TMS newcomer

Dear Community,

I am posting this message in hope of finding support and confidence with respect to the TMS diagnosis. I am having a hard time accepting it and I guess reading your answer will help in the Journey.

So, I am a long time anxiety sufferer - treated for it for 13 years, on and off but always condemned to take the drug back to cope with health anxiety, catastrophic fear, whatifism etc. Yet, I have always been successful in my life, professionally, socially, and on a material level.

In September 2024, 3 weeks after again tapering off the drug (because I felt better), I started to have pain in the pelvic region which all in all lead me to google a lot about pudendal neuralgia as I had many symptoms related to this. I became very anxious again about all this, especially when reading that many people lived with this for years/decades. I completely quitted running, cross fitting, weight lifting, had to take back the drug to fight against very dark thoughts, and started to regularly see a pelvic floor PT.

I have been tested for UTI infection, MRI and ultrasound of the spine and pelvic region, seen a urologist… Nothing...

Googling also lead me to the TMS world, which was reassuring at first, and I recognize I had a marked reduction of my pelvic pains. I realized I could actually sit without pain (did a 9 hours car trip back in February 2025 without any symptom). I started to accept the TMS diagnosis, resumed a "normal" life, completely stopped PT but I was still worrying about all this...

Then, more recently, other symptoms developed, I had weird muscle jerks, pain at a very local spot below my left foot, tingling in the hands, tingling in the legs, some area of my lower half with burning or heat sensation of the skin, crawling sensation in the perineum, palpitations.

All these symptoms come and go (sometimes the day after they showed up, sometimes they stick around longer), and I suspect that other will show up in the future (!!). They also become very mild when I am on vacation or chilling.

I did the assessment from Dan's Painfreeyou, the FIT criteria says that I likely have a TMS… I recognize that all my symptoms are listed in "Unlearn your pain" from H. Schubiner.

But, you know…, there is always that bad demons who whispers messages of doubt. What if. What if all that is an actual neurological condition? what if I am overlooking some structural damage? What if anxiety drug fucked up you?

TMS books always says "make sure you don't have any structural damage, like a nerve damage". How do I make sure I have no nerve damage? I have seen a neurologist who tested my legs who told my exam was normal but he did not perform any advanced testing like emg...

I guess I worry too much. thank you for your help

 

It doesn't say that anywhere is Sarno's work..he says to rule out cancer or a tumor. Everything else is TMS.

Emg is NOT advanced testing...it is stone age. I had 'damage' on my emg 25 years ago and I am fine. In fact, I had my thumb Severed in 2013 or so??? I have gotten 99% of the feeling back...ALL of the nerves were cut. Your body can heal anything.

There is nothing in your list of symptoms that isn't garden variety TMS. That sentence your hung up on? That is the TMS trying to protect itself...so it can protect you from your reservoir of repressed rage

 

Hi!
I have all of these symptoms— And I have read countless people here who have them too. At first it really freaks you out because it seems like you’ve never heard of it before. What it is is TMS mixed with severe anxiety. (TMS is actually anxiety.) You have to address your anger issues through journaling, and the Sarno method. And then you have to soothe your nervous system, which is now hyper-sensitive. Jan told you the best book in the world which is Hope and Help for Your Nerves. The author of this book, Claire Weekes, Is the quintessential expert on anxiety. It’s pretty much a must read on this website. We all read it! Lol Personally, I listen to portions of her audiobook, every single day. It keeps me focused and it reminds me of what’s really going on. I would literally read that book immediately, especially because you have all these symptoms that are from too much adrenaline coursing through your body. She will explain everything!

PS- you are really lucky a neurologist told you that you’re fine. Sometimes neurologists drag things out, and they even scare the living in heck out of people! Everyone who heals from TMS proves their neurologist wrong. And they often write here on the site that they healed in spite of what their neurologist told them. So I’d cut out the middleman— And go straight for TMS healing. I wouldn’t do any more neurological tests of any kind— It just keeps you focused on fear and the physical—When you really need to be focused on the emotional.

 

Welcome @DieWallfahrer! I'm currently on Day 24 of the SEP and I found out about TMS in March. It took me a while to wrap my head around it and it still does! I'm not 100% sure but I just keep plucking away at it because to me-this makes the most sense of why I have had so many ailments in the past and now. This forum is a wealth of information with tons of resources likes books, podcasts, and other people's stories of success! You've come to the right place!