Hi! I am new to this forum and looking for some insight about what I believe to be my battle with TMS. Sorry, but this is a bit long...
A little backstory...I have struggled throughout life with anxiety, periods of depression (including two rounds of postpartum depression/anxiety after the birth of my children). I am very much a "goodist" and likely a "perfectionist" and have even chosen a profession that validate those personality traits (I am a psychologist). Up until about a year ago, most of my struggles have been emotional/psychological in nature. From 2010-2015, I worked in an extremely stressful environment that had me in a perpetually hightened state of anxiety, which manifested in obsessive thinking, withdraw, and some gastrointenstinal issues. I finally left that job in the summer of 2015 and accepted a new, less stressful one. That's when the neck, shoulder, arm pain hit me like a ton of bricks. I went for a physical examination in preparation for the new job and two days later, BAM! I was in the shower, raised my arms to wash my hair, and a lightening bolt of pain shot through my right shoulder, into my armpit, and then into my right breast. Needless to say, I was terrified. As someone who rarely had physical pain, it threw me into a tailspin of worry and fear. I went back to my doctor, who found nothing wrong other than "tender spots" in my neck and shoulder. Prescribed me prednisone for inflammation, which I did not take bc I have had bad reactions to it in the past. I started the new job, and the physical symptoms got worse and spread to my lower back, hip, and down my leg, all primarily on my right side. I also developed chronic allergies, TMJ, and headaches. Went back to the doctor, who subtly suggested that my pain "may be related to anxiety," referrred me to a chiropractor (I didn't go), and suggested an exercise regimen for stress reduction and to build strength. The exercise has helped, but as my new job revealed stressors that I did not anticipate (welcome to the real world), my pain settled into my right hip, buttock, perinium, knee and side. I felt like I was falling apart!
My husband got me the Mindbody Connection and reading it was a revelation. After completing the book, my pain went away.I felt great for a couple of months. Then I hit a setback at work. I also had exceptionally bad PMS and my left breast felt extremely sore. I became hyperfocused on the pain in my left breast, and BAM! Now my left shoulder, armpit, chest, breast, arm, elbow are hurting. I have made an appointment with my GYN for a check up and mammogram, but I am still completely preoccupied by this "new" pain.
My question is...How do I get myself back to the place I was after I first accepted the I likely have TMS? I have re-read the Mindbody Connection and I am still stuck.
A little backstory...I have struggled throughout life with anxiety, periods of depression (including two rounds of postpartum depression/anxiety after the birth of my children). I am very much a "goodist" and likely a "perfectionist" and have even chosen a profession that validate those personality traits (I am a psychologist). Up until about a year ago, most of my struggles have been emotional/psychological in nature. From 2010-2015, I worked in an extremely stressful environment that had me in a perpetually hightened state of anxiety, which manifested in obsessive thinking, withdraw, and some gastrointenstinal issues. I finally left that job in the summer of 2015 and accepted a new, less stressful one. That's when the neck, shoulder, arm pain hit me like a ton of bricks. I went for a physical examination in preparation for the new job and two days later, BAM! I was in the shower, raised my arms to wash my hair, and a lightening bolt of pain shot through my right shoulder, into my armpit, and then into my right breast. Needless to say, I was terrified. As someone who rarely had physical pain, it threw me into a tailspin of worry and fear. I went back to my doctor, who found nothing wrong other than "tender spots" in my neck and shoulder. Prescribed me prednisone for inflammation, which I did not take bc I have had bad reactions to it in the past. I started the new job, and the physical symptoms got worse and spread to my lower back, hip, and down my leg, all primarily on my right side. I also developed chronic allergies, TMJ, and headaches. Went back to the doctor, who subtly suggested that my pain "may be related to anxiety," referrred me to a chiropractor (I didn't go), and suggested an exercise regimen for stress reduction and to build strength. The exercise has helped, but as my new job revealed stressors that I did not anticipate (welcome to the real world), my pain settled into my right hip, buttock, perinium, knee and side. I felt like I was falling apart!
My husband got me the Mindbody Connection and reading it was a revelation. After completing the book, my pain went away.I felt great for a couple of months. Then I hit a setback at work. I also had exceptionally bad PMS and my left breast felt extremely sore. I became hyperfocused on the pain in my left breast, and BAM! Now my left shoulder, armpit, chest, breast, arm, elbow are hurting. I have made an appointment with my GYN for a check up and mammogram, but I am still completely preoccupied by this "new" pain.
My question is...How do I get myself back to the place I was after I first accepted the I likely have TMS? I have re-read the Mindbody Connection and I am still stuck.
