Hello All,
Firstly, I have to say I feel a bit odd posting here as this is a new approach for me and I'm not entirely comfortable with what I now realize is truth--I'm a TMS sufferer. I'm a 39 year old man, healthy as can be. I've lived an extroardinarily active and healthy lifestyle, highly educated, successful personally and professionally. Two years ago, I was faced with great changes in my life--most of them positive. I earned a big promotion at work and my partner of almost five years and I were buying a house and moving in together. About a week or two after moving into my new office, I was at the gym lifting weights and all of a sudden felt this terrible pain in both my hands. Typical of a TMS sufferer, I tend to be a bit obsessive and of course worried why my hands would work and was fearful that whatever injury this was would prevent me from being good at my job (which requires a lot of typing/deskwork), or being a strong man about the house. My partner is 12 years younger than I and I've always prided myself on being a physically very strong muscular man. Vain, I know, but it's me. Anyway, the burning aching pain would not subside and I became very concerned. Additionally, whenever I told anyone that both my hands had been hurting, they would look at me with concern, as though something more insidious must be at work. A few even commented, "I hope it's nothing systemic." The power of suggestion is very powerful indeed in my life and before long I had developed pain in both of my feet (while spending much time online googling my symptoms and while reading about such things as MS, ALS, rheumatiod arthritis, etc. etc. and seeing similarities in my condition). This led me to numerous doctors and through numerous tests. What was finally determined--and very shakily because most every test and exam indicated I was healthy, was that I had carpal tunnel in my hands and plantar fasciitis in my feet. However, the damage had been done and I was a nervous wreck and completely obsessed with my health, and had serious doubts about everything the doctors told me. I feared that I would soon become an invalid. In 3/11 I had carpal tunnel surgery, which did relieve my hand symptoms temporarily. However, the pain returned after the healing process and is still with me today. As far as my feet go, I for some reason had the werewithall to stop worrying about them and started running and within a week I was pain free. With my hands it hasn't been that simple. They ache constantly (except when I'm doing something that keeps me completely distracted, including lifting weights (which I've started doing again)) and I wake up every night with achiness and pain and worry. After several repeat visits to my orthopaedist, he finally just told me, "there's nothing wrong with you. You need to let this go." For most people, treatment like that from a doctor would've been an insult, but to me it was a relief. It's what brought me here to this forum.
Writing this post it amazes me how silly I sound. All this worry for something that now seems a bit trivial, but it's been very real for me and a huge--HUGE--part of my life the last two years. I just finished the Mind Body Prescription yesterday and am excited on embarking on this journey of discovery and healing. While I do believe I'm a classic case of TMS, and while I couldn't tell you of any medical condition that would cause my symptoms, I still have this undercurrent of fear and doubt. For the first time in 2 years I feel like this is about to change and I feel a great sense of hope and excitement. I look forward to learning more from this forum and appreciate any responses and suggestions.
Firstly, I have to say I feel a bit odd posting here as this is a new approach for me and I'm not entirely comfortable with what I now realize is truth--I'm a TMS sufferer. I'm a 39 year old man, healthy as can be. I've lived an extroardinarily active and healthy lifestyle, highly educated, successful personally and professionally. Two years ago, I was faced with great changes in my life--most of them positive. I earned a big promotion at work and my partner of almost five years and I were buying a house and moving in together. About a week or two after moving into my new office, I was at the gym lifting weights and all of a sudden felt this terrible pain in both my hands. Typical of a TMS sufferer, I tend to be a bit obsessive and of course worried why my hands would work and was fearful that whatever injury this was would prevent me from being good at my job (which requires a lot of typing/deskwork), or being a strong man about the house. My partner is 12 years younger than I and I've always prided myself on being a physically very strong muscular man. Vain, I know, but it's me. Anyway, the burning aching pain would not subside and I became very concerned. Additionally, whenever I told anyone that both my hands had been hurting, they would look at me with concern, as though something more insidious must be at work. A few even commented, "I hope it's nothing systemic." The power of suggestion is very powerful indeed in my life and before long I had developed pain in both of my feet (while spending much time online googling my symptoms and while reading about such things as MS, ALS, rheumatiod arthritis, etc. etc. and seeing similarities in my condition). This led me to numerous doctors and through numerous tests. What was finally determined--and very shakily because most every test and exam indicated I was healthy, was that I had carpal tunnel in my hands and plantar fasciitis in my feet. However, the damage had been done and I was a nervous wreck and completely obsessed with my health, and had serious doubts about everything the doctors told me. I feared that I would soon become an invalid. In 3/11 I had carpal tunnel surgery, which did relieve my hand symptoms temporarily. However, the pain returned after the healing process and is still with me today. As far as my feet go, I for some reason had the werewithall to stop worrying about them and started running and within a week I was pain free. With my hands it hasn't been that simple. They ache constantly (except when I'm doing something that keeps me completely distracted, including lifting weights (which I've started doing again)) and I wake up every night with achiness and pain and worry. After several repeat visits to my orthopaedist, he finally just told me, "there's nothing wrong with you. You need to let this go." For most people, treatment like that from a doctor would've been an insult, but to me it was a relief. It's what brought me here to this forum.
Writing this post it amazes me how silly I sound. All this worry for something that now seems a bit trivial, but it's been very real for me and a huge--HUGE--part of my life the last two years. I just finished the Mind Body Prescription yesterday and am excited on embarking on this journey of discovery and healing. While I do believe I'm a classic case of TMS, and while I couldn't tell you of any medical condition that would cause my symptoms, I still have this undercurrent of fear and doubt. For the first time in 2 years I feel like this is about to change and I feel a great sense of hope and excitement. I look forward to learning more from this forum and appreciate any responses and suggestions.
