Help- is it TMS? or steroid shot? mentally exhausted

Help- I feel like I keep wavering on my accepting having TMS and also put myself in a sticky situation with being able to know... Opinions wanted!

I've had chronic burning pain in my right leg for over a year. Done every test possible. (Been to the Mayo clinic with no diagnosis) ...on my last day at the clinic I was given a steroid injection in my SI joint. I had two weeks of complete hell.. the burning pain was worse than it had ever been, only tolerable when walking. I got pretty depressed and decided enough! I would take the mind body theory very seriously and practice the mediations and not fearing the pain EVERY day, working hard at it. Every day got slightly better over the two weeks since I started and now instead of the burning I will feel pressure over the leg and extreme stiffness in the right hip especially after a long day (weird) but it is definitely tolerable and I'm honestly happy about it. I'm thrilled at the progress actually.. that is until yesterday when I read that sometimes injections take 3 plus weeks to kick in. It hit me like a ton of bricks- is that what this is? Is my work for nothing? I'm frustrated but happy at the same time. I want it to be TMS SO badly because I know a shot is only like a bandaid even if I'm feeling some relief. I feel almost upset with myself I started working so hard on it at the time I did but I just wish I knew for sure.

-Here are some factors that may point to TMS- *I have had flare ups in my burning pain at big times in my life. It started on Easter day which is big being a pastor's wife... the day we left for the Mayo the pain was definitely intensified... *I've had IBS as a child and TMJ when my husband went overseas...

I recently read that steriod shots are only minimally effective... but could this be actually working or is it the TMS work I've been doing? I've had selective nerve root injections in the past that I feel like worked 10-20 percent and went away quickly.
I'm so confused I feel mentally exhausted.

 

Hi Smb081818,

I am sorry for your worry, and your pain/symptoms, and your long journey through the medical system up until now.

Many others who have arrived here, including me many years ago have been through a similar process.

We cannot diagnose TMS here, so it is generally a self-diagnosis, or help with a professional to "rule in TMS" and "rule out the physical" as best one can. It sounds like you're in this process yourself. Bravo!

I am not familiar with the "three week delay" you speak of. In my experience, limited to reading others accounts, and my own, if the steroid works, it works. Also, others have reported a negative effect in the past, like burning. Again though, I am not a physician.

I had an injection which helped my foot pain a lot. So have others who have had TMS and injections. Relief through medical means does not preclude you having TMS. I think your anxiety is ramping up worries about where you are in this process.

If you have engaged a TMS approach, I suggest you are patient, persistent, and loving with yourself, and your ---not perfect--- acceptance of the TMS diagnosis. Each of us develops a deeper trust in this work with time, and it is not linear. Doubts are OK. They will diminish with successes, even small ones, including your symptom reduction so far.

We have several free programs at the Wiki, linked above, or you can find a paid program like Dr. Schubiners Unlearn Your Pain to engage in.

If you had a workup by Mayo, and they can't get to the root of a physical cause, then this is very supportive for a "rule out the physical" self-diagnosis. In this way you are fortunate, and have a boost over many other successful self-practioners here who never get such a workup.

Working with fear and uncertainty are probably a good direction to send you in, and I mean that through mindfulness, relaxation, distraction, self-soothing, doing things you like. The fewer minutes per day you stay in a "monitoring" and "fearing" mode about symptoms, the better. Yet the mind goes there, and it is good to have go-to strategies. These strategies strengthen in time with practice.

Sincerely,

Andy B

 

Andy,
Thank you very much for taking the time to write this response! It is definitely encouraging information for me to hear- I tend to really overthink things and I know I am not great on the patient, persistent & loving myself aspects... I am going to continue to work on the strategies like you listed and hope and believe they do strengthen in time.