I felt like that too Dyan, now tho i am sort of over that part. i think the hardest part for me was actaully BELIEVING that tmj could do all the weirdo things it does.I just couldnt accept it. besides pain all the other things that it does, like mess with your vision, the weird ear sensations, the dizziness, all the strange things that go with it, it is way more than just pain. most people around us dont know what that is like. i have sort of accepted it now, but i still have my days. love cindy

Just functioning... The fact that I worry about being able to work normally. It's my main concern... that does involve working with people who don't really understand.

The hardest part is not having the energy sometimes to play with our 1 year old daughter. After working all day without the pain meds I am usually exhausted and in so much pain I have to take the maximum doses of my medications.

iberkb,
I am with you on that one too...

Dyan like you say, definitely it was the hardest time of finding someone who understands... I feel very grateful to have found ehealth forum so soon and thank you so much for introducing me to Neuromuscular Dentistry and helping me finding the right one in Brisbane

Yes the constant lack of energy is also one.
Also the constant unknown grumpyness when I get home
Talking ability and mouth positioning impaired

you are more than welcome. Im so happy that things are going well for you . Ill be praying for you . when exactly do you get the wisdom teeth removed?

keep me updated

It really took a toll on my social life, I've moved around a lot in the past few years and I had only been in the place where I now live for about half a year when the TMJ really started to hit me hard, I'm in college so I had been enjoying meeting new people and all of a sudden (actually I believe the TMJ was really set off by my getting hit in the face by some thugs who basically were looking for a fight and jumped my friend and I) I felt really weird for a while and out of it and then all of a sudden I was having a lot of trouble talking to people, I couldn't maintain eye contact at all and I kind of became a recluse for a while because I was always in a lot of pain. Luckily it has gotten better after I wore a splint and I'm still in college and can pick up where I left off, so to speak, but its just depressing thinking back about how hopeless I felt just a few months ago.