New(ish) to this!

Hi there,
I've been dropping in here for some weeks without signing up just to read what people have got to say and to get ideas and advice from people with similar experiences. This is an absolutely great and supportive place to come and so I've finally decided to make myself known as one of the hardest things next to the pain I've found to deal with, is the isolation of having TMS but not knowing anyone else who does. I also hail from England where the whole concept of TMS, although it exists, is much less developed and known about so there's less support and understanding over here.
I've had severe pain for about ten years following the birth of my son. It started with severe and incapacitating
back pain and has spread over the years to include shoulder, neck and head pain. It moves around but there's always something somewhere!Like nearly everyone, I've tried everything over the years and spent a lot of time and money and lost even more hope. I first read about TMS in Dr Sarno's 'Healing Back Pain' on January 8th this year and immediately stopped all physiotherapy exercises and began my journey, hesitantly at first.
Due to the length of time I've had TMS I've managed to be a victim of conditioning in many areas of my life which has really restricted me but since I began to understand the true reasons behind my problems, I have managed to reduce my pain a lot, most of the time, and have also controlled one major conditioned response I had.I feel much stronger and can do much more but there's still a long way to go.
I suffer headaches,which for me is the worst symptom, and the fear of bending is something I have not started to overcome yet. Strangely, I have suffered a lot of anxiety which I never used to have and I've found that very unpleasant.
I have good and bad days, days when I feel confident and others when I feel doubts, so am probably like most other people. I just want to get on with my life.
I'm looking forward to continuing to use the forum and will always be pleased to get any advice and support from anyone who has time to give it.

 

Welcome here Solange. You will find a lot of support, tips and good advice here on the boards. Seems like you are off to a good start. Several of us here have gone through and completed the structured education program on this website, consider doing the program. It will be helpful. Anxiety is very common particularly when your physical pain is going away. It is a very difficult feeling to live with. You will find a lot of threads here that talk about dealing with anxiety. Post when you can, when you have a question and when you just need support. Also do read the success stories, they are very inspiring and encouraging.
Good luck to you

 

CMA,thanks so much for your kind reply.Sometimes,especially when I have headaches, I feel like I'm losing ground to TMS and it I find it hard to judge how much progress I've made so it's reassuring to be contacted by someone who thinks I've made a good start.

 

Hi Solange

Welcome! I too am in the UK and have been suffering from migraines for about 30 years. In the last few years I have been focusing on my psychological issues, my fears, doubts and my personality traits. I am currently reading a book about perfectionism which doesn't exactly link this trait to physical symptoms - it isn't meant to be the focus of the book - but I can certainly link the two together.

Even though we don't have as many practitioners here in the UK, there are some like Georgie Oldfield. It isn't essential you see someone face-to-face but if you feel this is what you need, check out http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/Find_a_TMS_Doctor_or_Therapist You can join the chat every Saturday evening, 8pm our time, where you can receive live advice and support from other forum members. Remember if you do see a professional they can set you on a path but it's you who has to keep yourself travelling along the path, you who has to 'do the work', as they say. Be kind to yourself and take your time. I can't say that I have healed but I am in a much better place than I was a few years ago. We are all here for you.

 

Welcome, Solange!

You are definitely in the right place. I, too, have been dealing with chronic headaches, neck, and jaw pain for a very long time...19 years to be exact. Be proud of yourself that you have been able to even accept the TMS diagnosis for yourself. We are the lucky ones who have the chance for true healing,

Valerie

 

Thanks yb44, you are right. I have in fact been in contact with Georgie Oldfield but as you so correctly state, in the end it is up to each and every single one of us to do the work ourselves.Sometimes that feels completely overwhelming to me, so at least this forum has put me in contact with 'travelling companions' so that the journey is not quite so lonely. It really makes all the difference to know there are so many people out there dealing with similar issues.
Valerie/honeybear424 (not sure on etiquette of how to name you so sorry for that!)I wish for your sake that you didn't have headaches as they truly are miserable things and when your head hurts it's hard to 'think your way out of it', but it's really comforting to me to know somebody else out there knows what it is like to have this problem.
I have read some fairly good things about Fred Amir's 'Rapid Recovery' book and have ordered it(I've already read the Dr Sarno books and some other stuff) so I hope it will be helpful to me in dealing with the headaches. I will give it a try anyway. As with all these things, some people have a more positive opinion than others.
Thanks again for your welcoming messages.

 

After responding to your thread about needing support and enjoying your thoughtful response, I thought I'd go back and read some of your earlier posts so I could respond better to your post in that thread (perfectionist? who? me?).

As I read what you wrote, though, I just thought it was interesting how often people get new symptoms or anxiety when they first read about TMS. I know it's been a while since you wrote this, but do you think it might be an extinction burst for your TMS like Alan Gordon describes near the bottom of this essay, Breaking the Pain Cycle

What I mean is that some people think of anxiety and depression as other TMS equivalents. Do you think that your TMS might be feeling threatened by the books that you are reading and might have made an extinction burst to distract you with anxiety?

Alternatively, do you think it just might be stress from the change in worldview brought about by learning about TMS? After all, all change can be stressful, not just bad change.

 

trypp, I would be sooooo happy if this was an extinction burst, in fact that is how I am selling it to my brain in order not to become overwhelmed by anxiety or fear. The strategy is working pretty well to keep me calm and I have had some better moments. I keep telling myself that I've had good moments followed by bad before and eventually things have always evened out but it is very tough psychologically to experience a setback. I'm just keeping plugging away at the thinking psychologically.Throughout the day I ask myself, how do I feel( and try to really feel it )and then, why do I feel like this and explore what comes into my head.
I'd like to think that this is the TMS fighting back and trying to distract me as I become better at accepting the discomfort without panic and letting my brain know I'm onto its tricks, so maybe you're right about the books. To a certain extent, learning about TMS is stressful for me as now I know I can't just wait for someone else to fix my problems with a pill, exercise or operation. It's down to me, which is reassuring and scary at the same time.
I'm glad your perfectionism has led you to respond to this thread and help me. Thanks for that!