Alex B. Could this be tms

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Question

Hi, I have been experiencing a pain in my side and chest/abdomen that doctors keep brushing off and telling me its nothing. The pain moves from the tight side of my ribcage, along the bra line down to my hip. Its inconsistent in exact location and intensity and I cant link it to any specific action, movement or position. Sometimes the pain spreads to the front of the ribcage right where bottom of the two ribs meet iin the upper abdomen (they thought it was an ulcer or hiatal hernia at one point). I had an endoscopy, MRI enterography, and abdominal MRI and tons of blood tests. All showed nothing but minor gastritis in the esophagus and minor hypermegaly in the liver and a positive ANA which the doctor wrote off as a false positive. Now they are sending me to a neurologist because the doctor says its most likely neuropathy or some nerve problem. I have read all of Dr Sarno's books and started Alan Gordons recovery program to see if it helps. I haven't seen improvement but I think it may be because even though intellectually I believe I have TMS/MBS I don't see my symptoms in anyone else's stories which might make me doubt that it could actually be TMS rather than something more serious. Do you think my description of pains and symptoms sound like they could be TMS?

 

[Alex Bloom LCSW]

Answer

Hi there, thanks for posting,

What you are describing could certainly be a manifestation of TMS. Negative tests and assessments, migrating locations and the advice of your doctors all indicate that it's a strong possibility. Try not to get too worried if you don't see an exact match of your symptoms here as the expression of TMS symptoms can vary hugely between individuals. I've had several clients that expressed concern about not seeing symptoms that matched their own and I always remind them that physical sensations all manifest in the brain, and so basically any physical experience or sensation can be reproduced there by the unconscious.

Remember that you must try to be patient and give yourself time before you expect drastic changes. While it is true that some people experience dramatic changes when they first explore the concepts of TMS/MBS, for many many people this is not the case and it takes time ad diligence to change their relationship with pain and themselves before they begin to see significant changes.

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[Rachel72]

It is a strong possibility that it is TMS, but have the neuro tests done, if for nothing else, to tell you that there is nothing "wrong" with your body. Just to give you an example of the power the mind has over the body....I was suffering from pain in my left breast, chest wall, armpit, shoulder and side for a few months. Prior to the onset of the pain, I had scheduled my annual GYN visit and realized that I had forgotten to have my mammogram after the previous visit. Subconsciously, and eventually consciously, I was worried that bc I missed a mammogram, there may be something wrong, and the pain crept in. It disappeared a few days after getting my recent mammogram results back that indicated no signs of concern.