TMS for 18 Years -It's a battle that we cannot afford to lose

In 1996 while in college developed knee pain and was diagnosed with sciatica and a MRI revealed "2 herniated disks" that needed to be repaired according to my surgeon. In 1997 I had two separate surgeries to repair the disks. The Sciatica pain left for a year or two and came back. Luckily I was turned on to Sarno through the Howard Stern show. I Read his book ,realized the man was a genius, and that I fit the TMS mold perfectly and the pain disappeared within 10 days and was gone for 3 years straight. However, in that time the sciatica left I developed a skin disorder went to 5 dermatologists until the last one diagnosed that my head was the problem. I eventually get engaged and then married and the sciatica returns so I decide to see Sarno (2003) who knew just how to talk to me and I left his office and pain left 3 days later. From 2003 to 2006 no TMS systems at all. I had one incident of what I now call hysteria where I thought I had a head tumor. I remained pain free pretty much through 2009. In the fall of 2010 sciatica returns really bad read Sarno's book and it goes away after 2 weeks. In 2011 develop hysteria that I have a lump in my throat and see ENT who finds nothing and "lump" leaves. At this point, I am starting to realize that the TMS symptoms are getting more complex and are moving around and manifesting in all kinds of ways to disrupt my life. In the Fall of 2011 the frequent urination begins (this was my least favorite TMS manifestation) lasted for 2 weeks until all my blood work came back and I realized it was TMS again. In 2012 another short bout of sciatica (1 week) and then another round of frequent urination (10 days) a few months later. As I sit here now writing this, I have sciatica nerve pain pulsating down my leg. I know it will leave like as it always does but the battle with TMS can wear you down. What I want other TMS sufferers to understand is that it morphs and adapts and can continue to present itself. Don't let this throw you off. Battle it any way you can do your journals read the books whatever works. Search for that underlying trigger. In the beginning just knowing the TMS diagnoses was enough for the pain to go away. However, of late, I need to identify the trigger before it subsides and that it was I mean by TMS adapts. Lets not kid ourselves at the end of the day we have a mental condition but we are strong enough to face it and we can win. I am trying to avoid going on anti-anxiety medicine although I believe it would probably cure the TMS because I believe that if I have beat it before I can beat it again.

 

Hi Nytms,
Have you started the Structured Education Program on this site? Yes TMS moves all over the place. My body/symptoms are an alarm bell going off telling me to think psychological.

Today at lunch with my parents and friends I took up for the waiter saying to others they would get better results being positive with him vs. negative. 2 people plus my Mother were unhappy with me. But, yeah, I said it instead of keeping it inside of me getting angry. I came home to journal about their unhappiness with me to keep that dark cloud from floating across my forehead. Seems minor but this is a big deal. Standing up for someone and not turning it into pain or depression based on the reactions of others.

Check out the SEP. It will be an amazing journey.
s