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debbette
44 Posts |
 Posted - 08/24/2008 : 06:33:59
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I posted before about my tingling foot that started earlier this year. I went to a neurologist about a month ago who ordered an MRI and then determined my tingling foot was due to a nerve in my back. I kept thinking it was TMS so I've tried to consciously think about what's bothering me (and there are some BIG issues). I've also gone to PT and have been exercising my back (just in case it really is my back!) but didn't take the prescription for IB Profin he gave me. Now a few weeks later, my other foot is tingling too and I'm feeling odd sensations in my hand (or am I just freaking myself out?!). It's scaring the cr*p out of me. If this is TMS it's doing a great job at scaring and distrating me from my problems.
So my question is... how do you really know it's TMS and not some horrible disease? I'm thinking about going to a TMS MD just to save myself from going back to the neurolgist and being put through lots of tests and more stress. |
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Hillbilly
USA
385 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2008 : 10:47:50
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Referring to some "horrible disease" is the tip-off in your post that this is a stress-related and stress-perpetuating cycle. The thoughts of having a horrible disease are the ones that are keeping you from relaxing and enjoying your life. Once the seed of doubt is in your head as to what it may be, you instantly are back in the Merck Manual or on WebMD and hooked on tingling as a symptom every time you notice it. Lemme guess: MS or ALS are at the top of your worry list?
Do you see what this is doing to your body? The overwhelming fear of this being something like that is what is making it uncomfortable and stay around by disturbing your nerves. How are you sleeping these days? Appetite? You may be able to easily connect loss of sleep or appetite to stress, but what about tingling? Nerves that vibrate all the time are disturbed and send disturbing signals out all the time.
So what causes this to keep going? Lack of acceptance. This is the bright line between living free of nervous disturbance and not. I'll explain what I mean....
Everything and everybody that gets "on our nerves" is resisted mentally. The thoughts of what might happen are so unwelcome that we avoid them, attempt to push them away, deny they exist, etc, etc. I'll give you some other examples: poverty, embarrassment, shame. But none of these is in itself unacceptable or stressful. It is the thoughts that we attach to it when we play our mental movies that cause the strain and keep us running away. Ultimately, this is just a bad habit of self-punishment, no different from drug abuse or overeating. And habits can be changed.
So, first step is to rule out those things that are keeping you upset. Then once you are given the clean bill, the deal is to NEVER again react to those thoughts, as they have been ruled out by people qualified to do so. It doesn't matter if you use the term TMS or whatever, just think "harmless" each and every time you become aware of the tingling, twitching, or whatever else may manifest. And you will be free of them in a short while. Cheers!
I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.
Ralph Waldo Emerson |
Edited by - Hillbilly on 08/24/2008 10:52:00 |
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mk6283
USA
272 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2008 : 12:54:17
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If your neurologist isn't worried, then you shouldn't be either. TMS is the great masquerader in the realm of neurologic symptoms. In the face of a benign neurologic exam +/- unworrisome diagnostic/imaging studies, the chances of having some horrible disease are pretty slim. In that case, if you are going to waste your life worrying about MS/ALS (etc.), then you might as well start worrying about having a bomb dropped over your head or being struck by lightning. Tomorrow is far from a guarantee for ANYONE. You must learn to live in the present. That is all we really have anyway. Good luck.
Best,
MK |
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debbette
44 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2008 : 11:05:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Hillbilly
Referring to some "horrible disease" is the tip-off in your post that this is a stress-related and stress-perpetuating cycle. Lemme guess: MS or ALS are at the top of your worry list? It doesn't matter if you use the term TMS or whatever, just think "harmless" each and every time you become aware of the tingling, twitching, or whatever else may manifest.
Tomorrow is far from a guarantee for ANYONE. You must learn to live in the present.
How'd you guess I was thinking MS? LOL... you are so right on all counts except I've decided not to go back to the neurologist. I'm sure if I told him about my other leg tingling he'd want to run more tests, only adding fuel to my TMS fire.
I've been making good progress the last few days following Sarno's treatment plan, reading this board and mostly by asking myself what's REALLY bothering me when my legs tingle and reminding myself that the tingling is harmless.
I had an epiphany this morning... after reading and thinking about symptom imperative (I'd never heard about that before), I realized that my other leg started tingling the day after my sister in law did something that really upset me (left me crying all day). HELLO! It never ceases to amaze me how I just don't see the obvious with TMS/equivalents. I really find it down right comical! I remember when I had my first known encounter with TMS equivalents, my birth mother had come into my life (about 8 years ago) and I was SO happy and telling everyone I knew how wonderful she was. Then I started developing gastrointestinal problems - had tons of tests, saw tons of Drs., 20 lb. weight loss and no clue as to what was wrong with me. Then the anxiety started so I began seeing a cognative therapist. Through him I started to get the connection and then (of course) I develped depression and finally..... I got better, a lot better.
Anyway, I've decided to go back to see my therapist to help me work through the issues that I'm really struggling with right now - now that I can actually see them! And guess what, my feet aren't tingling as much... imagine that! LOL.
I also wanted to say "thank you" to everyone who posts on this board. I am so glad I found it! I was reading the thread on Positive Effects of TMS http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4890 and remembered how life changing my first experience with TMS was. It got me into therapy and I learned to really be true to myself - not to put everyone else's feelings first, not to be afraid to be honest with people (stop people pleasing!!) and that I don't have to be the best at everything because I'm OK just the way I am - flawed and everything! 
Debbie
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How do you KNOW it's TMS?
