Post Surgery TMS Pain?

TL;DR Extended pain and complications post surgery, beginning to question if symptoms are physical or if it’s tms nerve pain firing. Curious who else here has been through this and how they got through it.

I’m just curious if anyone has had this. I’ve previously had and overcame tms. Last month I had an appendix surgery and I’ve had on and off stomach issues for the past year. I think it’s related to a generally poor diet and also high anxiety. Since the surgery my diet has been much better but I did have a post surgical complication (abscess or fluid collection) which sent me into an emotional spiral.

Now today the last ct scan done about 1.5-2 weeks ago showed no issue on my abdomen, and last week’s ultrasound showed the fluid getting smaller. Same for today’s ultrasound.

However, in the past few days my pain flared up greatly, and I’m suspicious of its cause. It all got worse after a fight with my girlfriend, and I slept very poorly since that fight too.

I’m now beginning to consider that I’ve got tms / nervous system issues triggering pain similar to the initial pre surgery issue, due to fear or rage.

exactly 1 week ago the doctor said I should see a psychologist because the fluid collection shouldn’t be causing that much pain that I’m in. He thinks it’s psychological to some degree. That immediately reduced my pain symptoms by like 40-50% and I became much more mobile and able to eat a lot more in the next few days.

then like I said there was the fight, and worsening of symptoms over the next couple of days until I found myself hospitalized . My bloodwork is fine, X Ray is fine, no ct scan but ultrasound is fine and once again shows the fluid collection slightly reducing in size. the er doctor scared me with saying she’s afraid of the initial infection coming back or a new one, but I’m hesitant for another ct scan due to cost and the fact that just 2 weeks ago the last ct scan was fine. Also, I had a minor allergic reaction to their contrast, which has fueled yet more fear and potential pain.

also I’m taking antibiotics, not sure if that’s causing various stomach pain too? It’s been 3 weeks now of them.

In short… Anyone here get tms pains similar or equal to the initial condition and severe nervous system disruption following a surgery? I HAVE lost 10kg/22lbs or so in the past month, and it’s hard to sort out the physical from the mental. However I am beginning to suspect more and more that tms may be holding me back.

 

Your doctor isn’t worried about your condition, your diagnostics show nothing concerning. You’ve been through a lot, you’re afraid, yes I’d say the possibility of it being fear induced TMS is high. Stress can be ruinous to the GI system. The issue is there is always another doctor to be seen, another test to be run, where does it end? If you need to go for another test to truly put your mind to ease so be it, but understand that our TMS raddled brain will just extend the goal posts.

I had TMS post a vasectomy, it took me months to firmly commit to the belief and understand that my pain is not the result of the surgery, obviously not that same as your case, but yes post surgical TMS is a thing. The surgeries themselves can be the scare event that breaks the camels back or overflows the glass, but we have to be realistic about who we were prior to symptoms flaring, because my body was giving me warning signs long before my vasectomy.

and just because you ‘relapse’ and get another scan doesn’t mean you failed or your anxiety won, it’s just a step which you move on from