• Alan has completed the new Pain Recovery Program. To read or share it, use this updated link: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/
  • Welcome to the new TMS Wiki server! Things aren't finished yet: email is not set up, so notification and password-reset emails don't go out, and new registrations are paused until email is installed. Details and updates are in this thread (click here). Locked out? Email tmswikisignups@gmail.com from the address where you receive TMS Wiki notifications.

Symptoms fluctuating like crazy!?

S

Sam06

New Member
Hour by hour, day by day, week by week my symptoms are fluctuating all over the place.
I started not feeling well in late November 2025 and in March my doctor told me I have fibromyalgia. I went on a down spiral and developed so many more symptoms, I actually felt better before they told me I had fibro.
Now the symptoms are fluctuating between pain in different areas, tension headaches/TMJ, fatigue/weakness...

Is this normal? Is it bad or good? I read somewhere it may mean you have your symptoms on the run.

It's becoming exhausting, I feel like I'm constantly having to settle my nervous system and reassure myself that I'm ok. But it's making it hard for me to control the fear because it's changing so much. The fatigue and weakness create the most fear for me.

Any guidance on this would be appreciated. I'm working on the steps to recovery but it's slow as I have young kids and my job.
 
Sam06 said:
Is this normal? Is it bad or good? I read somewhere it may mean you have your symptoms on the run.
Click to expand...

Normal - absolutely.

It depends on how you look at it but I think it is good, although not necessarily for the reason you outlined. Whilst that may be true, that comes with a hope of progress and that it's a quick way out. Hope is good, but if you follow the process it's more than hope and you have a very high chance of success. It's good because it's great evidence of TMS (which will help with your fear and give you the belief that you are okay physically). There's a much higher likelihood that you have TMS causing all of these symptoms vs one medical (or 10 different ones) issue causing all of the symptoms. For this reason, the more symptoms you have the more likely you have TMS (doesn't mean you shouldn't get things checked by a doctor that need to get checked). :)
 
When I started my TMS journey the 'panicked, thrashing animal in a trap' stage of my pain was the actually the moment I realised it was TMS. Nothing felt better than suddenly getting pain in a completely unrelated area because I knew I was cornering my brain into making stupid, illogical decisions to 'protect me'. My pain started in my hand, then spread to my other hand, then my arms, then my back, neck, reproductive system, eyes (blurry vision) and even my thoughts (constant, repetitive intrusive thoughts, etc.) Then, as Jan said above, the original symptoms came back and doubled down.
After this, I kept going, and soon after all the pain had vanished. The fact that your pain is darting all over your body means you're succeeding, your brain is desperate to distract you and is pulling out all the guns. It'll be one of the hardest things you do, but once you know the brain's tricks it becomes easier and easier each time to swat them away. I found Somatic Tracking and Journaling to be the biggest helps in this stage. Please don't give up! You're on the right track, just keep going as best as you can.
 
Sam06 said:
Hour by hour, day by day, week by week my symptoms are fluctuating all over the place.
I started not feeling well in late November 2025 and in March my doctor told me I have fibromyalgia. I went on a down spiral and developed so many more symptoms, I actually felt better before they told me I had fibro.
Now the symptoms are fluctuating between pain in different areas, tension headaches/TMJ, fatigue/weakness...

Is this normal? Is it bad or good? I read somewhere it may mean you have your symptoms on the run.

It's becoming exhausting, I feel like I'm constantly having to settle my nervous system and reassure myself that I'm ok.
Click to expand...
You could have been writing the above about me. And it was all mind-body/TMS.

And it's all just as @JanAtheCPA has advised and is suggesting -- keep doing the work... the only way out is through. The craziness of the symptoms is par for the course.
 
JanAtheCPA said:
I would say you're on schedule for your brain to start doubling down on your symptoms, trying to discourage you from learning about TMS, much less doing something about it. How far are you in the SEP? I see you made a Day 1 post. Also, did you read the recommended "Week 0" forum post which includes hints for success?
https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threa...m-for-the-structured-educational-program.555/
Click to expand...
I'm only on day 4, it's been really slow, I find I can only read a bit here and there because I'm busy, I've also been a bit sidetracked by Howard Schubiner's new book that just came out.
 
Adam Coloretti (coach) said:
Normal - absolutely.

It depends on how you look at it but I think it is good, although not necessarily for the reason you outlined. Whilst that may be true, that comes with a hope of progress and that it's a quick way out. Hope is good, but if you follow the process it's more than hope and you have a very high chance of success. It's good because it's great evidence of TMS (which will help with your fear and give you the belief that you are okay physically). There's a much higher likelihood that you have TMS causing all of these symptoms vs one medical (or 10 different ones) issue causing all of the symptoms. For this reason, the more symptoms you have the more likely you have TMS (doesn't mean you shouldn't get things checked by a doctor that need to get checked). :)
Click to expand...
I actually saw my doctor yesterday and he confirmed that my nervous system is causing all these symptoms and he did a physical on my and confirmed I have no body weakness even though I feel like I do. That made me feel better but I think I sort of dug myself in a hole and made things more amplified myself by becoming so tense and fearful of what's been going on with me and now climbing out is extremely challenging.
 
Khetu said:
When I started my TMS journey the 'panicked, thrashing animal in a trap' stage of my pain was the actually the moment I realised it was TMS. Nothing felt better than suddenly getting pain in a completely unrelated area because I knew I was cornering my brain into making stupid, illogical decisions to 'protect me'. My pain started in my hand, then spread to my other hand, then my arms, then my back, neck, reproductive system, eyes (blurry vision) and even my thoughts (constant, repetitive intrusive thoughts, etc.) Then, as Jan said above, the original symptoms came back and doubled down.
After this, I kept going, and soon after all the pain had vanished. The fact that your pain is darting all over your body means you're succeeding, your brain is desperate to distract you and is pulling out all the guns. It'll be one of the hardest things you do, but once you know the brain's tricks it becomes easier and easier each time to swat them away. I found Somatic Tracking and Journaling to be the biggest helps in this stage. Please don't give up! You're on the right track, just keep going as best as you can.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the reassurance from you all! :)
 
JanAtheCPA said:
I would say you're on schedule for your brain to start doubling down on your symptoms, trying to discourage you from learning about TMS, much less doing something about it. How far are you in the SEP? I see you made a Day 1 post. Also, did you read the recommended "Week 0" forum post which includes hints for success?
https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threa...m-for-the-structured-educational-program.555/
Click to expand...
I just reread Week 0 with hints for success, thank you for the reminder, my had already forgot.
 
@Sam06 Whether you're doing the SEP or reading Dr Schubiner's new book, it's all part of the same process—you're still doing the work. Taking it slowly is actually a good thing, as it gives your brain time to properly absorb it.

It makes sense that things have felt more intense after being in that tense, fearful state for a while—many people find that happens. The good thing is you’ve now had that reassurance from your doctor, and over time that can start to sink in and help your system settle, even if it doesn’t feel like it yet.
 
BloodMoon said:
@Sam06 .Taking it slowly is actually a good thing, as it gives your brain time to properly absorb it.
Click to expand...

I agree with this, and I would add to take it slow AND STEADY. I think having a regular daily practice is important. I understand being busy plus having TMS is very hard, but I think carving out some time on a daily basis is very helpful. It can just be half an hour to do the SEP and/or some TMS reading/listening. But thinking psychologically daily is the way to make progress.

You're doing great. Keep going.
 
Sam06 said:
That made me feel better BUT
Click to expand...
Another bit of advice for you: look at that big 'ol "BUT" that I highlighted there. Now step back and have a little conversation with the primitive TMS mechanism in your brain, and ask why it was necessary for it to add that "BUT" to this positive outcome?

Hm.

This is what I call YBS: "Yes, But..." Syndrome, and this is your opportunity to kick this kind of unnecessary negative bullshit to the curb!

In other words, this is your brain on TMS. But you don't have to allow it :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top