CBT for somatization.. advice please

[student8913]

Heres an update im sure you all have seen me post many questions trying to figure out whats wrong with me. I started my therapy today it was just the initial meeting but he diagnosed me with Somatization Disorder: Somatization disorder is a long-term (chronic) condition in which a person has physical symptoms that involve more than one part of the body, but no physical cause can be found. The pain and other symptoms people with this disorder feel are real, and are not created or faked on purpose (malingering).

Although my symptoms have only lasted a few months he still believes this is what im suffering from. Has anyone had experiences in this?

Hes giving me a writeup about it next session but from my research online it does somewhat sound like what i have.

I am really looking for advice. I have a doctors apt tomorrow, I have mentioned leg pain and they checked me for DVT it feels like tight muscles in my right leg that has lasted over 3 weeks. After the DVT apt i was put on zoloft. Well the pain is still there, do i mention it? Or do i just blow it off as something caused by my anxiety (somatization)

How am i ever supose to know whats real and not real pain wise, thats scares me. I know my therapist will work with me on all this but im still lost and worried it will always be like this.


Anyone have similar experiences or advice?

Thanks you!

[tailspin]

Hi student, I would definitely mention your continuing leg pain at your doctor's appointment tomorrow. As you say yourself when giving the definition of Somatization Disorder, the pain IS REAL!! Clearly your anxiety plays an integral role in some of your pain, but that doesn't change the fact that your physical pain is real. So in that sense, all your pain is real, whether it's connected to your anxiety or not.

I think it's great you've started therapy and are obviously working with someone who knows what they are talking about. Can your therapist or your psychiatrist be in touch with your medical doctor so that they are both on the same page? I know that sometimes doctors dismiss physical problems if they think they are caused by anxiety, and this is really disheartening. I've had this happen to me. I also have a lot of chronic physical issues and I've had to be quite insistent/persistent to get my doctor to take me seriously. She has performed quite a few tests, but when she couldn't find anything wrong she definitely started to write me off as a neurotic hypochondriac and kept sending me back to my psychiatrist. It was only when I complained about her attitude that things improved.

I think that our physical and our emotional health BOTH need to be treated with the same level of attention. Hopefully, if your medical doctor is in touch with your therapist/psychiatrist, or at least, if he/she is brought up to speed on Somatization Disorder, you will receive better care. It's sooooo important to find a medical doctor who is clued up on this stuff and doesn't just dismiss you as a headcase! High-level, long term anxiety and stress can and do make you suffer physically, and both physical and emotional symptoms and causes need to be taken seriously and addressed!!

I hope the Zoloft does kick in and start helping, and good luck at your doctor's appointment tomorrow!