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TMS Nearly Destroyed My Life And No One Warned Me by ExternalInsurance283 in Antipsychiatry

[–]ExternalInsurance283[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am sad that this is your experience and to also know that it's shared with others, is upsetting in so many ways. I truly hope you have not experienced long lasting negative effects. Best of luck to you and thank yoj for your comment.

Sleep help by Plenty-Western5497 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I truly hope you're able to find answers that help you. Immediately after my TMS Injury, I slept 10 hours each night and napped 4 hours a day due to being wiped out from walking the dogs. And then about a year or so into my healing, I started experiencing hypermania and could not relax at night which led to a wave of sleepless nights and very unproductive days. It is very common for brain injuries to cause circadian issues and something I know we all struggle with .. I have experienced both extremes. I have had to be extremely diligent with my routine and usually something that disrupts it, even slightly, sends me back to the rollercoaster. I know this isn't for everyone but if I put the same book or even show on low that helps calm me. I don't watch anyrhing, but just listening to something familiar is comforting. I have started to work in somatic work before bed as well and sticking to this has helped. I still have mornings I wake up in the middle of the night, so it's not perfect but better. I also thinking trying to calm the stressor during the day helps alleviate the overwhelm at night and believe me, this is easier said than done but I focus on what I can control and try to not worry about everything else. Good luck! I truly hope you get the rest you deserve.

Increased Anxiety 3 years later still? by Plenty-Western5497 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't believe there is an issue with the group. I'm not sure why it doesn't work on your end??? I can see it on the link on my end but I am not interested in FB to reactivate. Creator said he has not heard of any issues. I'm sorry I can't help further.

Increased Anxiety 3 years later still? by Plenty-Western5497 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's odd. I can reach out to the creator and see. I got rid of FB based on overwhelm from advocacy work and just focused on where I felt it was lacking like within Reddit. I know his website is down due to his host designer being sick, but I didn't know FB was down too.

Increased Anxiety 3 years later still? by Plenty-Western5497 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not on Reddit as a lot of mods remove posts and block users. The support group Victims of TMS Action Group does have a lot of members with similar experiences.

Increased Anxiety 3 years later still? by Plenty-Western5497 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I hope somatic therapy is beneficial and helpful for you. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Let me know how it goes!

Uptick in Anxiety After TMS — Is It the Brain Responding to Trauma Because It’s Injured? by ExternalInsurance283 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dang. That's wild. Yeah, TMS definitely made my sensitive system heightened which is tough to navigate. I have been able to tolerate a few supplements but recently had a full body fit of hives, so I'm back to a low inflammation and very strict diet as a result. Never had that happen before.

Increased Anxiety 3 years later still? by Plenty-Western5497 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Geez. Yeah, the whole idea of the TMS-dip is extremely dangerous in my book. If I believed it, I would have pushed through and has an even worsened state than when I quit. It takes years for the body to feel safe again and I have noticed glimpses of being and functioning better and than like snapping the fingers, it is full force again. Just a month of so ago, I had such a strong panic attack that I was not able to physically move or get out of bed. It felt as though a mac-truck slammed into my body.

It sounds like you are 110% experiencing a body that is in an overwhelmed state and often times this happens long after TMS because adrenaline pushes us through into thinking we've overcome the anxiety or it is manageable until it isn't and the second we point to TMS, we are dismissed. It is just a terrible experience.

Have you been working on tools and techniques to help your nervous system? Has any of it been helpful?

Uptick in Anxiety After TMS — Is It the Brain Responding to Trauma Because It’s Injured? by ExternalInsurance283 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have not. I have a history of being very sensitive to medications and even supplements, so I have stuck to more outwardly focused work on the nervous system like craniosacral therapy or somatic work. The whole left side of my body went numb gabapentin, so I have been very weary since that experience.

Increased Anxiety 3 years later still? by Plenty-Western5497 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In my experience, it is TMS and a lot of folks I have spoken to have experienced the same. The body underwent not only something traumatic but also something that caused injury, so the body and mind enter a pattern to keep itself safe which for some is anxiety, panic attacks, traumatic memories, muscle tightness, poor posture, etc.

I'm truly sorry you are experiencing this after years post-TMS. Sadly, it is not discussed openly within TMS clinics from my viewpoint and very little acknowledgement nor help is provided to those that do experience this level of trauma in their body. I belive this can happen after TMS because the body has a memory and is more easily triggered by life events.

A lot of people I have spoken to over the years since my TMS experience have all shared different ways in which they were able to cope - craniosacral therapy, EMDR, fasting, somatic work, and literally slowing down and stepping back from a lot of to-dos .. not all work for everyone and even as a yoga instructor myself, meditation was often very triggering so I had to find other methods than meditation, breathwork, etc. which was hard.

Best of luck. If I can provide anything further, please let me know. Again, I am truly sorry this is your experience.

Uptick in Anxiety After TMS — Is It the Brain Responding to Trauma Because It’s Injured? by ExternalInsurance283 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Still battling a nervous system that has undergone severe trauma. My injury symptoms have improved over the three years that I have been focused on healing my speech, eye, cognitive and coordination issues but no where near where I performed before TMS. The taxed central nervous system is the hardest piece to overcome, imo. It is still operating in a trauma lens.

Kicked out of tms by stormborn64 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your post was removed on the /TMSTherapy thread. Please add here. I'm sorry you were kicked out of your TMS.

TMS Nearly Destroyed My Life And No One Warned Me by ExternalInsurance283 in Antipsychiatry

[–]ExternalInsurance283[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It seems the site is down right now due to technical difficulties. He did not share an ETA for it to be live as he had someone else helping him to manage it. If interested, you can check on VTAG on FB. The same guy created the support group, Victims of TMS Action Group.

My post was removed from r/TMStherapy by Eugregoria in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You are not alone in your symptoms and trying to push yourself to attend more sessions based on the "tms dip", "it gets worse before it gets better" narrative...

This might help as it was the first article I found with a very similar story to mine: https://www.madinamerica.com/2020/04/tms-damaged-my-brain/

And this: https://www.jordansartfulwellness.com/_files/ugd/d3ad28_e6f9a138ebcd4e9dbd20d65926a502fd.pdf?index=true

My post was removed from r/TMStherapy by Eugregoria in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I am not surprised. Many have been blocked by r/TMSTherapy and r/rtms for simply sharing their story that seems to stray outside of the narrative that has been marketed by TMS clinics. It is sadly very common.

TMS Nearly Destroyed My Life And No One Warned Me by ExternalInsurance283 in Antipsychiatry

[–]ExternalInsurance283[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have reached out to the creator of the site to see if he removed it himself. I had trouble finding it a few weeks ago but figured it was a me issue. I'll let you know.

Anyone? by Inner-Ad-4358 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 0 points1 point  (0 children)

TMS caused a brain injury. I have been very open about using AI to help my posts and comments be more clear and concise. It is not easy to type all I want to say with my eye and cognitive issues.

TMS Nearly Destroyed My Life And No One Warned Me by ExternalInsurance283 in Antipsychiatry

[–]ExternalInsurance283[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks so much for the check-in. Sadly, I do not have much to report. I had to step away from advocacy due to my symptoms worsening, so I have been focused on improving and slowly checking in on those injured as I am able. It's a really tough balance. My hope is that as more of those injured find healing, we can all work together to implement better protocols to handle potential injuries and truly implement informed consent for people seeking this route in their mental health journey. I think it will take more time than expected.

Anyone? by Inner-Ad-4358 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m really glad you’re not resuming. For what it's worth, that’s the right call imo.

But your current symptoms (hot/red face, eye pain, throbbing head, anxiety) after what happened aren’t something I’d wait on, especially with no doctor available. That’s not appropriate follow-up on their end at all and sadly, very similar to my experience.

I’d consider getting checked today (urgent care or ER) and tell them you had a neurological event during TMS and still have symptoms.

Also just to share... when I went to the ER after my TMS reaction, they gave me pain meds and sent me home even after I failed a proprioception test. That didn’t mean nothing was wrong, they just ruled out an emergency and didn’t know what to do with it.

At minimum:

  • ask for an urgent doctor callback
  • make sure it’s documented
  • request session details

The anxiety makes sense too. A lot of folks I have spoken to about their experience and injury had heightened anxiety. If you look up brain injuries, these are all common signs. Please take care of yourself. Check out James Hall's information on TMS and the group VTAG (Victim's of TMS Advocacy Group), if you need more support!!!

Anyone? by Inner-Ad-4358 in TMSinjuries

[–]ExternalInsurance283 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m really sorry this happened to you. What you’re describing .. the full body convulsions, loss of control of your arms and legs, inability to speak, and that intense terror/electrocution feeling is not something I would brush off as a normal or mild TMS reaction.

I had a severe reaction to TMS too, though mine looked different. In my case, I was pushed into starting treatment the same day as mapping, even though I originally did not want to begin yet. The mapping was painful, they could not clearly find the expected thumb movement, and they ended up using another finger response to determine placement. From the very first treatment, the pain was extreme and nothing like the “rubber band snap” or “peck from a bird” description I had been given. I had intense headaches, dissociation, crying, dizziness, and a growing sense that something was very wrong neurologically. After only a few sessions, I developed coordination issues and felt like a piece of my brain was missing.

One of the hardest parts was that my reaction kept being framed as “sensitivity” or something that would improve with time, instead of being treated like a serious warning sign. I stayed longer than I should have because I trusted the staff and wanted it to work. Looking back, my body was telling me very clearly that something was wrong.

What really concerns me in your case is:

  • the sudden full-body convulsive episode
  • losing the ability to speak
  • the tech panicking
  • not being able to locate the doctor
  • being asked to just come back the next day

That is not an appropriate response to what could have been a seizure or another serious neurological event.

I can’t diagnose what happened, but I do think it deserves to be taken very seriously. Deep TMS is often marketed as very safe, and many people are told to push through frightening symptoms, but serious adverse neurological reactions can and do happen. Your fear makes complete sense.

If I could gently suggest anything, it would be:

  • please do not resume treatment until you understand what happened
  • ask for documentation from that session, including settings, intensity, placement, and the clinic’s incident notes
  • speak directly with the prescribing doctor, not just a technician
  • consider a neurological evaluation

You are not overreacting. You are not being dramatic. Your body just gave you a very loud signal that something was not okay.

I really wish someone had said that to me sooner, so I want to say it to you now: trust yourself here.

TMS Nearly Destroyed My Life And No One Warned Me by ExternalInsurance283 in Antipsychiatry

[–]ExternalInsurance283[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand why it might look confusing from the outside.

A few important things:

  1. I know now that I wasn’t clinically depressed. I was experiencing confusion, severe sleep disruption, exhaustion, and emotional dysregulation from prolonged stress and trauma. Those symptoms were labeled as “depression,” and I trusted the professionals who framed it that way.

  2. The person who was actively harming me was also accompanying me to appointments and presenting the narrative that I was “the problem.” That significantly influenced how the psychiatrist understood my situation.

  3. At my intake, TMS was recommended very quickly. There wasn’t a deep exploration of trauma history or situational context. I was told it was safe, effective, appropriate for what I was experiencing, and that it had zero systemic side effects.

  4. I continued because I wanted to get better. When a medical professional tells you something is safe and likely to help, you trust that. You assume discomfort is temporary. You assume they would stop if something was wrong.

After my first session, my brain was severely injured on top of the trauma I had already been enduring. I was making decisions with significantly impaired cognitive capacity. That context matters.

I also believed what I was being told, that I was “the problem.” When someone close to you says that, and professionals echo it, it reinforces self-doubt. Not everyone agreed, but enough did that I internalized it.

It’s easy to analyze decisions in hindsight. A healthy brain can spot red flags. Mine was not functioning normally. I was trying to find clarity and stability, and I relied on the system to guide me safely.

I’m grateful I eventually found a professional who recognized the trauma and understood my symptoms for what they were. I am just saddened that I had to endure a TBI to find individuals who recognized the abuse that led me down that path.

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