1. Alan has completed the new Pain Recovery Program. To read or share it, use this updated link: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/
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Lori
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Lori

Well known member, Female, from NJ

Still back pain-free! Apr 19, 2017

Lori was last seen:
Mar 8, 2021
  • My Story

    MY TMS STORY...
    Short version: (very long version at the bottom in black font)
    I was in excruciating back/butt pain with tingling/numbness in November/December 2006. First attributed to a herniated disc at L5S1. Did not like and quit p/t, and refused to believe surgery was the answer. Learned of Dr. Sarno, read his books, made appt to see him. Accepted the TMS diagnosis and immersed myself in Dr. Sarno's program and journaling. I was back to work in two weeks after being laid up for six weeks. I occasionally get pains (or other ailments) here and there; they always resolve with a change in attitude or some removal of emotional trash. I still journal and am clearing out emotional trash accumulated over my lifetime.


    Life is a journey and I'm really enjoying it.

    When Dr. Sarno said "tms is a gift" at his lecture, I now truly appreciate those words. Having had TMS has opened a new world of learning for me, and I have benefited greatly.

    I also recall Dr. Sarno saying ANY conflict can cause TMS so I try to be aware of any time I feel conflicted (memory from past, or present issue) as I don't want to be in agony ever again.

    LORI'S LEARNINGS SINCE ACCEPTING TMS:
    -Most physical issues have emotional causes
    -It is in my power to heal myself
    -What I believe will be true for me. That is, if you believe "if I do [this] I will have pain" your brain hears that message and will manifest it because you expect it. I stopped having tailbone pain while exercising when I faced the fear and believed there was nothing wrong with me. And it's not been back since!
    -So many beliefs are conditioned responses and can be undone when we realize they are false (example of that is as simple as: a hard (or soft) mattress causes back pain!)
    -Any conflict we feel can create a condition in our body
    -Always always be true to myself
    -Find things that bring JOY--feeling joy balances our neurotransmitters and makes the everyday events in our lives less impactful in a negative way
    -Fully accepting and feeling that: We are all doing the best we can in this moment.


    Updated: Important items to aid in healing:
    1. belief it is TMS or a mind/body condition/issue. Acceptance that our emotions, childhood, etc. and events physically affect us if not processed. Things that fester cause pain and disease. also: The body heals. Pain is not due to an injury from 20 years ago (which I learned first hand myself). Many more physical issues are emotion-induced than people currently think or are willing to believe (because work and change is involved).
    2. Change your thinking (and it will change your life). a. positive and loving, and b. undoing conditioned thinking. I realize it's been stored up for years but it can be undone.
    3. Take your power back! Don't give it to a doctor or to a condition. "I have the power to get to the emotion (root cause) that is causing this condition and heal the emotion which will heal the condition." It works. I've done it.
    4. Reinforce this by reading TMS and other good mind/body books
    5. JOURNAL. just start writing. Irritated or frustrated? (anger underneath). Sad? need to grieve the loss of someone/something? Afraid (big one!) Guilty? I cannot emphasize enough the importance of journaling for processing feelings. This takes time. If you do not process the feelings and remove them, they will continue to create conditions in your body to try to get your attention. I don't want that! I found the Emotional Brain Training program at www.ebt.org has taught me the most effective journaling method. If I don't have paper (e.g. am driving when I think of something annoying me) I will talk journal. Or talk-journal (while alone) to the person with whom I'm having an issue to see if I can resolve or come to terms with accepting a situation. Sometimes all that's needed is a change in my own perspective. I have actually felt a shift when I came to terms with something. Pretty cool.
    6. Find things that bring you joy to balance everyday stressors. Even simple things that bring a smile to your face--I crushed pinecones the other day! Love that crunch sound!
    7. Self-worth and acceptance of self. We are doing the best we can right now. We are worthwhile people!
    8. Forgiveness: of self and others. Forgiveness is not for the person we believe wronged us; it is for US. We can let it go. We are the one being harmed by any resentment.
    9. I do believe there is a spiritual component that is important along with faith. I can also say that during my appointment with Dr. Sarno we discussed how those who are or were involved with strict religions have much inner rage as we needed to be "goodists".


    I have given some consideration as of late to the secondary gain the condition is causing. Is it getting the person attention they seek? Getting them out of something they don't want to do? Years later I can see how this was true for me to some degree.

    10/8/09.
    This past weekend at NY's You Can Heal Your Life conference I saw Dr. David Hamilton speak. Fascinating details about how the mind affects the body, down to our DNA, and how healthy thoughts create healing because oxytocin is released through the bloodstream. Inflammation is due to chemical released due to stress and negative thinking. He emphasized that you must believe in what you are doing ("the TMS program will work for me!") to see results and cited examples of people who defied doctors predictions because they visualized and believed (with iron will) in what they were doing. He has case studies and lots of statistics. Check out his web site for more details or videos on youtube. And I got my book signed and photo taken with Louise Hay! She is beautiful at 83 years!


    Just finished Dr. David Hamilton's It's The Thought That Counts. Excellent read and I plan to incorporate some of his ideas in my everyday life. He talks about how every thought and emotion change our biology. Also about placebo effects, and how social mood and family beliefs influence our pain--not necessarily our genetics! You can view his lectures on youtube.

    Books I've read that support the emotional causes of ailments (probably in the order I read them!):
    Dr. John Sarno's books
    Pain Free for Life by Dr. Scott Brady
    Louise Hay:

    -You Can Heal Your Life
    -Empowering Women
    -The Power is Within You
    -I Can Do It
    Your Body Believes Every Word You Say by Barbara Hoberman Levine
    When The Body Says No by Dr. Gabor Mate
    Your Body is Talking--Are You Listening?
    Candace Pert: 1) Everything You Need To Know to Feel Go(o)d and 2) Molecules of Emotion
    Gay Hendricks about loving yourself
    Forgiveness by Gerry Jamplonsky
    Happiness Now by Robert Holden
    Take off Your Glasses and See! by Jacob Liberman
    The Power of Positive Thinking by N. V. Peale
    Truth Heals by Debra King
    Love Your Disease by Dr. John Harrison
    It's the Thought that Counts by Dr. David Hamilton
    Counter Clockwise
    Your Body Speaks Your Mind
    Healing Happens
    How God Changes your Brain
    Feelings Buried Alive Never Die: K. Truman
    Healing Feelings from your Heart: K. Truman
    The Love Response by Dr. Eva Selhub
    The Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton
    Spontaneous Evolution by Dr. Bruce Lipton
    Love Yourself by Dr. Lise Bourbeau
    Loyalty to Your Soul by Drs. Ron & Mary Hulnick
    The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner (great for looking for what's underneath your issues!)
    Mind Over Medicine by Dr. Lissa Rankin
    The Journey by Brandon Bays
    I Love Me--the Science of Self-Love by Dr. David Hamilton
    Goddesses Never Age by Dr. Christiane Northrup
    You are the Placebo by Dr. Joe Dispenza
    The Emotional Life of Your Brain by Davidson/Begley
    The Emotion Code by Bradley Nelson
    The Book of Ho'oponopono: The Hawaiian Practice of Forgiveness and Healing by Luc Bodin





    My TMS Story: Long Version.
    From another site I had posted on years ago; from January 2007
    "Hoping I can help someone who isn't sure about the mind having an impact on our physical bodies or who may have questions. I am an almost fully recovered TMS patient of Dr. Sarno.


    First noticed a weird back pain after coming back from vacation in March 2006; just figured I had carried a heavy suitcase up and down some stairs. Next time I felt this it was accompanied by tingling/pain in my right butt cheek at the end of August--coming home from vacation again. Seemed to feel the butt pain more often. Had it badly returning from vacation AGAIN in November. Sitting in the airport, thinking about my son going back to his father that night, returning to work, etc. Timing of this pain now got my attention and got me thinking. But then I was ok for a couple weeks. Around Thanksgiving I was driving and got acute pain in my butt cheek and actually cried when I got home. Called PCP she said go to ER. ER said "sciatica, take this painkiller and steroid and go to your PCP." 2 days later PCP said take muscle relaxer. Not going to work (job) now, too much pain. Not better after 2nd trip to PCP that week so she said go to orthopedist. Fortunately had someone to drive me places as I was not in a condition to sit. Got xrays and the diagnosis was degenerative disc disease. Then an MRI which showed a herniated disc at L5 S1 of course. So I take steroid pack (talk about making me sick!), then physical therapy would be next, injection of cortisone, then if nothing else worked, discectomy. Well, great. I have NEVER had surgery and don't want to! The steroid pack made me sicker than I have been all along. But I kept on it.
    At this point I was pretty much disabled.
    Dr. John Sarno was being mentioned to me here and there by friends. Sis-in-law brought me his first book when I asked her to come and do my dishes (I could not stand for more than about 30 seconds) and I read it right away! Very interesting. Also read Dr. Weil's Spontaneous Healing book's section about a man who had shattered discs in his back, saw Dr. Sarno, and he has no pain anymore!! Wow. Really amazing.
    Got to thinking that I suppose emotions could be causing some of this. Got Dr. Sarno's other books and read them all with tremendous interest.
    Very interesting happening: Meanwhile it is now end of December and the family wants to take a drive to Niagara Falls over the time off. I decided I was going too. Everyone wandered around Niagara Falls area, but I stayed in the hotel room as standing for longer than a minute or two was an issue still. There is a favorite grocery store in Canada and I told the gang if we were all the way in Canada, we were going to Zehr's. Amazingly I was able to walk up and down almost every aisle at that store with minimal pain, as I was engrossed in selecting all this good stuff I wanted to buy--and not thinking about my pain or anything else right then. As I got back in the car to leave, this thought really took me aback: "hmmm, I just spent 30+ minutes in a store walking with no noticeable pain. VERY Interesting." And in retrospect, it was surely proof that nothing structural was the problem!!!
    Decided to go see Dr. Sarno in early January. Had a ride in to NYC to see him. Had to lie on the floor in the waiting room and office! But Dr. Sarno was great. I loved his conviction and enthusiasm for what he believes. Talked to me about everyday stresses, etc. and then did exam. Yup, each pressure point for TMS was sure tender. Also showed me how some of my reflexes were so good they could NOT be related to a herniated disc. Encouraging. Got the "program" and was so relieved the herniated disc was not the cause of the pain! Got started on my "list" and essay writing. Screamed, cried, cursed, etc. but got lots of emotions out. I was home all day, so I filled spiral notebooks full of essays. Few days later I could stand up longer. Sit yet? No. Easier to get around though. Within 1.5 weeks I felt a miraculous difference. I asked to be taken to the grocery store since I had not shopped for myself in six weeks. Walked through the store but toward the end had to lie down in the car. Ok, that was progress. I was happy. Next day I sat! I went to the store again and sat in the front seat of the car! Amazing! No pain! So since then I have slowly had pain go away. I still get a little annoyance in the tailbone area when sitting awhile, but I am sure it will go away as I'm not finished with my 4-6 week intensive writing program.
    I cannot say enough about Dr. Sarno. I must admit, emotions playing a role in physical health was no news to me as I had heard and read about this for years.
    I realize some people won't buy into this as they feel it cannot possibly be that your anger, guilt, fear, etc. can cause the brain to cause pain. But I am a believer. I am proof this program works and am so happy I have been able to drive, go to work, and enjoy life again.
    I saw Dr. Sarno at lecture last week and hugged and thanked him so much for his books and programs.
    Who knows where I'd be (recovering from surgery just to have more pain?) if I had not read his books and seen him.
    I wish my family would take it seriously and help themselves, but they're not ready. My bro has knee pain and programs himself to have it after doing hard labor. My dad has spinal stenosis and other things that are the "gray hair of the spine" as Dr. Sarno says. But I know they'd be helped if they'd open their mind to this. I guess I am just grateful to have my life back virtually pain free.
    Funny how I talk about it at work slightly (most people are NOT open minded I have seen) and they say "oh you got lots of rest, that's why you're better". Really. I don't consider weeks of 24/day pain rest. Or "the physical therapy helped." Yeah, I went 3 times. Hated it. Thankful to hear Dr. Sarno does NOT recommend physical therapy as TMS is NOT a physical problem.
    That's my happy ending to my TMS story. If I get more pain, I know what to do so that does not scare me."----------------------------------------------


    Finally:

    You will be helped proportionate to the amount you believe TMS is the cause of your pain. If you keep doubting the TMS diagnosis, or keep concentrating on the physical, what you think you might have done to cause the pain (picked up my kid, turned funny, or one of my favorites to hear "slept wrong" hahaha), you likely will not be fully healed.

    update 4/19/2017 still back pain free! Other conditions occasionally arise and I treat them all as: what am I feeling? What is going on that is trying to get my attention? Even weight issues. What is the weight I am carrying ? Do I feel safe? Pays to look deeper!
    1. Lori
      Lori
      Still back pain-free!
      1. shmps and Ellen like this.
      2. Kylin Foster
        Kylin Foster
        awesome!!
        Apr 20, 2017
      3. Kylin Foster
        Kylin Foster
        any advice for someone trying to heal?
        Apr 20, 2017
    2. Lindahope
      Lindahope
      Your story is so encouraging! I get anxious when I think I got surgery on my neck 11 months ago. All my pain is in my T12/L1 spine. Can't sit or stand or walk long. On day 3 of the program. Your story gives me hope I will get better.
    3. Seraphina
      Seraphina
      amazing story! thanks Lori :)
    4. Eric "Herbie" Watson
      Eric "Herbie" Watson
      This is an awesome story, Thank you so much Lori- I love your wisdom
    5. Endless luke
      Endless luke
      Thank you for your sharing your experience. Do you have any tips on how I can increase my belief that TMS is the cause of my symptoms?
    6. Imagyx
      Imagyx
      Thank you for sharing so many good thoughts and books. I just bought one of them (with a *).
    7. Lori
      Lori
      Recovered patient of Dr. Sarno and living pain-free!
    8. honeybear424
      honeybear424
      Wow. What an amazing story. Thank you for giving me a glimmer of hope.
    9. dabatross
      dabatross
      this is a great success story and thank you for posting all of these helpful tips on dealing with MBS
    10. veronica73
      veronica73
      Lori, I love what you wrote and so cool that you got to meet Louise Hay. She inspires me :)
    11. Forest
      Forest
      That's such a terrific pic! :-) Is that you on a cruise boat?
      1. Lori
        Lori
        Yes, NCL Gem in December--beautiful day at sea.
        Apr 10, 2012
    12. Lori
      Lori
      Recovered patient of Dr. Sarno
  • Loading...
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  • My Story

    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    NJ
    MY TMS STORY...
    Short version: (very long version at the bottom in black font)
    I was in excruciating back/butt pain with tingling/numbness in November/December 2006. First attributed to a herniated disc at L5S1. Did not like and quit p/t, and refused to believe surgery was the answer. Learned of Dr. Sarno, read his books, made appt to see him. Accepted the TMS diagnosis and immersed myself in Dr. Sarno's program and journaling. I was back to work in two weeks after being laid up for six weeks. I occasionally get pains (or other ailments) here and there; they always resolve with a change in attitude or some removal of emotional trash. I still journal and am clearing out emotional trash accumulated over my lifetime.


    Life is a journey and I'm really enjoying it.

    When Dr. Sarno said "tms is a gift" at his lecture, I now truly appreciate those words. Having had TMS has opened a new world of learning for me, and I have benefited greatly.

    I also recall Dr. Sarno saying ANY conflict can cause TMS so I try to be aware of any time I feel conflicted (memory from past, or present issue) as I don't want to be in agony ever again.

    LORI'S LEARNINGS SINCE ACCEPTING TMS:
    -Most physical issues have emotional causes
    -It is in my power to heal myself
    -What I believe will be true for me. That is, if you believe "if I do [this] I will have pain" your brain hears that message and will manifest it because you expect it. I stopped having tailbone pain while exercising when I faced the fear and believed there was nothing wrong with me. And it's not been back since!
    -So many beliefs are conditioned responses and can be undone when we realize they are false (example of that is as simple as: a hard (or soft) mattress causes back pain!)
    -Any conflict we feel can create a condition in our body
    -Always always be true to myself
    -Find things that bring JOY--feeling joy balances our neurotransmitters and makes the everyday events in our lives less impactful in a negative way
    -Fully accepting and feeling that: We are all doing the best we can in this moment.


    Updated: Important items to aid in healing:
    1. belief it is TMS or a mind/body condition/issue. Acceptance that our emotions, childhood, etc. and events physically affect us if not processed. Things that fester cause pain and disease. also: The body heals. Pain is not due to an injury from 20 years ago (which I learned first hand myself). Many more physical issues are emotion-induced than people currently think or are willing to believe (because work and change is involved).
    2. Change your thinking (and it will change your life). a. positive and loving, and b. undoing conditioned thinking. I realize it's been stored up for years but it can be undone.
    3. Take your power back! Don't give it to a doctor or to a condition. "I have the power to get to the emotion (root cause) that is causing this condition and heal the emotion which will heal the condition." It works. I've done it.
    4. Reinforce this by reading TMS and other good mind/body books
    5. JOURNAL. just start writing. Irritated or frustrated? (anger underneath). Sad? need to grieve the loss of someone/something? Afraid (big one!) Guilty? I cannot emphasize enough the importance of journaling for processing feelings. This takes time. If you do not process the feelings and remove them, they will continue to create conditions in your body to try to get your attention. I don't want that! I found the Emotional Brain Training program at www.ebt.org has taught me the most effective journaling method. If I don't have paper (e.g. am driving when I think of something annoying me) I will talk journal. Or talk-journal (while alone) to the person with whom I'm having an issue to see if I can resolve or come to terms with accepting a situation. Sometimes all that's needed is a change in my own perspective. I have actually felt a shift when I came to terms with something. Pretty cool.
    6. Find things that bring you joy to balance everyday stressors. Even simple things that bring a smile to your face--I crushed pinecones the other day! Love that crunch sound!
    7. Self-worth and acceptance of self. We are doing the best we can right now. We are worthwhile people!
    8. Forgiveness: of self and others. Forgiveness is not for the person we believe wronged us; it is for US. We can let it go. We are the one being harmed by any resentment.
    9. I do believe there is a spiritual component that is important along with faith. I can also say that during my appointment with Dr. Sarno we discussed how those who are or were involved with strict religions have much inner rage as we needed to be "goodists".


    I have given some consideration as of late to the secondary gain the condition is causing. Is it getting the person attention they seek? Getting them out of something they don't want to do? Years later I can see how this was true for me to some degree.

    10/8/09.
    This past weekend at NY's You Can Heal Your Life conference I saw Dr. David Hamilton speak. Fascinating details about how the mind affects the body, down to our DNA, and how healthy thoughts create healing because oxytocin is released through the bloodstream. Inflammation is due to chemical released due to stress and negative thinking. He emphasized that you must believe in what you are doing ("the TMS program will work for me!") to see results and cited examples of people who defied doctors predictions because they visualized and believed (with iron will) in what they were doing. He has case studies and lots of statistics. Check out his web site for more details or videos on youtube. And I got my book signed and photo taken with Louise Hay! She is beautiful at 83 years!


    Just finished Dr. David Hamilton's It's The Thought That Counts. Excellent read and I plan to incorporate some of his ideas in my everyday life. He talks about how every thought and emotion change our biology. Also about placebo effects, and how social mood and family beliefs influence our pain--not necessarily our genetics! You can view his lectures on youtube.

    Books I've read that support the emotional causes of ailments (probably in the order I read them!):
    Dr. John Sarno's books
    Pain Free for Life by Dr. Scott Brady
    Louise Hay:

    -You Can Heal Your Life
    -Empowering Women
    -The Power is Within You
    -I Can Do It
    Your Body Believes Every Word You Say by Barbara Hoberman Levine
    When The Body Says No by Dr. Gabor Mate
    Your Body is Talking--Are You Listening?
    Candace Pert: 1) Everything You Need To Know to Feel Go(o)d and 2) Molecules of Emotion
    Gay Hendricks about loving yourself
    Forgiveness by Gerry Jamplonsky
    Happiness Now by Robert Holden
    Take off Your Glasses and See! by Jacob Liberman
    The Power of Positive Thinking by N. V. Peale
    Truth Heals by Debra King
    Love Your Disease by Dr. John Harrison
    It's the Thought that Counts by Dr. David Hamilton
    Counter Clockwise
    Your Body Speaks Your Mind
    Healing Happens
    How God Changes your Brain
    Feelings Buried Alive Never Die: K. Truman
    Healing Feelings from your Heart: K. Truman
    The Love Response by Dr. Eva Selhub
    The Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton
    Spontaneous Evolution by Dr. Bruce Lipton
    Love Yourself by Dr. Lise Bourbeau
    Loyalty to Your Soul by Drs. Ron & Mary Hulnick
    The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner (great for looking for what's underneath your issues!)
    Mind Over Medicine by Dr. Lissa Rankin
    The Journey by Brandon Bays
    I Love Me--the Science of Self-Love by Dr. David Hamilton
    Goddesses Never Age by Dr. Christiane Northrup
    You are the Placebo by Dr. Joe Dispenza
    The Emotional Life of Your Brain by Davidson/Begley
    The Emotion Code by Bradley Nelson
    The Book of Ho'oponopono: The Hawaiian Practice of Forgiveness and Healing by Luc Bodin





    My TMS Story: Long Version.
    From another site I had posted on years ago; from January 2007
    "Hoping I can help someone who isn't sure about the mind having an impact on our physical bodies or who may have questions. I am an almost fully recovered TMS patient of Dr. Sarno.


    First noticed a weird back pain after coming back from vacation in March 2006; just figured I had carried a heavy suitcase up and down some stairs. Next time I felt this it was accompanied by tingling/pain in my right butt cheek at the end of August--coming home from vacation again. Seemed to feel the butt pain more often. Had it badly returning from vacation AGAIN in November. Sitting in the airport, thinking about my son going back to his father that night, returning to work, etc. Timing of this pain now got my attention and got me thinking. But then I was ok for a couple weeks. Around Thanksgiving I was driving and got acute pain in my butt cheek and actually cried when I got home. Called PCP she said go to ER. ER said "sciatica, take this painkiller and steroid and go to your PCP." 2 days later PCP said take muscle relaxer. Not going to work (job) now, too much pain. Not better after 2nd trip to PCP that week so she said go to orthopedist. Fortunately had someone to drive me places as I was not in a condition to sit. Got xrays and the diagnosis was degenerative disc disease. Then an MRI which showed a herniated disc at L5 S1 of course. So I take steroid pack (talk about making me sick!), then physical therapy would be next, injection of cortisone, then if nothing else worked, discectomy. Well, great. I have NEVER had surgery and don't want to! The steroid pack made me sicker than I have been all along. But I kept on it.
    At this point I was pretty much disabled.
    Dr. John Sarno was being mentioned to me here and there by friends. Sis-in-law brought me his first book when I asked her to come and do my dishes (I could not stand for more than about 30 seconds) and I read it right away! Very interesting. Also read Dr. Weil's Spontaneous Healing book's section about a man who had shattered discs in his back, saw Dr. Sarno, and he has no pain anymore!! Wow. Really amazing.
    Got to thinking that I suppose emotions could be causing some of this. Got Dr. Sarno's other books and read them all with tremendous interest.
    Very interesting happening: Meanwhile it is now end of December and the family wants to take a drive to Niagara Falls over the time off. I decided I was going too. Everyone wandered around Niagara Falls area, but I stayed in the hotel room as standing for longer than a minute or two was an issue still. There is a favorite grocery store in Canada and I told the gang if we were all the way in Canada, we were going to Zehr's. Amazingly I was able to walk up and down almost every aisle at that store with minimal pain, as I was engrossed in selecting all this good stuff I wanted to buy--and not thinking about my pain or anything else right then. As I got back in the car to leave, this thought really took me aback: "hmmm, I just spent 30+ minutes in a store walking with no noticeable pain. VERY Interesting." And in retrospect, it was surely proof that nothing structural was the problem!!!
    Decided to go see Dr. Sarno in early January. Had a ride in to NYC to see him. Had to lie on the floor in the waiting room and office! But Dr. Sarno was great. I loved his conviction and enthusiasm for what he believes. Talked to me about everyday stresses, etc. and then did exam. Yup, each pressure point for TMS was sure tender. Also showed me how some of my reflexes were so good they could NOT be related to a herniated disc. Encouraging. Got the "program" and was so relieved the herniated disc was not the cause of the pain! Got started on my "list" and essay writing. Screamed, cried, cursed, etc. but got lots of emotions out. I was home all day, so I filled spiral notebooks full of essays. Few days later I could stand up longer. Sit yet? No. Easier to get around though. Within 1.5 weeks I felt a miraculous difference. I asked to be taken to the grocery store since I had not shopped for myself in six weeks. Walked through the store but toward the end had to lie down in the car. Ok, that was progress. I was happy. Next day I sat! I went to the store again and sat in the front seat of the car! Amazing! No pain! So since then I have slowly had pain go away. I still get a little annoyance in the tailbone area when sitting awhile, but I am sure it will go away as I'm not finished with my 4-6 week intensive writing program.
    I cannot say enough about Dr. Sarno. I must admit, emotions playing a role in physical health was no news to me as I had heard and read about this for years.
    I realize some people won't buy into this as they feel it cannot possibly be that your anger, guilt, fear, etc. can cause the brain to cause pain. But I am a believer. I am proof this program works and am so happy I have been able to drive, go to work, and enjoy life again.
    I saw Dr. Sarno at lecture last week and hugged and thanked him so much for his books and programs.
    Who knows where I'd be (recovering from surgery just to have more pain?) if I had not read his books and seen him.
    I wish my family would take it seriously and help themselves, but they're not ready. My bro has knee pain and programs himself to have it after doing hard labor. My dad has spinal stenosis and other things that are the "gray hair of the spine" as Dr. Sarno says. But I know they'd be helped if they'd open their mind to this. I guess I am just grateful to have my life back virtually pain free.
    Funny how I talk about it at work slightly (most people are NOT open minded I have seen) and they say "oh you got lots of rest, that's why you're better". Really. I don't consider weeks of 24/day pain rest. Or "the physical therapy helped." Yeah, I went 3 times. Hated it. Thankful to hear Dr. Sarno does NOT recommend physical therapy as TMS is NOT a physical problem.
    That's my happy ending to my TMS story. If I get more pain, I know what to do so that does not scare me."----------------------------------------------


    Finally:

    You will be helped proportionate to the amount you believe TMS is the cause of your pain. If you keep doubting the TMS diagnosis, or keep concentrating on the physical, what you think you might have done to cause the pain (picked up my kid, turned funny, or one of my favorites to hear "slept wrong" hahaha), you likely will not be fully healed.

    update 4/19/2017 still back pain free! Other conditions occasionally arise and I treat them all as: what am I feeling? What is going on that is trying to get my attention? Even weight issues. What is the weight I am carrying ? Do I feel safe? Pays to look deeper!