I am 36 years old. I am married with two boys (8,9). For the first 32 years of my life I had few physical problems and a fairly low-stress life. In the past four years significant health issues in my family have occured. My mother almost died after a mistake was made with her pacemaker, my oldest son had 2 near death experiences due to a severe tree nut allergy, my wife had 5 miscarriages, my wife had 3 surgeries for severe endometriosis (the last of which was thoracic surgery), my youngest son had a bone tumor grow on his leg which ended up being benign, etc.
As many of these events played out I became stressed over any health issue. I began to view everything as potentially serious. In spring of 2012 I began having significant right foot pain. I had an mri, which showed normal, went to an orthopedic dr, neurologist and podiatrist and other doctors, and did all kinds of bloodwork but no problem was found. I began to get more anxious and assume I had a rare disease. Pain started in my arms, hands and neck. The neurologist put me on Celexa and said he thought anxiety was playing a part and over the next few months all of my symptoms went away. Fast forward 8 months and I woke up with severe pain in my right foot, I had not injured the foot, there was no reason I could think of for causing the pain. It lasted 5 days and then went away. This pattern occured every 4-5 months until last summer. At that time my doctor did a uric acid test and it came back at 8.3. He said I may have gout and put me on Allopurinol, which brought my uric acid level way down. For 7 months I had no pain. But as soon as he gave me a diagnosis of gout it was a relief, because now there was some hope that I could recover. Almost as soon as I got that diagnosis I began having stomach issues. I thought I may have an ulcer, but I did not. This stomach issue caused anxiety for several weeks. I cut out coffee, doubled up on probiotics and a few weeks later my stomach was fine. About this time I noticed I had "muscle knots" in my neck, all of them on the right side. I had a CT scan, MRI, massage, chiropractor, muscle relaxers and physical therapy and saw but yet the knots did not go away and began causing more pain.
I began getting more anxious, and over Christmas 2014 had neck pain/migraines 14 days in a row. I also was in month 5 or 6 with trouble sleeping. I spoke to a psychiatrist who spent time with me and said my pain may be a manifestation of anxiety.
Over the past few months the foot pain has returned. It may go away for a few days but comes back. My doctor has ruled out gout. Sometimes pain will come the next day after activity, sometime the pain will come on even if I am limiting my activity. I have seen a rheumatologist, neurologist and orthopedic dr and all say they can't figure out why I am having the pain. The foot pain normally begins on the outside of the ankle but sometimes the top of the foot hurts as well.
I have dramatically reduced my activity level for fear of bringing on the pain in my right foot, or making it worse. I bought Sarno's book, Healing Back Pain, but I feel like I still have a lot of questions.
I had no trouble believing the neck pain/headaches and the GI trouble from last summer were TMS related but the right foot pain still has me doubting. I guess I don't quite grasp the concept of learned pain pathways and I am trying to figure out how I can have this pain continue off and on for 4 months, basically causing me to dramatically reduce my exercise regimen because when I have a "flare-up" I am left to limp around for a week in pain.
So my question to this great board is this, I live in Atlanta, I don't know of a TMS doctor in my area but I feel like I need further help to work through whether or not the foot pain is TMS. I am sleeping well now and the headaches/neck pain only occur a couple times a month so I have made great strides there, but for some reason this foot pain is causing a lot of issues.
I am 6-0, 165 lb's, healthy and don't drink.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
As many of these events played out I became stressed over any health issue. I began to view everything as potentially serious. In spring of 2012 I began having significant right foot pain. I had an mri, which showed normal, went to an orthopedic dr, neurologist and podiatrist and other doctors, and did all kinds of bloodwork but no problem was found. I began to get more anxious and assume I had a rare disease. Pain started in my arms, hands and neck. The neurologist put me on Celexa and said he thought anxiety was playing a part and over the next few months all of my symptoms went away. Fast forward 8 months and I woke up with severe pain in my right foot, I had not injured the foot, there was no reason I could think of for causing the pain. It lasted 5 days and then went away. This pattern occured every 4-5 months until last summer. At that time my doctor did a uric acid test and it came back at 8.3. He said I may have gout and put me on Allopurinol, which brought my uric acid level way down. For 7 months I had no pain. But as soon as he gave me a diagnosis of gout it was a relief, because now there was some hope that I could recover. Almost as soon as I got that diagnosis I began having stomach issues. I thought I may have an ulcer, but I did not. This stomach issue caused anxiety for several weeks. I cut out coffee, doubled up on probiotics and a few weeks later my stomach was fine. About this time I noticed I had "muscle knots" in my neck, all of them on the right side. I had a CT scan, MRI, massage, chiropractor, muscle relaxers and physical therapy and saw but yet the knots did not go away and began causing more pain.
I began getting more anxious, and over Christmas 2014 had neck pain/migraines 14 days in a row. I also was in month 5 or 6 with trouble sleeping. I spoke to a psychiatrist who spent time with me and said my pain may be a manifestation of anxiety.
Over the past few months the foot pain has returned. It may go away for a few days but comes back. My doctor has ruled out gout. Sometimes pain will come the next day after activity, sometime the pain will come on even if I am limiting my activity. I have seen a rheumatologist, neurologist and orthopedic dr and all say they can't figure out why I am having the pain. The foot pain normally begins on the outside of the ankle but sometimes the top of the foot hurts as well.
I have dramatically reduced my activity level for fear of bringing on the pain in my right foot, or making it worse. I bought Sarno's book, Healing Back Pain, but I feel like I still have a lot of questions.
I had no trouble believing the neck pain/headaches and the GI trouble from last summer were TMS related but the right foot pain still has me doubting. I guess I don't quite grasp the concept of learned pain pathways and I am trying to figure out how I can have this pain continue off and on for 4 months, basically causing me to dramatically reduce my exercise regimen because when I have a "flare-up" I am left to limp around for a week in pain.
So my question to this great board is this, I live in Atlanta, I don't know of a TMS doctor in my area but I feel like I need further help to work through whether or not the foot pain is TMS. I am sleeping well now and the headaches/neck pain only occur a couple times a month so I have made great strides there, but for some reason this foot pain is causing a lot of issues.
I am 6-0, 165 lb's, healthy and don't drink.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
