Somatic Symptom Disorder and Other Illness Disorders

Question 1

Are somatic symptoms present in illness anxiety disorder?

Answer 1

Somatic symptoms are usually not present or are minimal in severity in illness anxiety disorder

Question 2

What is the treatment for illness anxiety disorder?

Is remission possible in illness anxiety disorder?

Answer 2

First line is regularly scheduled follow-up with a single health care provider and psychotherapy.

Many decline psychotherapy or find it ineffective, in that case a SSRI should be given as second/third line therapy.

Remission is rare, but many patients anxiety will improve

Question 3

What is the only FDA approved pharmacotherapy treatment for bulimia nervosa?

What adverse side effect are you most worried about with this drug?

Answer 3

Fluoxetine

It is associated with cardiovascular SE especially if electrolyte imbances are present