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What Causes Chest Pain, Body Numbness And Weight Loss While Treating Rheumatic Disease?
Question: My 29 year old son has been experiencing pain in his chest, numbness in his body, unable to keep food down, is losing weight, and has been recently been using Humira that has cleared his skin of psorisus. He has been to the emergency room several times where they have run EKGs on his heart that come out normal. He has seen a Rumalist and other doctors, including a heart specialist. They all run blood tests and find nothing wrong. He seems to experience anxiety but refuses to take drugs for that. This has been a long term issue over the last few years and he has lost faith that doctors can not help him and is depresses and possibly suicidal. Do you have a reasonable solution to this issue?
Brief Answer:
This is most likely depression and anxiety.
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HealthcareMagic,
I can understand your concern. He is suffering from rheumatic and is on treatment. He also took treatment of psoriasis and all these have resulted in the development of mood disturbance and depression. Treatment is also an independent risk factor. His all investigations came normal like EKG and we can move towards anxiety and depression.
For his persisting anxiety and depression if he agrees to treatment then no need to worry. If he doesn't agree then his primary caretaker can discuss with a psychiatrist and low doses of medicines can be started.
Drugs like low dose Olanzapine or Risperidone can help in improving his symptoms. These drugs are available in mouth dissolving formulations also and can be given by mixing with food too. This will reduce his symptoms and stabilize the mood. He will become compliant to treatment gradually and depressive symptoms will decrease.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Thanks and Take care
This is most likely depression and anxiety.
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HealthcareMagic,
I can understand your concern. He is suffering from rheumatic and is on treatment. He also took treatment of psoriasis and all these have resulted in the development of mood disturbance and depression. Treatment is also an independent risk factor. His all investigations came normal like EKG and we can move towards anxiety and depression.
For his persisting anxiety and depression if he agrees to treatment then no need to worry. If he doesn't agree then his primary caretaker can discuss with a psychiatrist and low doses of medicines can be started.
Drugs like low dose Olanzapine or Risperidone can help in improving his symptoms. These drugs are available in mouth dissolving formulations also and can be given by mixing with food too. This will reduce his symptoms and stabilize the mood. He will become compliant to treatment gradually and depressive symptoms will decrease.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Thanks and Take care
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Depression and anxiety are possibilities, but what about the extreme chest pains and numbness he feels. The pain seems to happen throughout the day. It seems to lesson at night. His heart rate elevates with any exertion. Just walking can cause his heart rate to go as high as 160 beats per minute. He also experiences nausea. All this has been getting worse, the suffering makes him want to give up on living. Can all these symptoms be caused by just anxiety and depression?
Brief Answer:
For severe chest pain ECHO should be done
Detailed Answer:
Hello again
His EKG came normal so we can grossly rule out cardiac causes. Chest tightness, numbness are seen in anxiety too. But if his pain is severe then ECHO should be done for his heart. This will rule out any anatomical issue. Elevation of heart rate with exertion also points towards anxiety but severe chest pain, rapid heart rate should be evaluated. His all investigations are normal but still Echocardiography should be done in order to rule out cardiac causes. If that also comes normal then most likely cause of his symptoms is anxiety and depression.
Thanks.
You can ask again for more clarification.
For severe chest pain ECHO should be done
Detailed Answer:
Hello again
His EKG came normal so we can grossly rule out cardiac causes. Chest tightness, numbness are seen in anxiety too. But if his pain is severe then ECHO should be done for his heart. This will rule out any anatomical issue. Elevation of heart rate with exertion also points towards anxiety but severe chest pain, rapid heart rate should be evaluated. His all investigations are normal but still Echocardiography should be done in order to rule out cardiac causes. If that also comes normal then most likely cause of his symptoms is anxiety and depression.
Thanks.
You can ask again for more clarification.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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