Amazed!

So, two weeks ago whilst going through yet another online search to find help for my crippling back pain I came across something called TMS and found this site. I read a little about it and joined and posted on this site. I ordered Dr Sarno's book, Healing Back Pain, immediately with Amazon Prime (next day delivery ) and read it all within half a day.

In the same way I had accepted that my pain was with me forever, I accepted everything I read in that book.

During that day I cried a lot and thought a lot but by later that day I realised I had no more crippling electric shock/cattle prod pains! I did not have to journal. It just all made sense straight away and I accepted it 100%.

Sure, I have diagnosed OA, inflammatory arthritis, DDD with bone on bone (no disc) at L5/S1, spinal canal narrowing - the usual (all shown on MRI), oh and stiffness. However, the pain that has literally crippled me and ruled my life since July 2016 has gone!

For two weeks I have had no pain, I still have stiffness but I can ignore that. I have had a couple of niggles (ie when gardening - not done that for a year) but just told them to go away and have not let them grip me and they have not come back or stayed with me!

I have been able to stand to cook (had terrible trouble with standing) and can walk normally (before, I felt so weak when walking I thought my back was going to collapse!). I can sit down/and get up from sitting with no problem (before, I would get that cattle prod each time). I can shower with no issue, before getting in and out was a nightmare. I can get in and out of the car and drive with no issues (before I had to use a lumbar roll and had "shocks" getting in and out).

I am absolutely delighted and amazed that this book has taken my pain away and given me the understanding of how to cope with any "flares" if they come.

Thank you Dr Sarno and all who commented on my original post. I am a very happy girl.

 

That is wonderful!! Congratulations!

 

That's fabulous as100uk!! Very happy for you! This stuff really works.

 

Great news as100uk! Now that you are feeling better, do you think you will want/need to do anything to maintain the progress you've made? Will you simply keep your Sarno book handy? Or will you start journaling or meditating? Or will it be enough to simply remember that your pain is not structural?

I'm always quite interested to know what others do to keep the pain away once they've had their initial breakthrough.

 

I think the best thing to do when you don't have any pain is to enjoy every pain free moment. If the pain recurs, then read and re-read Sarno and read other TMS authors like Marc Sopher and Steve Ozanich.

The best way of dealing with TMS pain, in my opinion, is to be aware that the pain is due to a psychological/unconscious process and also to address the issues that lead to a build up of rage in the unconscious. One of the biggest issues for me is being a perfectionist and a pessimist. Nowadays, I try to be very aware of my thoughts and I try to think positively rather than negatively. I also think holding grudges and feeling angry at others is something that builds up rage in the unconscious.

The most important thing is to have full faith and understanding in the healing process. I've known about TMS for a year now and I've had my ups and downs but I know for a fact that my pain/frequent urination is psychological and not structural. Whenever I have problems, I read TMS books and self help books in order for the information to sink further and further into my unconscious mind. Sometimes I have to read something three or four times before it really "clicks."

One thing I do to improve my mood and to get my mind off of TMS pain is to list at least 40 things I'm grateful for. I really recommend this as one way of getting your mind off of any pain you might be having.

 

thank you all

The terrible pain I had had since July 2016 had stopped me from doing anything, including exercise, I had even stopped taking my beloved dogs for many walks. Last night I walked them around our block, twice. Not much at all but I am really out of condition so for me it was a lot! I did have one slight "cattle prod" pain last evening BUT rather than (like I used to) dwell on it and think doom and gloom I just acknowledged it as nothing to worry about and carried on - it did not progress (as previously) into severe debilitating pain and just went away because I did not THINK about it further. My muscles are a little sore today as they are not used to moving but that will go in a couple of days. I think I shall only walk once around the block for a while and build up

John - it is early days but should the pain I had come back again to a degree that it consumes me - I will do anything necessary regarding TMS. I would for a start re-read the book and talk to my "demons." This is all I have done so far. On the day I read the book, I looked back at all the things that have happened in my life that have had a negative impact on me and as I was alone, I actually spoke to each one individually, out loud. I also had a really good cry which is something I do not usually "let" myself do. I told those demons how they had affected me etc and I said I would not hold on to the negative way they made me feel. I also told myself not to try to be so perfect in everything and that it is okay for me to feel angry over certain things and cry if I felt like it! I am hoping this is all I will need to do as I just saw myself so clearly being described in that book and it just clicked with me.

MrRage - I plan to do just that! I will need to build up to doing the things I used to love gradually but I am looking forward to it! I literally started having a conversation with my brain when reading the book lol I believe this is the answer for me if anything happens. For example, after my walk last night when I had a niggle I just said in my head "whatever, you can stop that, it is completely normal as I overdid it. You have been telling me I could not do it, and I can! I am not going to pay anymore attention to you unless you have something nice to say!" and I smiled and carried on. Before "brainy" would start asking "oooo what was that/your spine is collapsing/you have to stop walking/it is going to happen again anytime you do something!" etc! My brain had taken over and made me obsess about the pain I had, to the degree that it blurred out all else. My brain was making me feel awful! I am now going to treat my brain almost like a separate entity so that if it starts spurting out anything negative (thoughts/pain etc) I can imagine it "sitting up there" and I will respond to it positively with a little conversation. I expect this is similar to journaling for me and I will continue to do this as I am amazed at the results so far.