Tricep strength still not there.

As I have mentioned in a prior thread, this is my second go round with TMS and I really thought that my knowledge of it and work I've done prior would lead to better recovery in round two. I've been pain free for two months but my strength in my tricep is just not coming back. This all started in the spring as a cramping, tightness in my shoulder blade then followed with shoulder, chest, armpit and nerve pain in my arm. Once I realized it was TMS and spent a couple appointments with Dr. Gwozdz, my journey began again. I'm very thankful that the nerve pain is gone and started (for the second time) to resume gym activity. One thing I'm getting worried about is the strength in my right arm and as I mentioned above, my right tricep is just not coming back. Any weight workout using my chest, triceps or shoulders involves my left arm taking on the majority of the load. I have to be honest, it is really deflating all these months later. Any advice or encouragement is always welcomed. This wiki has always been such a great place to find support.

 

This is sort of a general remark , but there have been a few posts that I've seen of people saying "I've done everything right, so why am I still having symptoms."
I did a different mind body therapy, and one of the things they teach is to pay attention to when your symptom flares up, to what you were doing at that very moment. What were you feeling, what were you not feeling that you should have been feeling. It helps a lot if you do meditation or some kind of mindfulness.
It takes a huge amount of concentration, but maybe could be helpful to people who feel like they are just not getting to the root of their 'issues' enough.

 

to add onto Ybird's ideas, what have you been telling yourself about your expectations and how hard are you on yourself.
I have broken these kinds of cycles by telling my body "you're fine! you've come a LONG way in just a few months and you are all good. Strong". I even laugh at it when it tries to throw things like "weakness" my way (especially if I can accomplish other things with this body part).
Check your mindset (as well as emotions) and see if you are adding stress to your work outs by expecting yourself to be perfect, to do these moves perfectly.
And... don't forget that bodies need recovery time, and sometime they do need a lil' extra - have you tried doing some strengthening moves just on this side: not to "cure" TMS but to meet your physical fitness goals? I will do things like work on a stronger body part two reps and a weaker body part 6 reps with curiosity over a few weeks and see where it takes me. A few times I have found suddenly there is "weakness" on my "good" side - and then I know I can stop trying this method and just recognize it as TMS and put any thoughts about it out of my mind. Other times, this method has worked spot on...however with everything I just keep the TMS work and mindset in mind and focus on the positive aspects of it instead of any self pressure to perform.

 

Hi,
I can relate to your concern because my left leg is WAY weaker than my right leg. There’s no reason for it other than to freak me out, I suppose. After reading post after post on this wiki, it has become abundantly clear to me that TMS does stuff like this all the time. If it’s got you worried, it’s winning.

Wanna hear something weird? One of my symptoms is random spasms in my legs, usually when I wake up in the morning. My legs will just go completely tight and stiff. All on their own. It used to terrify me. Then about a week ago, I just started saying to my TMS brain, “I LOVE when you do that! I feel like a ballerina! Can you do that again?” And guess what? It stopped doing it as much. Like drastically stopped. Now when it does happen I just laugh and say I love it! And I do mean it. Once I said that about the ballerina, it kinda made me laugh and took away my fear. Maybe you could think of something similar to laugh at your symptom. It really takes the fun away from your TMS brain.

 

@Ybird
I’m curious about this. Can you give me more info on this?

 

To be more specific, they have you FEEL INTO the symptom. So, if something is hurting, or you're feeling tired, you stop, maybe go somewhere private, and try and ground yourself and make yourself feel safe. Then you feel into the symptom, like if your back is hurting, try and connect directly to the feeling and see ...what does it feel like. If it were an emotion, would it be : anger, fear, disgust...?
The idea is that your body is giving you information about THE PRESENT also. The feeling is not just some general feeling about your life, it's about something that was going right when you started to notice the symptom flaring up. You are trying to translate your symptom into a feeling.
And then act on it also, to make it stop. You have to take some action, or at least come to some sort of resolution of the feeling.

I don't really recommend this therapy (meaning consulting with one of their professionals), since I wound up having a lot of problems caused by it. To the point of being still devastated by how badly my life wound up, like more than 10 years later.
It's something I hope to be able to discuss here eventually, I keep trying to figure out how to articulate what went wrong, but it's almost too much for me or something.

 

Thanks, @Ybird ! I have heard of that concept. Your body is talking to you. What is it saying? Sorry you had a bad experience. I am one who tries a lot of things—psychotherapy and the like, and somehow there is also always some damage involved for me that I have to recover from. It’s always a risk. Sorry you are still working that out years later. It’s maddening. All you wanted was to get better! Hope you heal totally from it soon.