Despite compelling evidence that my pain is caused by TMS, I'm still struggling to truly accept the diagnosis. This doubt is terribly frustrating and is surely impeding my recovery. I created this thread for people to list all the evidence for why their pain is TMS, and to help one another reaffirm and accept the diagnosis. I'll go first...
Personality: total perfectionist, extremely self-critical, constantly heaping pressure on myself, people pleaser, extremely insecure, struggle with anxiety, depression and OCD, constantly besieged by feelings of fear associated with the pain.
Childhood: early childhood sexual abuse, parents hated each other and fought constantly, constant teasing by classmates all the way through high school.
Life circumstances: I'm 27 years old and have bounced from one "career" to another since college. I've felt like an impostor during each stop along the way, constantly afraid of being found out and fired. I'm currently unemployed and living with my mother due to my mental and physical struggles, and I am massively ashamed of myself.
The pain:
Personality: total perfectionist, extremely self-critical, constantly heaping pressure on myself, people pleaser, extremely insecure, struggle with anxiety, depression and OCD, constantly besieged by feelings of fear associated with the pain.
Childhood: early childhood sexual abuse, parents hated each other and fought constantly, constant teasing by classmates all the way through high school.
Life circumstances: I'm 27 years old and have bounced from one "career" to another since college. I've felt like an impostor during each stop along the way, constantly afraid of being found out and fired. I'm currently unemployed and living with my mother due to my mental and physical struggles, and I am massively ashamed of myself.
The pain:
- Occurs exclusively on the right side of my body - never on the left side
- Deep aching in my foot and knee as well as my mid-upper back and abdomen - sometimes even my arm and face
- Moves from one area to another depending on the position of my body, but sometimes simply at random
- Pain ebbs and flows with my emotions
- Inconsistent behavior - sometimes walking hurts and other times it doesn't. Same thing for sitting, exercising, sleeping etc.
- No clear diagnosis despite countless visits to specialists
- Pain came on slowly during a stressful time in my life
- Pain was not brought on by injury, but did begin in an area where I have been injured multiple times throughout my life
- Have had multiple "placebo cures" that only worked once and only for a brief period - massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, injections, medication etc.
