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hottm8oh
USA
141 Posts |
 Posted - 11/17/2008 : 12:23:28
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I have had TMS with severe back pain for approximately 7 years. I learned about TMS and accepted the *self diagnosis* in May of this year. The months of October and November have been the best days I've had in the last 7 years. I've had a few back pain flare-ups here and there, but overall I am 80% better than I was in May.
About three weeks ago, the bottom of my right foot felt like it had fallen asleep, then my leg went slightly numb and felt achey. Right now I have a sore spot on my inner right thigh and occasional pains in my foot. It is only on the right side and not the left. It has been coming and going. I'll have numbness and aching for 3 days and then I'll feel good for 3 days. It is a different type of sensation than the pain I had in my back. I also have been having problems with my feet itching, but I believe that is a skin condition. I'm seeing a doctor about all of this next week.
I've had some health problems for the past six weeks not related to the TMS, and I am VERY stressed out. It wouldn't surprise me if this is a symptom of my inner turmoil. I have never had a TMS symptom below my behind, so I don't know if this could be TMS or not. If you have leg issues with TMS, what does it feel like? |
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Peg
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2008 : 14:22:48
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I believe it can present in many different ways. From reading the many stories of TMS and my own experience it can feel like: pins and needles, numbness, achiness, shooting pain, restlessness, burning. I even remember one story of a man who had foot drop with his LBP (low back pain). It went away with his pain when he applied Dr. Sarno's theory to his life.
It is important to have any new symptom checked by your MD.
Have you journalled about your feelings, fears regarding the health problems you have been dealing with? It must be enraging to be faced with more health problems just as you began to recover from your 7 years of back pain.
You mention that you have been dealing with health issues for the past 6 weeks "not related to TMS". Have you thought about this time line?
*You suffered for 7 years with back pain
*In May of 2008, you discovered TMS and began the gradual process of recovery
*The months of October and November (by my calculations---that's 6 weeks!!!!!) have been the best days you've had in 7 years
*You are 80% better than you were in May
*6 weeks is how long you have been dealing with health problems "not related to TMS"
Do you think the "health problems" could be the symptom imperative? Perhaps the 20% of back pain you were left with wasn't enough of a distraction?
Even if the "health problems" are not TMS, these leg symptoms could very well be. It's not uncommon for a wide variety of other symptoms to occur after first finding the information and beginning to get better. The symptoms can be anywhere (body and mind) and can involve any system in the body. The mind has a hard time giving up it's strategy. It works so well, I can't blame it. It might help to re-read Sarno.
Keep thinking psychological. Try not not obsess about symptoms. That's part of the problem. You've got an appointment with your MD so try to ignore the symptoms in the meantime. You may find this eases them up.
The unpredictable and inconsistent nature of your leg symptoms certainly sounds like TMS
You might want to search the forum, I believe many members have had similar symptoms
Good luck
Peg
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei |
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hottm8oh
USA
141 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2008 : 14:45:45
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Thanks for the reply, Peg. I really need to take your advice to not obsess over the symptoms. It's a huge downfall of mine. Anytime something new pops up, I start to obsess and my mind races with all the possiblities of what it could be. I have an appointment scheduled and there isn't anything else I can do until then, but the worry is still in the back of my mind.
My unrelated health issues are probably not related to TMS. I was diagnosed with diverticular disease. It runs in my family so it was not unexpected, but it implanted the fear of eventual bowel resection surgery into my head. Everytime I feel a flutter in my intestines--and it's in a specific spot--I start to panic wondering if this is another infection and if it's bringing me one step closer to hospitalization or a surgery. I also have an ongoing problem with blood in my urine with no known source yet. My stress levels and obsessive thinking are really high right now.
I'm also tired of all the diagnostic testing and the doctor's appointments. I had a tough year health-wise, and I'm sure my doctor is going to send me through a battery of tests. AGAIN. I feel like my life is on hold. I've talked about my resentment extensively with a LCSW, though I don't know if I'm making much progress. My LCSW suggested meditation. I'm seriously considering trying it just so I can work on getting my head in the right place. |
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Littlebird
USA
391 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2008 : 00:20:38
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I have to agree with Peg that TMS seems to be able to present in many, many ways and that it seems capable of involving any system in the body. I had a long, long list of symptoms that I used to carry to doctors, and when I learned about TMS it finally became clear how I could have so many things "wrong" in just about every part of my body even though the vast majority of testing was always normal.
The symptoms that finally led me to discover Dr. Sarno's book was numbness, odd pains and other strange sensations that started in the toes of one foot and gradually spread from there. Then I had a really stressful episode that made the symptoms suddenly take off and spread rapidly. Knowing there was an emotional component to my symptoms, I was excited to find the book The Divided Mind and learn how TMS works. Those neurological type symptoms quickly went away, which was a big relief, because they'd become fairly debilitating. But they just went away when I realized they were TMS, rather than some disease.
I've also had intense itching in various areas, with a rash in some spots and without a rash in others, that have proven to be TMS, so it's possible that your itching feet could be TMS too.
It seems ironic that a *real* health problem can trigger other symptoms that are TMS, but the emotions we feel when dealing with the non-TMS problems are fodder for the TMS. It would not be surprising if the turmoil you're experiencing is a factor in developing new TMS symptoms. After you've had your new symptoms checked out, if there's no clear-cut reason for them, there's a good chance they'll disappear, since you've had good success with your other TMS symptoms.
Take care, and let us know how things go for you. |
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hottm8oh
USA
141 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2008 : 10:34:37
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| My leg feels significantly better today, but now I'm experiencing something else. I have a sensation in my pelvis that I can't even describe. It's almost like a warm feeling. It could be TMS or related to the blood in my urine. I'll find out next Tuesday. Note to self: don't obsess over the pelvic sensation!!! |
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Fox
USA
496 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2008 : 18:54:37
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| Yes, I have had leg and foot sensations in my left leg exactly as you describe for many years (25 years), but I have been 90% better the last two years since excepting a purist view of Sarno and thinking psychologically. |
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Fox
USA
496 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2008 : 18:57:08
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| And being the TMS personality perfectionist that I am, I need to say I mean to write "accepting" in the last post and not "excepting." |
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Peg
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2008 : 19:22:56
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I'm so glad you fixed that typo Fox, since my perfectionistic TMS personality noticed it too :)
Peg
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei |
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Leg numbness/pain
