Does this sound like TMS

B

Bg1994

New Member
Evening,

I have been suffering with random symptoms for the past maybe 4 months. I started with random brain fog and shoulder pain and just assumed I was coming down with something.

This disappeared and I forgot about it, then came the chest pain out of blue, which was really the catalyst to all further symptoms.

I had all sinister causes ruled out but was still very on edge with it. This then began to develop into chronic upper back and neck pain, random pins and needles and random brain fog/headaches/general fatigue, which have persisted ever since.

The initial chest pain which started my constant stress has since disappeared for the most part. And now I am basically 100% sure that my symptoms are caused by my mind, but rather than finding comfort in that, it's had the opposite effect because I'm not sure if I will be able to fix it!

If that makes sense?

I really don't see myself as the journalling/meditation type, and I think it would be lost on me!

Thanks
 
Hi, Bg,

It does sound like TMS. Especially since you got all checked out and they couldn’t find anything. And, you had so many other TMS symptoms come and go. That’s a real sign.

Bg1994 said:
And now I am basically 100% sure that my symptoms are caused by my mind, but rather than finding comfort in that, it's had the opposite effect because I'm not sure if I will be able to fix it!
Click to expand...
This is also a totally typical trick your TMS brain is playing on you to get you to avoid looking at your feelings.
Bg1994 said:
I really don't see myself as the journalling/meditation type, and I think it would be lost on me!
Click to expand...
Well, the only way to cure TMS is to work at it. You’ll have to do some of a bunch of things to heal: journaling, learning, meditating. If not, you’ll just be stuck. A good place to start is the Structured Educational Program, free, here on the wiki. It will get you started.
 
Everything @Diana-M said, @Bg1994!
Bg1994 said:
I really don't see myself as the journalling/meditation type, and I think it would be lost on me!
Click to expand...
This is your brain on TMS, my friend.

The SEP which Diana recommended is the program I did in 2011, and it gave me my life back. You have to be open, honest, and vulnerable to get the most benefit from it, but even if you let your fearful brain skim through it without making a meaningful commitment, you'll get something out of it. Two of us recently went through every page, updating dead links and other needed revisions. There's no excuse not to try it, because it's free and also doesn't require any kind of sign up - you just do it.

As recommended in the preliminary "Week Zero" make sure you've read at least one book by Dr Sarno.
 
Bg1994 said:
And now I am basically 100% sure that my symptoms are caused by my mind, but rather than finding comfort in that, it's had the opposite effect because I'm not sure if I will be able to fix it!
Click to expand...
As mentioned above by @Diana-M, that's your brain trying to get you not to look at your feelings. That stalemate you describe--where you know it's TMS but aren't convinced you can make progress on TMS--can keep you stuck for a very long time.
Your brain and the TMS distraction is, unfortunately, working fully!!

Following up on that, your posts only describe the physical symptoms. You can certainly keep it to that here on the forum but, to make progress, it is essential that you take the focus away from the physical symptoms, and focus it on your stresses/stuff you might want-need to repress/life stressors/patterns, etc.
 
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