Abdominal Pain

Retired female with severe right side abdominal pain. Most days are very intense. Had blood work, CT and ultrasounds , colonoscopy and nothing explains the pain. Sometime I think I have major gas pains so can that be TMS.? I am a very anxious , worry person, had an emotionally distant childhood. Because the pain is where organs are I can’t believe fully it’s TMS hence why it’s not getting better. I’m asking for another ultrasound as it’s been a year ago last one and 1/2 yr for CT scan. Colonoscopy and endoscopy was Dec. I have major health anxiety so worrying is t helping. Can TMS be this severe and not sure why it’s come about. I did retire after 45 yrs of working. Thoughts or suggestions. I’ve read Sarno, Dr. Shiner, Nicole sachs, David Clarke and Alan Gordon so I understand the concept just can’t get my pain to subside.

 

All of the evidence you have provided point towards TMS especially as nothing has been found to explain the pain. I always say if the doctors find nothing physically wrong it is best to trust them as they are really well trained to find something.

I understand that the pain is really high as well which adds a lot of fear of it into the mix, as you said, "I have major health anxiety so worrying isn't helping."

TMS can be brutally painful - far more so than any physical issue. People have had such bad pain from TMS that they are in wheelchairs and they have fully recovered. I know that my chronic pain was excruciating at times, much worse than any acute injury.

Did the abdominal pain come on when you retired?

You mentioned being anxious, worried, and emotionally distant - what have you done to dial down the anxiety and get in touch emotionally?

It sounds like you have all of the knowledge needed however, for most of us the concepts are not enough for our pain to subside. We need to live the work. That means reducing our fear of symptoms through affirmations, somatic tracking, and gathering evidence that we have TMS; and it means getting in touch regularly with our emotions and stress. The most consistent way I have found is journaling but there is no one size fits all method for this.

 

TMS can be very painful. I've had several symptoms and when I was prescribed medicine to control the pain (before I knew it was TMS) the medicine would only help for a week or so before the pain would be back. The brain can do a whole lot. I struggle with belief as well as my current issue is IBS. It's hard to believe that my brain is doing this.
I put a lot of pressure on myself and I do struggle with pain flares and feeling discouraged. That added pressure will delay healing so make sure you aren't putting pressure on yourself to reduce your symptoms.
Also, you need to be doing a program if you haven't already. The SEP on here is free. You mentioned Nicole Sachs-her newest book Mind Your Body is fantastic and goes into detail about Journalspeak. You just need to do do something to deal with your repressed emotions. Focus on your emotions and not your pain. It's so easy to say but so hard to do.

 

Thank you for your reply. I have always had right side abdominal pain going back to 2018. It just became more prominent after I retired. Maybe now more time to dwell on it. I also think retirement was a major adjustment for me as I have always worked so I lost some of who I was.

 

I am doing unlearn your pain and signed up for the Curable app. I’m not sure I’m actually getting to the root of my repressed emotions but need to keep working on it. I scheduled another ultrasound for a few weeks if that comes bsck with no real issues I think I can totally convince myself I’m good at least I’m hoping.

 

This seems to be a really essential piece of the puzzle. Retirement is a really common life event that triggers TMS or at least intensifies the process. What was happening in 2018 in your life? Any other major stressors that you can piece together?

Oh amazing, I love Dr Schubiner - he is a gem and really understands TMS.

Aye, the emotional work takes time and persistence. It tends to be the hardest part to stick with - even after 3 years of doing it the resistance I can feel to doing it is quite extraordinary. Those protective patterns we have had all our lives don't just disappear!

If getting the ultrasound will help you gain confidence in the TMS that is great and can be super helpful. Just remember that the scans you got previously came out that you have nothing structural going on -> at some point we have to have the confidence to trust them even with pain.

Nicole makes a point to say that she will lend you her belief while you are building your own which I absolutely love. So, I am sending you belief from over here in Scotland