Day 1 My current status

My name is Tim Robbins. I've been TMS believer for 9 years. I have no trouble accepting the TMS diagnosis in general. The more difficult problem for me is 100% eradicating the symptoms of long-standing TMS pain. Also, I keep having new TMS pain pop up when I'm still battling old problems, so over time, I have to battle more and more TMS pain. I've started talking to a TMS counseler recently and started this Recovery Program, in the hopes if having more success defeating these symptoms.

I don't know exactly why my symtoms persist, but it's clear I am not one of those people that can just read the book and forget about it. I will need daily work to win this battle, and for the most part, I have been too lazy or complacent to do that.

Another issue is that my confidence level in many of my symtpoms being TMS is not 100%. When it comes to my tinnitus for example, I have maybe 40% confidence. I am not sure how to raise that confidence level. I also worry that I made need long-term counsleing, which I would not be able to afford. Best case, just sticking to this structured program will be sufficient long-term.

 

It's a little confusing, but I think I'm also supposed to respond to this question:

"What would a life without TMS mean to you?"

So, I think I would be ecstatically happy every day. Since I've been battling these symptoms since I was a teenager (20 years), it's hard to imagine my devoid of these symptoms. Even if I did achieve this goal, I believe it would require vigilant adherence to some time of TMS program, maybe this one, which in theory, sounds way better to me than a lifetime of symptoms and fear, but in practice, is much harder to sustain. There are many activities that I could just be part of, without having to worry if one of my chronic symptoms was going to make the activity difficult or impossible. I would also be so filled with joy, that I would be even more prone than I already am to share the wonderous news of Dr Sarno and his discovery, as well as this website and it's great information.

 

Hi Tim, I'm a newbie too. Tinnitus is one of my (many) TMS symptoms, ramping up in intensity when I'm stressed - which right now is all the time. I'm on Day 8 and while I still have pain here, there, and everywhere, the tinnitus has disappeared. My guess is that it (for me) wasn't enough of a distraction to make it worth keeping around, so my brain gave up. Now, on to the jaw stuff . . . which after three years of dysfunction, is also calming down. Stick with it, you got this!

 

I also have jaw pain (TMS). I have 100% confidence that it's TMS, so i'm able to not fear it when it comes, so it goes usually within an hour or so.

 

Tinnitus and jaw issues go hand in glove (cheek in jowl?), so take that 100 percent confidence about your jaw TMS and extend it to that irritating ringing. I'll do the same with my jaw, and we'll both be feelin' grand!

 

Hi Tim,

If I may suggest: think about changing the word you use with TMS. You say you have to "battle" it.
Maybe think about not "fighting" the issues, but asking yourself through journaling, etc. WHY do I have the need to have constant symptoms? What is going on for me, since my teenage years that stresses me to where my mind creates many physical symptoms?

I think Sarno would say that if you try to battle something, then you're thinking about it all the time.
I'm proceeding through my decades of TMS issues. Tinnitus and Eustachian tube complexities is one of mine, as well.
The western medical system doesn't have a cure or "reason" for either one.
So, that being the case, it only helps me to believe 100% that it's TMS.

I hope this makes sense.

Best wishes