Stuck...wrist weakness

CharlieEvans180

CharlieEvans180

Peer Supporter
Hi all

I'm Charlie and I'm from Wales. My first post here, but long observer!

Long history of mindbody symptoms........finding myself stuck. It pertains to my hands, wrists and arms. Started when I was 19 in hands, and then went travelling across whole arms. My story isn't typical- I've not done loads of tests. And I have always tried to move.

I've resolved lots of other symptoms.....but I developed a feeling of weakness in my left wrist in 2020........and........it's never gone away. However in last few months, it has "travelled" to my left scapula.

I've struggled emotionally this past week. Because I've been pretty good at letting them fade into background and live my life, but I guess I've hit a moment of, "will this ever go away". I want to get fully better.

My brain goes to, is there permanent neurological damage.........but the GPs trigger me.........I rarely feel believed.

Is a constant weakness normal in this TMS journey? Because I'm now thinking is it time to get some neurological diagnostics done to rule out.

Much love all.
 
I'm new myself, @CharlieEvans180, and I wish I could be more help. You say the GPs trigger you and you don't feel believed. Does that mean you haven't been formally tested but have run this by a doctor?

I know Sarno and other TMS doctors say first rule out anything structural.

I wish I could help more.
 
Thanks @Jimmy Todd.

12 years ago when first emerged i was blood tested to the max......nothing.........physical therapists can't find objective weakness. And I still lift weights.

The fatigue in my arms certainly worsen when stressed but my baseline is that there is this altered sensation. I haven't experience normalcy for 12 years.

I've had no MRIs or anything like that.

The problem is I've lost trust in my body. I've forgotten what a normal body feels like.

Sorry to sound negative. It's been a difficult week.
 
Hi Charlie. You've mentioned physical therapists and doctors can't find anything amiss. You've had blood work done. I think it's safe to say this is TMS. Have you tried the Structured Educational Program? Maybe it's time to do some emotionally vulnerable work. There are many resources here. Some folks also work/have worked with TMS therapists.
 
You said you resolved lots of other symptoms - what methods worked for those other symptoms? Have you diligently applied those methods to this new symptom?

Sometimes a stubborn symptom crops up - it happens - but I just go to my TMS toolbox and go through all of my tools and start applying. It works every time.
 
HealingMe said:
Hi Charlie. You've mentioned physical therapists and doctors can't find anything amiss. You've had blood work done. I think it's safe to say this is TMS. Have you tried the Structured Educational Program? Maybe it's time to do some emotionally vulnerable work. There are many resources here. Some folks also work/have worked with TMS therapists.
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I think you may be right. The other ones the simple knowledge that's it's TMS is enough. It'll last a max 3 weeks and it passes. I've always shyed away from journalling. Perhaps it's time.
 
Mr Hip Guy said:
You said you resolved lots of other symptoms - what methods worked for those other symptoms? Have you diligently applied those methods to this new symptom?

Sometimes a stubborn symptom crops up - it happens - but I just go to my TMS toolbox and go through all of my tools and start applying. It works every time.
Click to expand...

Love the directness of those questions. The answer is no and no. They're the ones I'm most fearful. Even when I'm feeling "okay", I do constant checking behaviours. No wonder those signals haven't turned off!

Meanwhile, I had glute pain last week- the PT tried to diagnose it as "piriformis syndrome". I instantly knew that was BS and lo and behold, the pain went away.....
 
Checking behavior is rumination. Are you really solving any problem by checking? No. It’s a sign of a fearful mind that’s just trying to protect you. False sense of control. Consciously redirect your mind to something else when you try to check. Over time your brain will rewire.
 
CharlieEvans180 said:
I do constant checking behaviours. No wonder those signals haven't turned off!
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You said it - you're obsessed with the symptoms, that's classic TMS behavior. Once you reach outcome-independence, and no longer care about the symptoms - then the gig is up and they give up and go away.

You already know how to beat this, you just need to get there. Good luck!
 
Sounds like it's time for you to access the Structured Educational Program, @CharlieEvans180. With your knowledge and experience, you could easily skip the links and the readings, and just concentrate on the writing exercises which follow the theme of each Day. You can take advantage of the structure of the SEP and try out the different types of exercises. Also be sure to go to Nicole Sachs' new website and read her JournalSpeak tutorial which she offers there for free. Just Google Nicole Sachs JournalSpeak and you'll get right to that.

I also highly recommend podcasts. I frequently recommend episodes from Nicole (use our forum search for titles only, posted by me, with Nicole Sachs in the subject line). Other people often recommend episodes from Dan Buglio (although I am not a fan, and he's not a fan of journaling). @Cactusflower recommends Tanner Murtaugh on YouTube. There is an excellent limited series called Like Mind Like Body, from Curable, available on all the podcast apps.

A podcast a day can keep TMS away!
 
JanAtheCPA said:
Sounds like it's time for you to access the Structured Educational Program, @CharlieEvans180. With your knowledge and experience, you could easily skip the links and the readings, and just concentrate on the writing exercises which follow the theme of each Day. You can take advantage of the structure of the SEP and try out the different types of exercises. Also be sure to go to Nicole Sachs' new website and read her JournalSpeak tutorial which she offers there for free. Just Google Nicole Sachs JournalSpeak and you'll get right to that.

I also highly recommend podcasts. I frequently recommend episodes from Nicole (use our forum search for titles only, posted by me, with Nicole Sachs in the subject line). Other people often recommend episodes from Dan Buglio (although I am not a fan, and he's not a fan of journaling). @Cactusflower recommends Tanner Murtaugh on YouTube. There is an excellent limited series called Like Mind Like Body, from Curable, available on all the podcast apps.

A podcast a day can keep TMS away!
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The famous Jan has replied! I've seen how you have beautifully stood in the gap of others where they have lacked belief before especially in the areas of "functional weakness"

Thanks for replying. I like Dan and I've been resistant to JournalSpeak......... but I think now is the time....... these symptoms have been so persistent it probably warrants a deeper look. I've been scared about my emotions. (Lol, jackpot). These sensations predate my current trial but my wife and I are navigating a difficult fertility journey. It's raised some ugly emotions and thoughts which I've probably suppressed till now and why I'm even more obsessive about the symptoms.
 
You guys :D

CharlieEvans180 said:
I've been resistant to JournalSpeak......... but I think now is the time....
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We hear this a LOT and you are definitely not alone. Many people have early success with the knowledge alone, and this serves them well for a period of time before they return - sometimes decades later - to do the deeper emotional work. The correlation I sense (completely subjectively, based on gut instinct only) is that it's a combination of aging/running out of time (that one's for you) and the uncertainty of an increasingly dysfunctional world.

Keep us posted, it's helpful to everyone to see a wide range of experience!
 
Hi, @CharlieEvans180

I have a similar story to you. I had a book healing in 2017, then multiple additional symptoms appeared in 2020, capped off with arms and hand symptoms a couple years later, just as you describe. The hardest part for me has been accepting that TMS can do such strange things, but I think I’m pretty much at the acceptance place. TMS can easily cause swelling that squeezes your tendons. It can tighten your muscles. It can deprive your nerves of oxygen, making them do all sorts of crazy things. So it’s totally possible for TMS to do this to your arms and hands. When you have other symptoms in your body and then your hands and arms go — as many can attest to— it’s pretty terrifying and limiting. Of course you get more afraid and you get very nervous. Adrenaline overload can also cause TMS and weakness. You can learn all about this in a book by Claire Weekes, called Hope and Help for Your Nerves. (She also has audiobooks and other books. All of them are good!)

People with hand and arm symptoms who have made it out and healed have been really huge inspirations for me. One of them is Tamara Gurin @TG957. She wrote an excellent book describing her journey called, Defying the Verdict. I read it regularly for motivation and cheer.

Here’s what I’m finally starting to accept about TMS that is not just one symptom, but many, and has lingered for a while. One symptom that shows up, and you have it for a week or two, you read a Sarno book and it goes away after you journal— that’s like wiping up a little spill on the table. Not too bad of a cleanup.

But some TMS is like a really dirty closet, packed to the top. You can’t really compare it to the little mess on the table. You’re going to have to unload the closet to sort through it. Re-organize it; throw a whole bunch of stuff away. Figure out what things to keep. You know, it might take you quite a while. That’s where you are now. The closet! It’s going to take lifestyle changes. Internal changes. Changes in how you live and see things about life. Changes in habits. A ton of digging deep into your internal landscape—usually done through journaling. And a whole lot of effort to keep TMS knowledge in the forefront and fear in the background. If this sounds like a lot of work, it is. I’m in the throes of it now. Every day, I say this to myself: whenever someone does the work and doesn’t give up, they get better from TMS. That’s the bottom line. So there’s definitely hope.
 
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Mr Hip Guy said:
Me neither and I haven't quite yet pinpointed why. But kudos to him for helping others, it takes all kinds to make the world go round.
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Same! I read his book and tried watching his videos daily but just didn't get the right vibe.

@CharlieEvans180, Nicole's newest book is also great. The meditation she recommends following journaling has helped immensely with the discomfort I can get from the emotions.
 
Diana-M said:
Here’s what I’m finally starting to accept about TMS that is not just one symptom, but many, and has lingered for a while. One symptom that shows up, and you have it for a week or two, you read a Sarno book and it goes away after you journal— that’s like wiping up a little spill on the table. Not too bad of a cleanup.

But some TMS is like a really dirty closet, packed to the top. You can’t really compare it to the little mess on the table. You’re going to have to unload the closet to sort through it. Re-organize it; throw a whole bunch of stuff away. Figure out what things to keep. You know, it might take you quite a while.
Click to expand...

I LOVE this analogy, Diana!
 
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