Multiple Symptoms...bit baffled.

[Huckleberry]

Yep, I know this is probably TMS'ing about TMS but something I don't think I'm understanding.

Whilst I was walking today I felt some pain in my right knee and this was similar to a pain that stuck with me for about 4 or 5 months about 3 years or so ago. I actually almost laughed out loud as the whole situation is starting to become ridiculous and it is just another new symptom to add to the ever increasing list.

At the moment, alongside the low back pain which has been around for about 5 years I am experiencing plantar fascia type pain in one foot, random pin prick type nerve sensations over both legs and arms, GI/IBS type issues which sees my stomach gurgling and growling all day long whilst feeling bloated and incredibly windy, frequent unrination which means that basically as soon as I am drinking something it is pretty much passing straight through me, waves of nausea which come out of nowhere and can last for 30 seconds or 30 minutes, waking up with numb hands in the morning, pins and needles in feet, RSI type pain in my right elbow and thumb and hand, a chronically stiff shoulder (18 months or so), chest discomfort/aching, mid back feeling stiff and uncomfortable and of course the knee pain has now been added to the list.

The amount of symptoms I'm having is just crazy and my GP treats each individual symptom as functional whenever I see him so its just got to the point now where I know its is pointless going to see him as it is basically just reassurance seeking behaviour. I had a period of pretty bad daily dizziness/derealisation with daily tension headaches which finally seemed to leave about 2 months ago after having hung around for a miserable year and at the time this was my only symptom alongside the lower back issue. It did seem that the stomach issues did seem to start pretty much as soon as the dizziness and headaches went away.

Whilst I understand the concepts of symptom shifting and the symptom imperative what I don't really get is if my symptoms are MBS/TMS why I have to have so many of them and why my back issue doesn't ever go to be replaced by another symptom...rather it just coexists alongside the new symptom. I suppose what I'm getting at is that the back pain is distraction enough (if you believe this aspect of the TMS theory) for me as it holds my attention so what is the purpose of throwing all the other symptoms at me?

Any advice/opinions gratefully received as always.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Your constant pain and pains moving around are common to TMS, as you know from reading Dr. Sarno. The pains persist until we discover the emotional reasons causing them. I can only encourage you to keep positive about TMS and not let your doctor make you worry that your pains are structural. If your pains were really structural, they would have lessened or gone away by now. The purpose of all the pains is that your subconscious gives them to you so that you discover the repressed emotions causing them. The Structured Educational Program, free in the subforum of this web site, will help you do that, and then you will heal. It healed me and hundreds of others if not more. Read the success stories to build up your confidence that you are going to be free of pain. TMS does work. It sometimes takes a lot of time and patience, as well as journaling to learn about our emotional stresses.

 

[Huckleberry]

Thanks for the reply Walt.

Yeah, I get the whole distraction theory but my query really relates to the fact that I (and I'm sure others) have a plethora of symptoms when one is really all that is required. I may have just not read into Sarno enough but I don't recall him addressing this...if the distraction ploy is working why do more symptoms have to be produced?

 

[mdh157]

I agree with the multiple symptoms Huck........dealing with them myself, always seems to be something to worry about. If your brain gets the idea the 'symptom' isn't working then it will produce others to keep you under its control. Perhaps you are making some headway and your brain knows it!

 

[Boston Redsox]

In the same boat

 

[David88]

I suppose what I'm getting at is that the back pain is distraction enough (if you believe this aspect of the TMS theory) for me as it holds my attention so what is the purpose of throwing all the other symptoms at me?

It sound like you're not really convinced about TMS. The idea of distraction is the theory, not just an aspect. All these symptoms, and the time you're spending trying to figure out why they come and go as they do, are doing their job of distracting you. You're right: you're TMSing about TMSing.

Your constant pain and pains moving around are common to TMS, as you know from reading Dr. Sarno. The pains persist until we discover the emotional reasons causing them.

What are you distracting yourself from? That's the question for you to focus on. Something is out of balance in your life, something that you're not seeing.

 

[Huckleberry]

Thanks for the reply David.

I am convinced that mind body syndromes exist but I do agree that I have some doubts about the Freudian aspect of Sarno's theory as to why the symptoms occur.

Yep, agreed TMS is all about distraction but I'm still unsure as to why TMS has to add more distractions if the one symptoms isn't distraction enough.

I'm sure you are right that I'm TMS'ing about TMS and trying to apply logic to a world where it doesn't really belong.

 

[David88]

I'm still unsure as to why TMS has to add more distractions if the one symptoms isn't distraction enough.

I am not sure what you are asking.

The unconscious wants to preserve its secrets. If you catch on to one distraction, it will try something else, either along with or instead of the first.

Does that answer your question?

 

[Huckleberry]

I'm probably not explaining myself that well David.

Yes, I would agree that if you 'catch on' to one distraction it would make sense that in order for the distraction to continue then a new distraction i.e symptom would need to be generated.

My query really relates to as to why a new distraction/symptom needs to be generated when you haven't actually 'caught on' to the original symptom? For example somebody may be suffering from back pain and may well know all about TMS and mind body illness but remains convinced either wholly or in part that their back pain is structural, they remain entrenched in the structural belief and remain totally and utterly caught up and distracted by the pain syndrome. Why would that person then get IBS, tension headaches or whatever other TMS equivalents popping up alongside the original back pain whilst the back pain is already serving the purpose of distraction?

 

[David88]

Aha, now I get it.

That's a good question. I've always taken it for granted that the unconscious works that way, based on my personal experience. I've had a wide variety of TMS equivalents, since long before I knew what TMS was.

I think the answer is that the unconscious is not logical. It doesn't have foresight or calculate the most efficient way to do something. It's primarily the realm of feelings. If it can distract you with a backache and IBS, why not do both?

It may be that the more frightened your unconscious is, and the more determined it is not to let its secrets out, then the more symptoms it throws at you. Belt and suspenders, so to speak.

Does that make sense?

 

[jrid32]

David88, great answer because I had the same question regard multiple TMS symptoms (on setting at the same time)!

 

[Huckleberry]

Thanks David...yes, that does make sense. That is the problem when you look at things analytically and logically. Belt and suspenders you say, I like that.