Could Therapy Be Making Me Physically Ill?

[Marymickaela]

I've been in therapy a really long time, but just started seeing a trauma specialist the end of April. Seeing her the 1st few times was extremely stressful. One time I came home and crawled into my chair all day and slept. I developed shin splints, but can't remember if I had them before or after starting EMDR. I know I had them most of May and into June. Then they just suddenly stopped (like magic) and then returned about 5 days ago. They're so bad I can barely make it home.

About 6 weeks ago I developed severe pain in my right shoulder which my Internist diagnosed last week as Rotator Cuff Tendinitis and yesterday I started physical therapy (PT). I have had 3 acupuncture treatments which seemed to help as it disappeared, but then returned and spread into my L shoulder. The pain was so bad it wakes me up. Yesterday during my initial PT session it wasn't bad and today is almost gone again and I feel stupid for doing PT. I've been nauseous for over a week. I wake up nauseous and feel sick off and on thru-out the day. This afternoon, after our EMDR session it's seems a little better although I did have to take Mallox before going and drink a Sprite to settle my stomach after.

I tried to go for a walk this afternoon to test whether the shin splints were still present only to get a few houses down the street and suddenly started developing a blister on my R heel. I have dental problems they say is related to stress and I broke my front tooth off in March on vacation due to clenching. That's going to cost me about $7,000. I honestly feel like I'm falling apart. I don't go back to PT until Monday, but think if my shoulder pain stays gone I'm cancelling the PT.

I'm not sleeping and barely functioning during the day.

 

[SnowJo]

Mine has in the past 23 years. Whilst I can see that I don't dissociate as much I don't live in roles as much and I am stronger. I am also exhausted, depressed as i need to sleep too much, I am highly irritable, difficulty concentrating, and isolating, even moving is harder, I used to feel so much energy all the time. I feel trapped, like I am living an eternal punishment for a past I didn't ask for and tried to run from. I have "done the homework" faced the truth of who my abusers were and are and it has been a living hell through it. I am not convinced this is the right approach to "healing" and I fear that the "face the pain, grieve etc etc " approach is absolute madness after 23 years of trying to do this with various therapists, and because I was so used to abuse I accepted this "therapy" as punishment because that was normalized for me. I think I need to get a different approach now. My brain feels bruised and battered from such extreme emotion. And I have a constant pain in my chest and a sickly feeling in my throat. I wish I could be more positive right now, I saw a shrink and I feel like I have been to a butcher that took a knife to my emotions, over dramatic yes... but I feel 1000%worse after seeing the shrink putting g a nice beat label if depression so they can feed me medication, which I have tried so hard to avoid in an effort if getting "trully"well.
I am not the soft loving kind mum I was. I am a ratty obnoxious miserable self obsessed asshole with no friends anymore because I've been too busy in therapy "getting well".

 

[SnowJo]

As you can see am in a very low place right now. I hope that I will feel it has all been worth it soon. And I plan on going back to work hell or high water end if this year because I absolutely hate this scenario and I believe I gained many positive benefits from working including being social, a sense if purpose, money, and a feeling that I had made it out of hell and had some control over my life today.. this is why I have put myself through this "therapy". I have now made it clear that the focus of my therapy must be to "normalize " my experience of emotions and to obtain more joy and focus on joy and happiness and connection in today... leaving the past in the past now.

 

[Neverthesame]

Bearing in mind that I am not a doctor:

Yes, I think it possible all of those things could be related to the therapy.

Shin splints, can happen when you have a change in your gait. Which can be caused by increased muscle tension, resulting from stress. In essence you might be having to push against your own muscles to bend your ankles while walking. Which can result in a strain. Your
shoulders, same thing.

Also bear in mind that your body
does most of it's repair work when you are sleeping. Muscle aches are a common side effect of insomnia. Stress, anxiety and insomnia can all cause nausea as well.

With your physical therapy, I'd say if it's working, then it's not silly.

If you haven't already, mention all of this to your emdr therapist. They might be able to give you some relaxation strategies that will help you unwind a little better after sessions.

 

[Marymickaela]

Bearing in mind that I am not a doctor:

Yes, I think it possible all of those things could be rela...

Thank you for your response to my question. I really do feel this is somehow related as I've done nothing, strained anything to cause this pain. And for it to come and go for absolutely no reason to me is another indication it's related to stress and lack of sleep. Last night I decided to go for a walk and test the shin splints. 10 min. into my walk my L shin started hurting, but not the R. Go figure and it didn't get to the point of being excruciating so I was able to finish the 30 min. walk. I actually slept 2 nights ago thru the night for the 1st time in I can't remember when. Last night, not so great. I do think I need to get on some type of exercise program to strengthen my muscles. The exercises the PT gave me seemed to make my R shoulder a little worse, but I will keep doing them in hope that it's just a tightness causing the pain. I really think the acupuncture treatments helped me, but my insurance doesn't cover it and my husband was throwing a fit over the money. I plan on scheduling a massage for this coming week to see if that helps me with relaxation. I know my insurance doesn't cover that either, but I want to see if it helps. He'll have to suck it up.

 

[joeylittle]

I've done nothing, strained anything to cause this pain.

Just to cover your bases, think through how you are seated and what your body does while doing the EMDR. Might be un-related, but something like straining a rotator cuff could probably happen, depending on which of the left-right things you are doing, and how you are sitting.