Symptoms resolved only thirty minutes after using medicated cream?

Hello again! I am back with another question about the behaviors of TMS symptoms (although you would think by now that I would already know how this goes but when you’re in it, it’s hard to view it from a third party perspective), haha.

okay, so. I am no stranger to TMS. I’m pretty sure I have been experiencing TMS for my entire life but I didn’t happen upon the concept of TMS until I developed pelvic pain in the form of Pudendal Neuralgia, Interstitial Cystitis, and Vulvodynia (all throwaway diagnoses that I never accepted as mine but were given to me by doctors and PTs who couldn’t figure me or my pain out). I have had all kinds of symptoms that have resolved and now I only have one symptom that comes and goes but doesn’t bother me anymore… UNTIL HALLOWEEN.

Recently, I had quit my high stress job and started at a moderately stressful workplace (from corporate back to customer service during the holidays, yay me!) and started to again get a nagging symptom (itching) that I have had in the past. The job change was stressful and I had been processing the things I went through while being at that job which I shouldn’t have had to go through. Anyway, the symptom came and went, I thought nothing of it. This happened on Halloween and then again on thanksgiving (symptom, I see you). I noticed it would only crop up on days that I had off or wore loose pants, but would settle down or go away completely if I wore jeans or was at work (didn’t make sense, I’m onto it). However, three days ago, the symptom came back, it stayed and got progressively worse over the past three days until today where the itch became a 10/10 discomfort. Oh man, I wanted to gnaw my skin off, it was so uncomfortable! Intuitively I feel like this situation was an extinction burst because I had been doing really good and when I’d have symptoms pop up, I wasn’t paying attention or dwelling on them; I went about my day until I realized they’d disappear. But today, it was severe. So, I thought “maybe I have a fungal thing going on?”, which I went to my cupboard, got an antifungal cream and put some on the affected area. I also had myself a good cry because I was so mad about this symptom cropping up after thinking I was better; I was sobbing and telling the sensation I didn’t need it and I don’t need my body to protect me from my emotions. After 30 minutes, the sensation reduced from a 10/10 to a 2/10, and three hours later, it’s gone. Like it never happened. After three days of fading in and out of severity, it just went poof. Vanished. Even when I touch the area, it feels normal.

now, I’m no doctor, but my logic is telling me that if I had inflammation, an infection, or a skin issue of some sort, it wouldn’t just vanish after one use of an over the counter antifungal cream. I’m having this feeling of “I knew it” and I wish I didn’t use the cream. Maybe if I had waited longer after my emotional release, the sensations would have let up lol When I was somatic tracking last night, the itch was jumping around from place to place so that should have been my clue.

however! My question is, is this a common occurrence with TMS? To use a medication and see symptom relief in a very short period of time? Not because I need help believing but because I am fascinated lol and I think this discussion may help others to add to their evidence list whilst going through their healing journey!

 

I wouldn’t look into it too much, be happy it’s gone and proud of yourself for the work you put into achieve this. You’re right anti fungal creams don’t work that fast, maybe you confused the nerves, or maybe it was all just a coincidence and it was on its way out. Regardless you got some major evidence!

awesome work!

 

Some anti-fungal creams have an ingredient in them that stops itching pretty fast like that, but it would usually need to be reapplied to keep the itching down while the other ingredients in the cream, that work more slowly, deal with treating the fungus and any inflammation that the fungus is causing. Other anti-fungal creams don't have a specific ingredient to quell itching, as the ingredient that deals with the fungus/inflammation has the side effect of relieving the itching too, but that relief from the itching usually takes a few days (not 30 minutes). So, you're right, it doesn't sound like you had a fungal infection/inflammation.

 

I have a weird history with stuff like this happening. When I used to get chronic headaches, they’d go away ten minutes after taking ibuprofen or when I had knee pain, icy hot would relieve my symptoms completely in under 20 minutes. So this happening made me super suspicious too. My nervous system just does weird stuff and my doctors think I’m crazy. Haha. They hate to see me coming.