Lilibet
Peer Supporter
One of the Day 6 exercises suggested posting if I have any doubts about a TMS diagnosis. My doubts are really small, but I thought I'd just put them out there.
I can still picture the photocopy of my MRI the neurosurgeon showed me a couple of years ago. It showed that my lumbar spinal canal is extremely narrow in 2 or 3 places. Yes, I do know that many people have stenosis without pain. So I'm mostly convinced that the pain I get in my low back, rear and legs, that comes and goes is TMS. There's just a small niggle of doubt because certain activities make it worse and I don't have good core strength, etc. that PT's want me to strive for.
I think I have slightly bigger doubts regarding the tingling and numbness I get in my hands most of the time, and pain when I write very much. The testing I had last week showed nerve damage and the doctor, of course, said I should have surgery so I won't lose the use of my hands. This is such a new diagnosis that I'm still processing it while I wait for my doctor to call when she gets the report, so the TMS doubt is stronger.
What I'm thinking is that for now I will just act "as if" I believe 100% that both of these are TMS and follow through on the structured educational program. It certainly won't hurt me, and it will help other definite TMS symptoms I get. Does that sound reasonable?
I can still picture the photocopy of my MRI the neurosurgeon showed me a couple of years ago. It showed that my lumbar spinal canal is extremely narrow in 2 or 3 places. Yes, I do know that many people have stenosis without pain. So I'm mostly convinced that the pain I get in my low back, rear and legs, that comes and goes is TMS. There's just a small niggle of doubt because certain activities make it worse and I don't have good core strength, etc. that PT's want me to strive for.
I think I have slightly bigger doubts regarding the tingling and numbness I get in my hands most of the time, and pain when I write very much. The testing I had last week showed nerve damage and the doctor, of course, said I should have surgery so I won't lose the use of my hands. This is such a new diagnosis that I'm still processing it while I wait for my doctor to call when she gets the report, so the TMS doubt is stronger.
What I'm thinking is that for now I will just act "as if" I believe 100% that both of these are TMS and follow through on the structured educational program. It certainly won't hurt me, and it will help other definite TMS symptoms I get. Does that sound reasonable?