Physical symptoms of depression?

[WK1010]

Hello everyone. I’d really appreciate if you would take the time to read my story. I wonder if anyone has been through the same and if you’ve learnt something after this (and if so please do tell).

I’m a 21 year old male. About 6 years ago I remember being bothered by strange symptoms. I would wake up and feel...disgusting. I would feel drugged and fatigued. This would last the entire day. I couldn’t think clearly anymore, my memory got worse and I felt it affected my performance in school. This feeling was constant. I kept pushing myself through high school hoping this thing would go away but it didn’t. I saw doctors and had basic blood work done to check for the most common things. As the years passed by and I entered university I could no longer just push myself and try to ignore how I feel. The workload was more now, so I couldn’t just push myself and get by as I had done in school.

4 years since I started university, I haven’t even finished my degree, I’ve completed half of it and failed course after course several times as I was too fatigued to do anything at all, I wouldn’t read for weeks. Throughout this period I saw doctor after doctor thinking something had to show up as my main troubles were the physical symptoms. The symptoms are constant fatigue and desire to rest, feeling drugged and zombie-like, constant strong tingling all over body, IBS-like symptoms, constant body pain all over. 2-3 years ago I also started having difficulty fully feeling emotions, sort of numb feeling that is constantly there now, like I’m too fatigued to even feel emotions. I also find I don’t have the energy to really care about things the way I used too, as the fatigue has seemed to intensify.

The only abnormalities were an elevated rheumatoid factor which was extremely high (624) and a mildly elevated IgM. Nothing has been found, after an extreme number of doctor appointments and test after test. I saw a psychologist and he said my test score indicated severe depression, but at the same time he said he doesn’t think I’m depressed as I complain mostly of physical symptoms and I still do feel optimistic and am motivated to do things and I do feel happy from time to time. He also said he hasn’t had any depressed patients with a similar picture. Yet the plan now is to try pain medication and antidepressants as nothing helps, not even exercise helps that much (helps for about one hour but then the symptoms are back).

So I’m left a bit confused and wondering if depression can present itself in this way? Maybe I was depressed all this time but didn’t know it? Does anyone have a similar experience?

[deborah27]

Some of your symptoms sound like M.E. or fibromyalgia. Has anyone ever suggested these to you?

[WK1010 in reply to deborah27]

It has been suggested yes, but it’s easily dismissed by doctors as they insist it’s more an exclusion of diagnosis than a diagnosis itself. In a way they are right. They still want to run more tests. I’m having an MRI of I think my spine done in a month, so if that is clear then ME / fibro should be the conclusion.

[nicetomeetyou]

Believe it or not all your symptoms could be caused by anxiety. I have similar symptoms and even more but I’ve had every test imaginable and everything came back fine. I’ve been told now that all my issues are anxiety driven. And I do notice that when I’m less anxious all my symptoms either lessen or disappear completely. Fibromyalgia is another possibility but it sounds like you’ve already had all kinds of testing done.

[Veelala in reply to nicetomeetyou]

I have a few things it sounds like fibromyalgia anxiety and depression I have all three and I have experienced all of them symptoms one time of another..

[3wooddriver]

Mental illness, particularly anxiety and depression, can certainly present those physical symptoms. I have felt similarly, although not as often as you. The constant fatigue, outer space kind of feeling, soreness, etc is all too familiar. I guess the only difference is that I do indeed feel quite sad at times, or have crying spells, or more emotional you can say. But I'm not sure if indeed that needs to happen to you to label it as depression.

Anyhow, I hope and pray that the antidepressants work for you and you find a way to feel better.

Hang in there!

[B4andafter]

After reading your post, I was reminded of a dear friend of mine who experiences all the same physical symptoms. She was finally diagnosed as having fibromyalgia although it took a long time because too many doctors dismissed them. She has IBS, rheumatic pain, and fatigue and she is on a very strict diet because she maintains what she eats makes it worse. Her physical symptoms make her depressed because she can't enjoy life like she wants to. She also took Lorazepam to sleep. Maybe trying an anti-depressant may help. Just remember it takes 4-6 weeks for your body to adjust so familiarize yourself with the possible side-effects.