I'm a TMSer Triathlete

Enrique, thank you very much for this series of posts on your achilles tendon pain. I've been feeling a burning/tearing sensation in my left achilles tendon this week, which I feel when I bend my foot a certain way, though most of the time I don't feel it. It's more scary than painful, because I'm afraid that I'm injured and that it may get worse if I don't ''do'' something. I've been a TMSer for decades, with the TMSer psychological profile and with many different symptoms. Achilles stiffness/pain has come and gone over the past seven years, and this is the first time it has had that burning sensation. Yet, I am not aware of anything I did to cause it other than generally being stiff in the backs of my legs. Your article is so helpful in reminding me that this is most likely TMS. Thanks also for the summary of Monte's work, I got the gist of it and benefit of it from your post.

 

I'm glad this thread continues to be helpful. Stay on your journey toward healing and I think you have a really great chance toward pain reduction, if not complete elimination.

Enrique

 

Amazing story, Enrique. And inspiring. We are all incredibly powerful once we stop focusing on externals and taking pills and lessening the pain and instead turn our attention inward to our spiritual life and emotions. I have to share a very recent song/video that came out that reminds me of these things and of the inner warriors inside all of us that makes ANYTHING possible - Thunder, by Imagine Dragons.

 

Hi Enrique. Just finding your post. First one I’m seeing addressing Insertional Achillies Tendonitis. It hit home with just a few differences; i’m very active with hiking and tennis and no foot problems until last August 1 all the sudden I experienced pain at the back of my heel. I assumed it would go away but here I am five months later and it is hanging with me. It is especially worse after a couple of hours of physical activity on my feet with a pain level of 8or 9. Like you, I have wavered between trying to treat it as structural with ice rest anti-inflammatories… And then just getting mad and assuming it’s TMS and trying to carry on. Neither has served me so far. I do have an actual bump on the back of my heel (called a Haglund’s deformity) that I only noticed when the pain started. It gets red and is extremely painful to the touch. I’ve made the mistake of googling and joining groups regarding this and it seems is most with this or forced into surgery through degeneration of the Achilles. It’s caused me to even waver more. Just curious as to how closely you think my symptoms mimic yours. I’d really love to treat this a TMS. Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[QUOTE="Just curious as to how closely you think my symptoms mimic yours. I’d really love to treat this a TMS. Thanks for sharing your story.[/QUOTE]

Hi. Well, for me thankfully, the achilles pain is a thing of the past. It's highly probable that your pain is TMS. But that doesn't mean that the pain shouldn't be there. The question I'd ask myself is what other reasons might I be having this pain. (I'm assuming of course that you didn't do anything out of the ordinary to injure it). Keep in mind that there are many common areas that people need to work in to help heal pain... any one or combination could be contributing to your symptoms. Here's a list I got from a TMS Doc which helped me conclude that my symptoms were more likely caused by neuroplastic pain as opposed to a physical cause. I'd avoid googling symptoms and joining in the pity party found in symptom based groups. Focus on doing things that move you in the direction of that which you want. Don't look for physical abnormalities... we all have normal abnormalities of one sort or another. Converse with people who are getting better and not complaining about pain. Find a TMS coach to meet with monthly. I wish you the best. You can heal from this, permanently.

1. You’re still somewhat skeptical about the non-physical explanation of symptoms.
2. It’s relatively hard for you to recognize, acknowledge, and express your emotions.
3. You tend to regularly be quite critical of yourself.
4. You have a hard time setting boundaries effectively meaning that you tend to do a lot for other people, hold onto a lot (including emotions) for other people, or have a hard time reaching out for help.
5. There’s a lot of stress in your life, so much so that it’s hard to manage and it affects your health.
6. It’s hard or scary to exercise and physical activity frequently or always brings on symptoms.
7. You have a history of traumatic experiences as a child and/or as an adult.
8. You’re exceedingly worried about the symptoms, what they mean, what they are, and whether they’re a sign of something dangerous happening in your body.
9. You have intense fear, either of the symptoms or just in generally in your life.
10. You tend toward perfectionistic tendencies.
11. You tend to try to please other people even at your own expense.
12. You don’t have a good sense of why the pain or symptoms are present and what the symptoms are trying to convey to you.
13. You can’t see any benefit at all as to why the symptoms would be present.
14. You’re thinking that if the symptoms would just go away, everything would be just fine.
15. You have unresolved grief from a significant loss at some point in your life.
16. You tend to have catastrophic thoughts about your symptoms and your health.
17. You have one or more relationships that need either healing or resolution.
18. You have a workplace situation that needs changing, improving, or ending.
19. You hold a significant grudge against someone who’s been in your life at some point.
20. You don’t have enough relaxation/reflection/play time in your life.

 

Hi. Well, for me thankfully, the achilles pain is a thing of the past. It's highly probable that your pain is TMS. But that doesn't mean that the pain shouldn't be there. The question I'd ask myself is what other reasons might I be having this pain. (I'm assuming of course that you didn't do anything out of the ordinary to injure it). Keep in mind that there are many common areas that people need to work in to help heal pain... any one or combination could be contributing to your symptoms. Here's a list I got from a TMS Doc which helped me conclude that my symptoms were more likely caused by neuroplastic pain as opposed to a physical cause. I'd avoid googling symptoms and joining in the pity party found in symptom based groups. Focus on doing things that move you in the direction of that which you want. Don't look for physical abnormalities... we all have normal abnormalities of one sort or another. Converse with people who are getting better and not complaining about pain. Find a TMS coach to meet with monthly. I wish you the best. You can heal from this, permanently.

1. You’re still somewhat skeptical about the non-physical explanation of symptoms.
2. It’s relatively hard for you to recognize, acknowledge, and express your emotions.
3. You tend to regularly be quite critical of yourself.
4. You have a hard time setting boundaries effectively meaning that you tend to do a lot for other people, hold onto a lot (including emotions) for other people, or have a hard time reaching out for help.
5. There’s a lot of stress in your life, so much so that it’s hard to manage and it affects your health.
6. It’s hard or scary to exercise and physical activity frequently or always brings on symptoms.
7. You have a history of traumatic experiences as a child and/or as an adult.
8. You’re exceedingly worried about the symptoms, what they mean, what they are, and whether they’re a sign of something dangerous happening in your body.
9. You have intense fear, either of the symptoms or just in generally in your life.
10. You tend toward perfectionistic tendencies.
11. You tend to try to please other people even at your own expense.
12. You don’t have a good sense of why the pain or symptoms are present and what the symptoms are trying to convey to you.
13. You can’t see any benefit at all as to why the symptoms would be present.
14. You’re thinking that if the symptoms would just go away, everything would be just fine.
15. You have unresolved grief from a significant loss at some point in your life.
16. You tend to have catastrophic thoughts about your symptoms and your health.
17. You have one or more relationships that need either healing or resolution.
18. You have a workplace situation that needs changing, improving, or ending.
19. You hold a significant grudge against someone who’s been in your life at some point.
20. You don’t have enough relaxation/reflection/play time in your life.[/QUOTE]
Thanks so much for your reply and support. I do think you are right about benefitting from a coach. I’ve recovered from so much on my own, but I believe the extra support on this one just may be the key. Thanks again.