum.  This is a great place to visit for support and information on the Internet and a most safe community so I really hope you do continue to visit us here as often as you like. In answer to your question...Yes, any medical problems can lead to depression and anxiety disorders.  In most cases it can be temporary and treated with a short stint with antidepressants for temporary periods.  But for long term long-term illnesses depression is known to hang in there for the long haul. I have had depression, anxiety and panic since I was a child due to abuse issues.  However, I was diagnosed with MS when I was 26 in 2001, which of course made the depression much worse.  And harder to be treated with the medication I was already taking at the time.  Within the last year I have also developed another serious disorder that messes with my blood pressure and heart rate.  So once again depression was at an all time high and had to change meds.  The thing for me that was hardest to learn was diet and exercise to maintain health.  I have always been thin and never had to watch my weight so what I ate wasn’t a factor before, neither was exercise.  My cardiologist and Psychiatrist get together on my medication regime regularly due to the blood pressure factor mostly, but they both push the exercise and diet strongly.  And I’m surprised it does help greatly with depression and total overall health. I do have some stomach problems with the amount of pills I take but I don’t feel it is stress related and all tests have come back fine that have been ran.  However, my 10 year old niece who lives in a very unstable home with her single mother who has a drug addict boyfriend that steals all their belongings all the time (he just got out of prison yesterday) has a lot of stomach problems.  I do think this is due to her anxiety and nerves.  The brain is a very powerful place and it does essentially control every part of our bodies.

Welcome to the forum Chrissy. I am new too and I have had lots of support here.