MakaylaBrinson
Newcomer
Hello There! I am currently struggling with grasping the TMS diagnosis 100% and I feel some sort of confirmation may be helpful. Here is my story... Growing up I was a gymnast and a cheerleader. I stayed extremely active after both of these sports ended and I am a bit of a health nut. I just recently moved to college (my dream school) and went to the gym as usual. I did not do anything out of the ordinary that I can recall, just a cross-country ski machine and some core stuff (I have never lifted weights). The next morning I woke up with weird tailbone pain. I mainly ignored it but it hurt when I sat. I still went to the gym anyway and rode a bike. The pain worsened. Keep in mind, I always rode my bike back home and never had any issues. The pain was in my tailbone and hips and was worse when sitting or laying down. I can't recall exactly when it shifted but since around September (it is now January) I have had the worst ache feeling in my low back and hips. I get muscular aches in my low back and it feels like a constant pressure and heaviness in that L4/L5 area. It worsened when I bend backward or move side to side. I get a sharp pain in the SI area when I bend sideways. I got an MRI and an XRAY and neither have shown anything. Blood tests were clean as well. I recognize I have OCD and anxiety but sometimes it's hard to tell whether this is brought on by constant pain. I am miserable and struggling and have found no answers. Being the health freak that I am, I never stopped exercising in some way. I would go for daily walks to clear my mind and continue light-core stuff. The pain continued and I finally went to physical therapy. This did not help. So I started ONLY walking and avoided my light core exercises as well for about 3 weeks. Still, no change that I felt. The pain was sometimes worse in the multifidus muscles and hips but mainly that uncomfortable low backache and heaviness. I had to move back home because ultimately I was spiraling in a pain loop and I could not be alone. I am only 18 and never felt pain this long and hard before. I have seen chiropractors, acupuncture (which hurt bad and made me flinch), and medication and no relief. I feel as though I am most likely a candidate for TMS but I am struggling because I never completely rested my body doing anything for a long period of time. I worry that my continuing activity is the reason I am still suffering. But I don't know. I am currently working with a functional health specialist who thinks I have facet joint syndrome. The muscles around the facet are imbalanced and not working properly. I am so lost and confused. I do not know what to believe. I want to go for runs and just live my life normally but what If that is foolish of me. Any insight would be so helpful.
