Diabetic. Suffering From Weight Loss, Loss Of Appetite And Mood Swings. Should I Be Concerned?

Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.

Your husband's symptoms appears to be indicative of a depressive disorder. Poor appetite, weight loss, mood swings or irritability can all be manifestations of an underlying depression. He needs a detailed psychological Other symptoms which are commonly associated with depression are reduced energy, getting easily tired, decreased interest, difficulty in concentration or memory, negative thoughts, poor sleep, etc.

I would advise you to take him to a psychiatrist for a detailed psychological assessment, in order to confirm this diagnosis. Don't worry too much because there are very effective and safe treatment options available which will help him come out of this phase quickly.

Regarding the shoulder pain, one of the common causes of shoulder pain in diabetics is a "frozen shoulder", which can cause both pain and restriction of movement. This is caused due to inflamation of the connective tissue of the shoulder joint. Treatment would be with anti-inflamatory / analgesic medication and the condition is usually self-limiting.

Another thing to be checked and ensured is his blood sugar control. Poorly controlled sugars can be a triggering factor for depression and can also impair the anti-depressant treatment efficiency. So, please have his blood sugars checked and ensure that it is properly controlled.

Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist

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