"Inconsistency" in symptoms, how inconsistent is inconsistent enough?

Hi all! New here to the forum, but not the mindbody space, and sorry for the TMSy question. This isn't one of the official criteria for diagnosing TMS, but I'm wondering if symptoms which fluctuate in intensity (and I mean universal fluctuation, not specifically time of day or anything) is considered to be indicative of TMS?

I definitely have good days and bad days with my issues; quite randomly up or down, even if the trigger is consistent. I very rarely don't have any symptom, but how bad they are jumps up and down erratically... which I figure is suspicious for mindbody symptoms. Am I right in thinking it is, because it doesn't make sense for a structural condition to behave that way...? Or is that too general an inconsistency?

 

For sure. Yeah I don't want to give a detailed account (I follow that David Hanscom concept!) but I've been involved the mind-body space for years, applied Sarno teachings to RSI and conquered it years back. I believe in TMS, etc, I am a CLASSIC TMS personality. I do have OCD and get snagged sometimes on details like this, and have been struggling to find an answer to this specific question - "inconsistent" to me seems mindbody but it's rare to find a blunt statement to that effect, at least nowadays from Schubiner, Gordon, etc. Was wondering what users here might think .

I have been medically checked and am all good, no urgent problems at all. A telehealth mindbody consult did indicate TMS but I didn't get much time to ask questions like this one. Hopefully that is sufficient context, no problem if not. I guess the question is, simply put, if your symptoms have Good Days and Bad Days is that already a flag to consider it's TMS since that's not how a structural condition would generally behave!

 

All pain fluctuates. I have a hangnail right now that fluctuates in how much it hurts. I think your question is coming out of your OCD, like you feel like something is not real unless it's totally consistent, all the time? Many many things in life are random, hard to explain, etc. The trick is to 'surf' them and not try and impose a level of order that is not really possible.

 

It's more that I'm trying to gather TMS evidence and was wondering if very clear fluctuations like "a 15 minute walk yesterday was exruciating, and today it's fine for no apparent reason" (emotion, stress etc. could apply or course) were indicative.

 

Well I would think so, if it's that drastic a difference, it can't be all that structural, can it. Especially if it goes in both directions, like bad to better and then bad again.

 

Hi, @plosive12, and welcome to the forum!
That’s a really good idea that you are trying to gather evidence that you have TMS. This is really useful for whenever you have doubts. To answer your question, Yes, TMS absolutely fluctuates. It’s annoying how much it fluctuates, and I do think it’s evidence you have TMS. It fluctuates randomly at any interval and at any intensity level. It has no seeming rhythm or reason. Although, big fluctuations in pain usually indicate stress is up and repressed emotions are involved.

It would also be good for you to continue to add to your evidence list and think of other inconsistencies that prove to you that you have TMS for whenever you doubt. Because it sounds like you might still have a little bit of doubt. I found the evidence sheet to be one of the most useful tools for making that doubt go away.

Now that you know you have TMS, the really hard work starts. And your first job is to find out what works for you, because no one has the magic formula. There are so many great suggestions on this forum. It has been life altering for me to spend time here reading all the responses to every entry—even ones that don’t have my symptoms or histories.

In its essence, TMS is all the same and the principles of healing apply across the board. (I say “healing” loosely because really nothing is physically wrong.)

Learning what has worked for everyone and gaining wisdom from them on this forum has a lot of value. Use the search tool in the upper right corner— the magnifying glass. You can look up things of interest, like OCD. Also reading the success stories is a big help. They are on the front page. There is an Index for all the different symptoms and corresponding success stories. I hope we can help you and I wish you the best on your journey!

 

This is actually recommended here on Wiki by Gordon. He calls it your 'evidence sheet and it is an exercise for day B. Funny, I have filled it up, but haven't needed to read it yet.

https://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/Day_B (Day B)

TMS doesn't even catch my attention when I am
lifting weights
Operating heavy equipment
doing detailed hard labor
Crawling around on my hands and knees for hours on end

BUT I usually notice it as soon as I get home and have nothing to do. When I try to relax. A couple weeks ago it was swollen and painful and red and occupied my attention 100%.

Funny..the swelling hasn't gone down AT ALL but the Pain is about 95% gone. I try not to look at it, but it's not somewhere I can ignore like my back.

I Did NOT go to a Doctor, because it was a Doctors scary diagnosis that TRIGGERED the whole episode.
I even explained my propensity to TMS, but he said "Yeah, BUT..."
It is outside his experience that something that looks that physical can have a psychological ORIGIN...not just exacerbated by, but wholly caused by.

Also, when I started a new job the other day and wasn't paying attention to it, My back started to hurt .
I laughed out loud...."Wow...you're really desperate, aren't you?" THAT pain went away almost immediately, but the other one didn't come back

I have been doing TMS work...reading and writing and note taking every morning for about 10 days and it is almost gone. Right there is the best evidence I have.
I've also been reading @TG957 's book

This whole Page has been helpful: https://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/Reader%27s_Guide_to_the_Alan_Gordon_TMS_Recovery_Program (Reader's Guide to the Alan Gordon TMS Recovery Program)

 

Hi, Marc,

Sorry to hear you’ve been going through it. Evidently it’s really got something to say!

That’s great the pain is gone. But maybe you SHOULD look at it and tell it you love it. You hear it. You’re not distressed one bit by it. (This is why doctors set us back! It’s so hard to get their voices out of our heads.)

Busted! Proof all of this is just your body doing the feeling for you. (Nicole Sachs: Sometimes we feel emotions in our hearts. And sometimes we feel them in our bodies.) I know you’re really good at tapping off anger. But maybe you need to vent some grief?

You are such a champ at this! Congrats on doing it again! Hope all of this passes for you, and you find a place of peace and rest. Maybe in KY? Don’t forget, “With God all things are possible.”

 

[QUOTE="Diana-M, post: 152351, member: 22630"

That’s great the pain is gone. But maybe you SHOULD look at it and tell it you love it. You hear it. You’re not distressed one bit by it. (This is why doctors set us back! It’s so hard to get their voices out of our heads.)
[/QUOTE]

@Diana-M
You make a very good point about this. It is so hard to do. I am dealing with my skin and it is so hard to look at it and tell it I love it. And, like @Baseball65 said, it is there and easy to see and thus so hard to ignore. Doesn’t mean I can’t or shouldn’t try. Just sharing how I feel. But all of this spoke to me.

 

It’s you! Ask it what it wants to say. This is a good journaling exercise. Let your symptom talk. Take heart and be brave. You’ll get through this. We can do it! ❤️

 

@Clover and @Diana-M , I don't know about telling it I LOVE it, but I have gotten in the habit of saying "Thanks..I know you're trying to help, but I do not need your help right now"

I think I learned about that from a TMS meditation video. It makes sense because I have always seen TMS as an over-evolved coping mechanism. We Cope too well.

One thing I really loved about Sarno was his age. He lived in the exact same era as my parents. He documented the history of pain syndromes and mentions how before the diagnostic wunderkind (MRI) took over, most people didn't take back pain very seriously. Subsequently, there episodes were never very LONG !!!!

Reading @TG957 's book has reminded me about is my own experience; the medical profession is TO BLAME for a lot of the pain epidemic! Not just their micro diagnostic tools, but the flippant way they throw around diagnosis' that are terrifying . THEY are rage inducing with mushy answers and 'safe' diagnoses to cover their own asses.

and to bring this round full circle to the OP's question about the 'evidence sheet' I have rarely if EVER felt better about something after seeing a DR. But many times, like now, I have felt much WORSE. I have gotten in the habit of NOT going to them for anything. They pass around so many red herrings that you might as well go to No one.

There is way more healing available on this Wiki than in any medical center.

 

Ok I like the perspective of “thanks I know you are trying to help but I don’t need your help right now.” Acceptance that things are the way they are is a struggle for me. And, due to all of the recommendations here on this forum, I have bought and am reading Claire weekes’ Hope and help for your nerves book. Also on the advice of my therapist, I am also reading radical acceptance by Tara brach. Clearly I have a lot of accepting to do. The “I know you are trying to help but I don’t need it” helps alot.

@Baseball65 - I too struggle with drs for the same exact reason as you state. Obviously if there is an emergency, I am super grateful for them. But my experience has been similar to yours- they caused more fear, more unknowns, and not really helpful in helping me find my way. I have had to do most of that work on my own. Which is probably a good thing. Because I have learned.