navy2

Hi Kitten,

You are so right. I just went outside and it's a beautiful day. I helped my friend set up her snowcone booth for the 4th Celebration. I am also going back on Zoloft. I've been off of it for at least 10 months and I'm definatley going back on it. The stress is awful. It's probably aggravating my tmj, which lately I'm very aware of. I don't eat much, because I'm afraid I'll pop. I'm terrified that because my disc is displaced, I'll need surgery later on, and I'm not even really having fun with my family this summer. Everything is about the tmj and the fear I have after reading and learning so much about it on the internet. I'm missing out on life worrying about something that may or may not ever happen. I could wind up making my self even more ill worrying. Going to a specialist and having all the tests done, only makes me more anxious and upset. I'm also spending a fortune going to all these specialists because of my fear and thinking I have to fix the displaced disc. I have PTSD from sexual trauma in the military and I've been trying to not take any medications that were unnecessary and just deal with life naturally. Well I have been through so many illnesses, depression (lately I've been so upset about the tmj displaced disc, and possible degeneration). I researched too much on the internet and now I'm almost over the edge with anxiety and worry. I found this great board, but, I'm almost to the point of being nuts thinking what's going to happen in the future with my tmj. I am currently going to a specialist and I think I would do everyone (including the dentist) all a favor if I got back on the meds and got my life back in order. I even worry that I could wind up making the disc worse or in real pain if I continue going for treatments on it. The splint could even make it worse, who knows? Right now I have a popping disc and some tight muscles (from stress and maybe the displaced disc/off bite). But, I usually can get through that pain ok. Some of you that are living with chromic migraines and really bad pain, might even be happy to have the symptoms I have. There was a time that I had the face pain, but, now that I have the disc problem, I'm obsessed with it. I know some of my friends, like Arleen, Cheryl, and TC even commented that I sound stressed out. I am! I've been spending way too much time worrying about the tmj. Also, when I go to a specialist and they start telling me all these things that are wrong with my joints and tmj, it makes me really upset. So many of my friends live with the clicking and popping and they take advil or something if they get a headache, but, I'm the one that wants to get it stabilized because I don't want to lock up and be in pain later on. Also, my bite is off and my muscles get tight, and I do have some tmj symptoms. but, I deal with them. There are so many tmj sufferers that have it worse than me. But, I still have the joint problem. My chiropractor and his wife both have tmj and they just get adjusted and as long as the tmj is straight and they have range of motion, they say that's fine. When I told my Chiro I went to a specialist, he asked me why I keep going to all these people. I have been through so many illnesses this year, and they all put me through a panic and made me depressed. I made it through all of them and after all the tests, everything came out negative and I no longer have those things. Now I've been focusing on the tmj and muscle pain that started after the dental work. The TMJ is real, but, the extent that I've made myself sick over it is not healthy. I will not have surgery. I think I need to get my stress under control and stop focusing on my tmj all the time. When I get out around people and try to think of something else I can't. All I seem to do is focus on the noise my jaw makes whether it hurts or not. Now they did a test on me and I might have some degeneration or problems with the right tmj too. I thought that was fine because it didn't pop, click, hurt or anything. The test was sonography and it may or may not mean anything. There was just a lot of noise in the joints. I have to wait until next week before I find out what that all means. My neck shows bad things on an MRI, but, I'm pain free, so, I don't concern myself, but, for some reason the displaced disc thing has me petrified. Now, I've been worried that I have arthritis in my face or something and I'll have more pain. I thought if I went to a specialist, went into a splint to try to stabilize or recapture the disc and then got the dental work done, I was doing the right thing for my health. Now I'm concerned about whether they can do that because maybe my joint is degenerating. I have to get myself together before I drive my husband nuts. I think I should go back to taking care of myself, my family and stop stressing myself out by staying on the computer and focusing on tmj all the time. I haven't been doing the things that I know make me feel better like drinking enough water, taking vitamins, my calm magnesium in my herbal tea, sleep, eating properly (soft foods), selium, and flax seed oil, calcium, glucosamine/chondoitin, vitamin E, etc. All I do is walk around thinking I'm defective and have a debilatating illness, because of the displaced disc, muscles spasms, and possible degeneration. I don't eay, sleep, i just go to treatments for my tmj. My PT said i was getting better. But, I wouldn't listen to anyone and was obsessed with the popping joint. I became obsessed with the tmj and learning as much as possible. I've been totally convinced that I will only get worse. I met some wonderful people on here, but, in order to get better, I need to stop focusing on what's wrong with my jaw. Diane, Chery, TiffanyAnne, TC, amateurdoc, Arleen and everyone else, you have been wonderful. When i get myself together, I'll come back and say hi to all. Today I almost felt like I was at the end of my rope. I can't keep on like this.
Navy