TMS Again?

Hello,

I am new to post on this forum but have been viewing many stories and success stories on this site for years. I have been suffering from what I believe is TMS for over 15 years. Initially symptoms range from IBS, back pain, neck pain, knee pain, carpal tunnel, and probably many others. After suffering many years of debilitation, physical therapy, accupuncture and doctor visits, I found Sarnos books and started reading them aggressively and journaling in 2015. I found within a period of a few months I was almost entirely cured of all my pain and could resume almost all the physical activities I had given up.

Unfortunately six years later (two months to the day), I fell playing basketball and suffered a rib bruise. The pain initially started in the rib and it was pretty painful to sleep and breathe however after a series of doctor visits and x-rays they revealed that nothing structural was wrong and I should heal normally within six weeks. That was until all my other old TMS systems came coming back with a vengeance (back pain, neck pain, knee pain) in addition to the newly acquired rib pain as well as some new ones (heel/hip/toe numbness that comes on and wake me when I sleep). I was prescribed physical therapy and have been doing a series of exercises along with visits. I have a ton of life stressors and pressures now especially while living through the pandemic. While I have been able to pick up some more activities again and reduce some of the pain, the pain has been bouncing around quite a bit more now (neck to back to knee to heel to hip). Rarely are these ever at the same time either which has me further believing they are TMS. I have been doing the TMS work along with my PT for the last 3 weeks or so and results have been up and down. My question is should I stop the physical therapy and strictly continue the TMS treatment? All of these shifting symptoms really have me confused and distracted now and has me doubting the TMS diagnosis. I think the fact that I am still going to see a PT therapist is also causing further doubt.

Anyone else have any similar experiences or insights to share?

 

All over body pain + stress sounds like TMS. PT is more for rehabbing specific injuries like a pulled muscle or regaining atrophy after breaking a bone.

 

Sounds like TMS, relapses of pain suck and get you really confused because you don’t get what triggered it and honestly you probably never will. If you are like me you ran through a period of TMS doubt and thinking it was something else in hopes you could just wait and have it go away, I’m learning the hard way that once you eliminate the major illnesses to clear that out of your mind start the journal process and do the work as everyone tells you, I’m finally getting what it means to do that and to be patient with it all.

 

Relapses are very frustrating, but in my experience, fairly frequent. I've had many since I first recovered from TMS in 2013. The moment I realize that my symptoms are TMS, recovery begins--sometimes a quick recovery, sometimes takes a little time.

I suggest being honest with yourself about why you are engaging in PT. Is it because you believe your symptoms have a physical cause? If yes, then it will hold you back from recovery. If you are engaging in PT just to improve your physical condition generally, and not to cure your TMS, then it shouldn't be a problem.

 

Thank you all for sharing your perspective. Very helpful. I absolutely had doubt initially in it being TMS and was hoping to wait out the pain from what I perceived as the initial injury. When the pain started bouncing around again to different areas is what really started raising doubts and had me thinking more TMS. I have a lot more responsibilities now than when I first overcame TMS 6 years ago and feel a lot more pressure to get better quickly given all of the responsibilities that are waiting for me. Perhaps this is why my mind is continuing to create new pain distractions so aggressively and why it is taking a bit longer for the concepts to sink in.

Regarding the PT treatment, I believed initially it was helping me with mobility and strengthening of the rib and abdominal area however I believe this work is now fixating my mind much more on my body (and physical symptoms) as opposed to where I believe I need to be focusing (which is on my mind and the belief that this pain is of psychogenic origin again - and harmless). It is seeming more and more like I should be giving up the PT and going all in on the TMS treatment again.