Somatoform Disorder Online Support Group

My name is Arleen and I was diagnosed with Somatoform in Sept 2011. Before that I was diagnosed with Dystonia. It seems with my symptoms that was the only thing my Neurologist could come up with. I was in the hospital last year a total of 3 weeks, at different times, and off of work for approx 12 weeks. Thank God for FMLA! Anyway because all of my tests were negative, and after going to a different Neurologist, I was sent to Shands Hospital in Jacksonville. And it was there that I was diagnosed.

I am better than I was as I had episodes every day a few times a day. I would try to talk and whatever I said did not make any sense. I would distort my left side of my face, my mouth would open wide, my eyes would close, among many other weird actions. I have been seeing a Psyscoligist and she has been alot of help, but that gets expensive. I appreciate all the help she gave me, helped me to learn how to work with this and not against it.

However, I still need support and then I found this group. There is a lot more to share, but this is just an introduction.

Welcome aleeng! I hope you find help here. I recommend adding as many friends as possible and writing in your diary online and posting discussions. The more friends you have, the more people see your diary entries and can respond. For me, diaries have been just as beneficial if not more so than discussions because not everyone checks into the group when they log in. Talk therapy has been very beneficial for me. Medicare wont pay for my therapist b/c hes a Marriage and Family Therapist and they dont recognize them for therapy so i have to self pay. It is costly but b/c ive been with him 3yrs and then lost secondary insurance and turned selfpay, he charges me way less than reg. price. I notice i get worse if i dont go atleast once every 3 wks. Take care of yourself and reduce your stressors. Mild exercise if very helpful also. Take it to God in prayer. He loves you and so do we here at Mdj.