I'm hoping I have TMS !

The start of my problems started about 8 months ago.

I woke up with terrible pain in my right hand, this followed some heavy work I had been doing carrying logs and wheel barrowing them for a few days. I have been doing this work for many years so it was nothing new.
I went to casualty as the pain was so bad. They did a visual diagnosis and concluded it was probably tendinitis, gave me naproxen (anti inflammatory) and sent me home, after a day or two the pain subsided.

Also I'm a musician so between my job and hobbies I use my hands a great deal.
I wasnt totally happy with the diagnosis And sought a second opinion from my gp, again I was given a visual diagnosis and the gp agreed with the original diagnosis.

Then I had a reoccurrence in my other hand a month or so later. This I felt may have had something to do with the fact that I did lots of guitar practice over a relatively short period of time. ( even though I have played as many as 32 consecutive gigs in the not to distant past without any adverse effects) as I'm in the musicians union, they have a number of clinicians and gp's who specialise in music based injuries. I booked an appointment and saw a professional who after a more thorough examination also felt it was probably tendonitis..

Since all these episodes I have tried to be very mindful about the tasks I have to carry out day to day, this has made a subtle difference.. However if I forget and dive into physical work without thinking, I invariably suffer.

Prior to all this happening I used to go to the gym 4 times a week cycle 80 miles per wk and had an active life, when I was first seen it was the doctors opinion that I should stop going the gym and generally ease off.
After yet another episode I went back to the doctor,I explained I would be happier if this problem could be investigated further. He felt sending me for blood tests would be a first step, all came back fine, apart from one which was inconclusive re arthritis, so he wanted to and me for another more detailed one (CRP) I also asked how they could rule out RSI or carpal just by visual diagnosis ? He said they couldn't and I'm now awaiting nerve conduction tests and an appointment with a rheumatologist even though he is not sure I have it ?

I have been under a lot of stress and had various distressing events, consistently over the last 8 years or so. I have instinctively felt a need to communicate these things with a therapist and expressed this to my doctor/GP who could provide no help, as im on a low income I cant stretch to private therapy, I guess I just cope. But it feels like my mind has stepped in and stopped me by producing these pains, or at least that's what I hope.

I have only just started reading one of John Sarno's books in the hope that I can get on top of this thing, which has robbed me of doing all the things I love. So far I can really identify with many of the things in the book, so i'm hopefull, I just hope I can do the work myself.

Would be interested to know if many of the sufferers here had to have therapy to get the full benefit, or what would constitute the need for a therapist ?

Well maybe when I've read the book, all will be revealed.

Looking forward to getting my life back..

 

Since you've been checked out medically you can certainly jump in and start TMS healing.

When you understand the process deeper you'll know then to stop physical therapy, and all the nerve testing you're doing. What will it tell you? Carpal tunnel and RSI are man-made labels that are simply TMS, a mindbody reaction to your life's current environment.

I'm a guitar player too. Think about the logic of it, you've played most of your life, why would your wrists and hands suddenly become too frail to work and play?

You've come to the right place, congratulations.

Good luck

Steve

 

Hi, Scouser. I don't think you need to see a therapist. Maybe start the free SEP program here in the forums.

Steve's advice is great, as always.

And watch this new video by Herbie about TMS:

http://tmswiki.org/forum/threads/what-to-know-to-heal-from-pain-pt-1.5482/

 

Well, I have had to go the therapy route and I still, after 20 years, have new TMS symptoms despite many wonderful successes. We are all different. I have decided not to worry about it. I may have TMS for the rest of my life but thanks to Dr. Sarno and other "crazy" mind/body theorists, at least I have a life. My sister has almost exactly the same problems as me but has done the medical thing and she is far worse off.

So, Scouser, if you need therapy there are fine TMS therapists/coaches around to help. Mine is trained in Internal Family Systems (there's a sub forum about IFS and other "parts" therapies on this site). She knows about TMS and we combine those approaches. Works well along with all the experience and good advice on this forum. Best of luck to you. I think you'll find you have landed in the right place.

 

njoy, excellent advice to Scouser. New worries, anxieties, TMS pain come to us every day.
My morning was like that, from a book publisher boss giving me more computer headaches.
I could have jumped out the window, but live on the first floor.
So instead I remembered the advice of Claire Weekes on anxiety, to FLOAT THROUGH IT.
I floated it away and then LAUGHED. I feel a lot better. You will too... FLOAT and LAUGH.

 

Yes, I just bought Claire Weeke's book, Hope and Help for Your Nerves. Very sensible. I suppose kids could be raised to know this stuff or at least where to find it. Save us all a lot of trouble.

PS: We're glad you live on the first floor, Walt!

 

Hi there Scouser - and welcome! You've come to the right place AND you have the right attitude to help yourself recover.

Shortly before I discovered Dr. Sarno (The Divided Mind was the book that changed my life) I saw a therapist about three times for anxiety, but after reading The Divided Mind, followed by Help and Hope for Your Nerves (Claire Weekes is the best!) I realized that my anxiety was just another form of TMS and I totally changed my relationship with it. For what it's worth, that's the only therapy I ever did, and it wasn't much.

However, as Njoy rightly points out, everyone is different, so there's no telling what will work best for you - but you don't need to go into this assuming you need therapy.

I should also point out that although I did experience a radical decrease in some of my symptoms immediately, I did not experience a complete "book cure" by any means - and I still struggle with TMS symptoms on many days - but as with the anxiety, my relationship to my symptoms has changed and I am able to banish them much more quickly now. Feel free to read my profile story - I also list my favorite books and other resources there.

There's a huge world of information, and since everyone is different, you'll want to explore - and the best way to explore is to participate every day in this forum (every day brings all kinds of new suggestions from members). You'll want to start working on the Structured Education Program on the wiki, and perhaps graduate to Alan Gordon's program, also totally free, as is the SEP. If you are interested in therapy, I highly recommend listening to two audio programs we held with Alan Gordon in 2012 - they are very powerful, and I almost felt like I was working with him as I listened to him work with others.

The list of all of our wonderful webinars is on the wiki here: http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/TMS_Webinars and they are totally free and they will help you! Not only that - two of them are with Steve O! I didn't even know about the one this last March (during tax season ) but the one in 2012 was awesome.

All the best to you in your journey, Scouser - and keep us posted!

~Jan

 

Thank you Jan for your kind words of support and the links you posted will check them out..