Day 1 A hopeful hello

[Red]

Hi to everyone out there,

I found the TMS method while searching for more informations on trigger point therapie a week ago and immediately started reading Dr. Sarno's book and some days later I canceled my trigger point therapy, because I believe that TMS is true for me.

I'm a woman of 34 and my main symptoms are heavy headaches/migraines (20 days a month) which seem to relate to the very stiff muscles in my back. The doctors couldn't find any reason for the headaches or the muscle tension. I tried everything... Massage, Acupuncture, Osteopathie, beta blockers, antidepressive, anticonvulsant, orthodontics... and many more. Nothing helped so far. When I get the headache the only thing that helps are triptanes, which are drugs against migraine.

Though headaches are not the main focus of Dr. Sarnos Method I could find myself in his description of typical patients:

• The list of things I was afraid of doing until last week became longer and longer. Almost every second I had to check if I was doing something wrong (like wrong sitting or standing).
• I know that I have a problem with my anger. Most times I just can't feel angry on someone in a situation which should make me angry. Later I am angry on my self for not being angry at the time (and demonstrating the other person that he's treating me unfair). Sorry if this sounds confusing.
• I'm also a big people pleaser and a little perfectionist

So far my symptomes have not changed, but I gained new life quality in the last few days, as I stopped worrying about every step I take. It feels really wonderful to not worry all the time. I didn't realize how much this stressed me out. And as my symptomes are not getting worse and my muscles are feeling even a little better than before, I'm more and more convinced that I must have TMS.

I'm looking forward to the programm and would love to know, if someone has experience with TMS and headaches/migraines.

PS: sorry for any spelling mistakes, I'm not a native speaker...

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Hi, Red. I just saw your post today. Welcome to the TMSWiki web site and the TMS healing community.

Headaches and migraines are both common symptoms of TMS from repressed emotions. My mother had migraines a lot and now I realize it was from emotional distress. She and my father worked hard but there was never enough money to support me and my older brother and sister. They divorced when I was seven years old and it left me with feelings of abandonment and insecurity. Journaling in the TMSProgram helped me to understand them better and to forgive them. I believe that helped my severe back pain to go away.

I'm glad you have stopped worrying. We can worry ourselves into causing headaches and pain. Most of what we worry about never actually happens. I find it much more useful to think positive and to laugh my problems away. Here are some thoughts on that.

Even if there is nothing to laugh about, just laugh. Maybe start with a smile. Then just laugh. It helps to watch a funny movie or TV show or read a funny book or something funny on the Internet. I've found funny videos to watch on Youtube.

Laughing is really healthy. It releases endorphins that make us feel better.

One of the best feelings in the world is the deep-rooted bellylaugh. It can bring people together and establish amazing connections. Everything from a slight giggle to a side-splitting guffaw can change the temperature of a room from chilly unfamiliarity to a warm family-like atmosphere.

There is so much to love about laughter that it seems greedy to look for more, but that’s exactly what researchers Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan at the LomaLindaUniversity in California have done. These two doctors have researched the benefits of laughter and found amazing results. Get ready to get your giggle on!

1. Laughing lowers blood pressure
People wholower their blood pressure, even those who start at normal levels, will reduce their risk of strokes and heart attacks. So grab the Sunday paper, flip to the funny pages and enjoy your laughter medicine.

2. Reduces stress hormone levels
You benefit from reducing the level of stress hormones your body produces because hormone-level reduction simultaneously cuts the anxiety and stress impacting your body. Additionally, thereduction of stress hormonesin your body may result in higher immune system performance. Just think: Laughing along as a co-worker tells a funny joke can relieve some of the day's stress and help you reap the health benefits of laughter.

3. Fun ab workout
One of the benefits of laughter is that it can help youtone your abs. When you are laughing, the muscles in yourStomachexpand and contract, similar to when you intentionally exercise your abs. Meanwhile, the muscles you are not using to laugh are getting an opportunity to relax. Add laughter to your ab routine and make getting a toned tummy more enjoyable.

4. Improves cardiac health
Laughter is a greatcardio workout, especially for those who are incapable of doing other physical activity due to injury or illness. It gets your heart pumping and burns a similar amount of calories per hour as walking at a slow to moderate pace. So, laugh your heart into health.

5. Boosts T cells
T cells are specialized immune system cells just waiting in your body for activation. When you laugh, you activate T cells that immediately begin to help you fight offSickness. Next time you feel a cold coming on, add chuckling to your illness prevention plan.

6. Triggers the release of endorphins
Endorphins are the body’s natural pain killers. By laughing, you can release endorphins, which can help easechronic painand make you feel good all over.

7. Produces a general sense of well-being
Laughter can increase your overall sense of well-being. Doctors have found that people who have apositive outlookon life tend to fight diseases better than people who tend to be more negative. So smile, laugh and live longer!

 

[Ines]

Hi Red,

Welcome. I am here for chronic migraines ( I am 37) and now have anxiety as well. They started 5 years ago when I was going through a really stressful situation in my life. I also have a goodist and perfectionist personality and internalized all of my feelings. I too have horrible neck pain. I know exactly what you mean and how it feels. It's really tight and tense. I go for massage, chiropractor, and acupuncture once a week. I could go 3 times a week if I can afford it. That's how tight my neck is at all times.

I also take a beta blocker daily, 75 mg of butterbur twice a day and for the pain I take either Treximet or Maxalt with nausea medicine. I also have anxiety meds but I cannot remember the name.

I read Mindbody Precription 3 weeks ago and I am on Day 11 of the SEP program.

3 weeks ago I could never have imagined I would be doing this good, this fast. At that time I was just returning to work from 5 weeks of disability because the pain was so bad that my body just broke down. I had anxiety constantly. I ended up in the ER one day and I'm sure you've gone through that whole experience.

At first I had to get my anxiety under control, just like you. I couldn't even be alone with myself because I was in a constant fear cycle. It took a few weeks to calm my anxiety down and I explained to somebody in this post here on how I did that:
http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/what-to-tell-myself.12600/#post-66378 (What to tell myself...)

This has been my third week and I am definitely noticing some changes.

First of all, when I go to my quiet place this week instead of doing my mental work my mind has been wandering. 5 minutes later I realize that I have not been thinking of fearful thoughts. Little by little the fear is going away.

Second, I am not letting my brain win and have it's way and it's retaliating just like the TMS SEP program articles say it will. This week, I started my period even though I just finished it a week ago, my lower back started to hurt, I started wheezing, and I feel my hormones are off. My brain is trying really hard and trying every single angle to scare me but I'm not letting it.

I've also cut back on massage, chiro and acupuncture and guess what, my headaches and neck pain are no worse than they were before.

Also, I started taking a dance class and I have way more energy now.

I was also a freak about what I ate. So much so that I started to think I was developing a disorder. I'm sure you've done different migraine diets. I was convinced mine was inflammation related so I ate no gluten, soy, corn, processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, or any sugar. I made sure to stick to 50 grams of carbs a day. If I strayed from that I would literally get anxiety and if I had a migraine the next day I would beat myself up all day about it.

The more I learn about TMS the more I am convinced that is all it is. I'm trying really hard to just be a normal person and my brain is fighting me but I'm trying to be persistent. It's funny but everything they say is true. I'm no longer trying obsessively to make a pattern to explain my migraines like hormones, inflammation or food. I'm just going about my day and it's getting better little by little.

I look forward to seeing your posts. I'm excited that there is another migraine person on the forum. Hey, check out this success story. It will give you hope..
http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/nine-years-of-migraines-my-success-story.12544/#post-66259 (Nine Years of Migraines - My Success Story)

Have a great weekend : )

 

[Red]

Thank you so much Walt and Ines for your kind replies. The last days were not too bad for me. I had 60 hours without migraine, something I did not have for weeks. Very cool.

I’ve always been an optimistic and life loving person (of course its hard sometimes with the pain, but I try to stick to that personality traits of me). So laughing away the pain, seems like really good approach to me.

I found a good way to deal with upcoming pain for now. We have a very popular song here in Germany about daydreaming. And the refrain goes like „Its all just in my head, hmmm, its all just in my head,….“. Its a happy song. So everytime the pain starts, I smile and start to sing this song in my head or hum the melody. Its fun and imidiatly lifts my mood. I hope my brain gets the message too

Ines, thank you so much for sharing your story with me. I can relate to nearly everything you are writing. We have gone through so much indeed. I think the problem with migraines is, that it has such a high placebo rate. So when you dive into the topic, you find a thousand of different cures and as many people who swear that they never ever had a migraine after they did „insert a random sport, diet, behaviour, etc.“. I always joked, that there must be someone who was cured by running naked around a tree by full moon and that I plan to try this one next. So you always have another theory to try and engage in your illness.

I’m doing well on the fear part at the moment. I enjoy so much that I don’t have to worry about everything I do. But there is one thing left that I’m really afraid of doing. That is jogging. Its been my favorite sport for some years and I really really miss it. But in the last year, every single time I started for a little training (I’m not fit enough anymore for a full run) I god a migraine afterwards. So now I’m jumping between my fear and the pleasant anticipation of running again. I promised myself that I will start again within the next week.

A wonderful sunny and painfree week to all of you!

 

[Ines]

Hi Red,

I'm going to try what you are doing and what Walt suggested and laugh more. That's good advice. I should have thought of that yesterday. I think it could have helped.

You know, your jogging fear reminds me of something. About 6 months ago I got it into my head to start an exercise program. My friend gave me some free videos and you are supposed to do 25 min. per day. Part of me was fearful but part of me thought 25 min. couldn't be so bad. They were boot camp style exercises. I was really afraid because any time I exercised and my face got red later that night I would get a migraine.
But... I am very stubborn and really wanted to get into shape. I did get migraines for the first few weeks but then they went away and actually they made my migraines better overall. That was about 6 months ago before I ever heard of TMS. I was doing really well but in December I got the stomach flu and vertigo and then the next week a migraine came and for the next 4 months up until now I've been dealing with it.
But.. when I read Mindbody Prescription and started the SEP I remembered that experience and it was part of my Evidence sheet. Somehow, I kept telling my brain to keep exercising and I would get better and I did. That experience helped me have less doubt believing this is all TMS.
I hope you start jogging again and I'm so glad you have not had a migraine for 60 hours!!! That's so incredible! : )

 

[Red]

I did it! Today I started jogging again
It was great and I did not worry about my puls or about overdoing it.

Ok now I sit here and the migraine is coming with full force. Unfortunatly its the 3 day in a row and my great 60 hours seem far away now. But I try to be faithful and hope everything will get better soon.

If I am afraid again to go running, I will reread your post Ines. It really motivated me today to just do it.

 

[Ines]

Yay!!!!! I'm so happy for you

 

[Lady Phoenix]

I had migraines for over nine years and the last 4 years I was in almost constant pain with no relief. I tried every type doctor and therapy. You may want to read my success story and a few others that deal with migraines. My headaches are 95% gone. I started reading the book, MBP, in February 2016. I did not know about this site until recently and I am doing the SEP for asthma now. The book was powerful and the success stories are very inspiring!