Prolonged recovery: back/leg pain

I have not posted on the forum for quite awhile but frequently review what members are sharing. I am just feeling in the "frozen" state right now. Briefly I have had lumbar pain since I retired in 2016, and in fact, that event triggered a lot of other medical and financial struggles. I now have bilateral hip pain and leg muscle pain. And a frozen shoulder. Oh and constant balance problems. It basically is constant and just a matter of degree. Also have migraines for many years. It is no use seeing more physicians as I have done that: orthopedics, rheumatology, spinal MD's ENT - you name it. Been through all the x-rays and MRI's. Basically I have been told I have bulging discs at all lumbar vertebrae and foraminal compromise or narrowing - cant recall exact description. And, of course, they want me to have an epidural which thus far I have refused. We all know what they will suggest next when that fails. Hip pain is due to mild bursitis - no other big issues on MRI. I just had a cardiac ablation in April to try to correct an rhythm problem. Cataract surgery coming up in August. Welcome to the 70th decade. This is not the retirement I had planned! I saw Dr. Schubiner last June and he assured me I had TMS. I have been skyping with one of the PCC interns x 6 months and can see progress emotionally but can't make any improvement physically in the pain. The two big stressors in my life (aside from the medical stuff that comes sometimes with being 70) are I am trying to get my house ready to sell and can only go so fast with that process. And, I am absolutely financially drained from not being able to work part-time which was my plan when I retired in 2016. I am terrified to try to work again because I feel so crappy most of the time - don't know if I can even get or hold a job. So, should I go toward the fear/anxiety that is the most troublesome, and see if that helps me?? I would love to walk off some of this anxiety and fear but like yesterday, I walked somewhere between 1/4 - 1/2 mile and that was my limit. My back and legs hurt so much I have to stop. Thanks if you got this far. Bless you !

 

Hey! More positive! 70 years is your limit? I think you are capable of more, look at people who are in excellent physical shape and they are 90+ years old. Here you need to go to this. Of course, compared to you, I am a young man, but I want to be in old age with a smile and in good physical condition, and not with a distorted face from the pain.

Try to make a list of what exactly you need to cure with the help of doctors or procedures, and what concerns TMS. So you can understand what exactly you need to work on. Now it seems to me you have a lot of different pains and you are probably confused.

You say that you walked a certain amount and could not get through anymore because of the pain. No problems! Tomorrow goes a little more and increase the amount. The stronger your muscular corset, the longer you live and you will be healthier. Do not forget about the positive, good mood and humor can cure many diseases!

 

Hello Gartimir,
Thanks for your response and encouragement. I had given up on getting a response to my last post! I see u are new to this forum, so I am not sure what your journey is about, but welcome. I totally agree with u that a positive attitude and humor can help us heal. And 70 is not my limit...for sure. But I will tell u when u get to this point in your life, you think about your own mortality in ways u didn't in earlier decades. It' s just a fact. And it is a source of subconscious rage for all of us as we age. It's a matter of connecting with others and finding some balance. It is a journey this TMS thing -- young or old!

 

I hear you girl, and you know I do, because at 68, I'm staring down the same road which is suddenly scarily short.

I'm finding a whole bunch of gems and great reminders by listening to podcasts from Eddy Lindenstein aka @LindenSwole (The Mind & Fitness Podcast) and @Nicole J. Sachs LCSW (The Cure For Chronic Pain) which you have to access by using a podcast app - let me know if you need help figuring that out, and whether you are most comfortable using a PC, Mac, iPhone or Android/Google.

The bottom line is that this work is all about taking control over your unconscious negative thoughts, the ones that your primitive brain is trying to overwhelm you with - so that it can keep you safe and in fear at all times. You MUST TAKE CONTROL and call bullshit on that crap!

You also MUST be willing to look hard and completely honestly at the negative emotions your primitive brain is trying to cover up with the symptoms.

And, most importantly (and this is mentioned frequently in the podcasts I mentioned, as well as in almost every Success Story) you have to stop obsessing about your symptoms. That's part of the negative chatter that you are allowing to take control of your thoughts.

Man, these three points are the key to it all, IMHO. I'm going to copy them, and probably repeat them multiple times!

Keep it up, okay? We're all hanging in there with you!

~Jan

 

Hi Jan
So good to hear from you again. I am not familiar with using podcasts. I would be using my android/Google to do it. I just looked up Nichole Sachs but I just see options to buy her book or take her classes. Is the podcast free?

 

Okay, let me see if I can point you in the right direction. The problem with podcasts is that they won't have a URL (web link) if the individual doesn't have a web site. Nicole does provide a couple of links (to Apple Podcasts and to Audioboom podcasts) on her web site, under her Resources tab, but I happen to know you can also get it from Google.

I think that most, or at least many podcasts are free, but in some cases donations are requested. Nicole has her book and seminars to sell (she is no longer taking individual clients, which is interesting), while Eddy requests Patreon donations to support his overhead. But donations are optional (although not tax-deductible, since they are to a private party for a service)(sorry, the CPA just had to say that).

Okay, I have an Android phone, so I just got the official Google Podcasts app in the Play store (make sure it's the one from Google). Simple and free, and once you're in the app, you can just do a search on the name of presenter or the podcast. The titles I gave above are the official names of the podcasts. You can subscribe so that your favorite podcasts will be at the top of the screen when you next use the app. You can stream or download if you want to listen later and might not have a signal, or if you're short on data. There will always be a list of recent episodes, so if you're like me, and don't listen regularly enough to catch all the episodes, you can just scan the topics and choose one. The next one will play automatically (there might be a setting for that).

It took me a long time to catch on to the convenience of podcasts, but now I'm hooked.

 

Thank you. I will see what I can do. I am sitting here tonight watching my brain jerk me around. It seems one big problem is about to be resolved so now my hip and leg are just screaming killing me! This makes me mad as I am making a huge effort to exercise and lose weight. I love to walk and garden and when this pain gets this bad...its hard to walk even around the house let alone the track. I swear I will make it thru this. Will listen to these podcasts.

 

I listened to a couple more of Nicole's podcasts today, and they're just great. I started with #30 titled "Anxiety!" because that was my lifelong issue, and when the next one started I thought it wouldn't be very relevant to me because it was about Pelvic Pain (#31) but in fact the things that Nicole covers in that one are wide-ranging and relevant to all TMS disorders, so I highly recommend it to anyone, whether or not they have pelvic issues. And actually, the full title is "Pelvic Pain, Resentments, and You Don't Have to be Sick". The part about resentments is awesome.

 

Jan
I was able to get the podcast and listened to anxiety one today. Really good. I am going to use her approach and give it a go. Thanks for suggesting this!

 

Pop over to my website and have a listen to the Podcast interview there, many have found it very helpful, especially those suffering from your precise symptoms, i.e., low back and legs.
https://kevinmviner.wixsite.com/tmscoach (TMS Coach)

 

Kevin,
I did listen to the podcast and found it very helpful. Whenever I hear about someone like yourself with multiple MRI findings and serious debilitating pain and how you made your way through it, I am so encouraged to keep going. Thank you.