Praxeologist
New Member
My name's Tom and I'm 24 years old. When I was in high school I used to run track until the point when I strained my knees too far one day and I could barely walk for a while. Orthopedists told me that I had damaging physical conditions and gave me no real solution to heal except painful physical therapy. I gradually got better to where I could do some light activity with my legs, until my senior year when I strained my arms through light weightlifting/ then excessive bowling one day. Orthopedists told me I had tendinitis, etc., I thought that I had no chance of ever getting better. I experienced lots of pain and disability all throughout my body for 2 years after that, coupled with extreme anxiety. After my first year of college I decided to go to a psychiatrist and through anti-anxiety medication and really good therapy sessions, my pain significantly lowered and life became normal.
Two years later, after finishing college I discovered TMS, I even went to Dr. John Sarno. I gradually resumed activities I couldn't do before, such as playing video games without pain in my arms. A year after college I started working at a store where I had to stand all day. I was scared at first but I got used to the standing, the folding clothes, lifting light and sometimes even heavy items. I have been working there for almost three years now and it's been good for me. Last summer I had a flare-up with my wrists, but after taking time off for three weeks I got back to work and I was good. Recently I was at home cleaning and I kneeled for about 2 minutes, trying to ignore the pain. The next 2 weeks of work the pain in my knees got worse and worse, despite trying to psych myself up to just fight through it. Sometimes I know the pain is psychological and other times I fear there's damage in there. Sitting at home, walking around outside, the pain continues to linger. Now I am stopping work for a week but I have to let the store know tomorrow if I need another week after that to rest. After all that I've overcome I'm afraid if I go back to work the knee pain will get even worse and I'll undo all the progress made since I was 15.
Another note- for the past few years my pain levels have been low in both arms and legs, but I do have pain activated by compulsive thoughts much of the time. Such as, needing to re-look at something in order to eliminate pain, or needing to touch something again in order for the pain in my leg/ anxiety in my head to subside. Right now I am in panic mode, thinking that this pain in my knee is damage and now my future is at risk. I have built so much at the store I work at and I do not want to stop working. I made sure to not go TOO far, none of the work days the past two weeks were totally unbearable. Part of me knows that a week to clear my head and rest will get me back to normal. But another part of me fears my life is falling apart, and I'm going to strain myself standing all day at work, and then my vision of having a normal adult life will disintegrate. I need some advice. I know the answer is within me, and I am obsessing and that's unhealthy. I may go to my psychiatrist, who has helped me immensely. I need to get a doctor's note soon so when I come back my absences are excused- I'll probably go to an orthopedist and try not to think too physically whatever he says. Still, I would like to hear some good words from some of you guys. I'm in a bad place right now and I just want to be where I was a month ago. Any help is appreciated.
Two years later, after finishing college I discovered TMS, I even went to Dr. John Sarno. I gradually resumed activities I couldn't do before, such as playing video games without pain in my arms. A year after college I started working at a store where I had to stand all day. I was scared at first but I got used to the standing, the folding clothes, lifting light and sometimes even heavy items. I have been working there for almost three years now and it's been good for me. Last summer I had a flare-up with my wrists, but after taking time off for three weeks I got back to work and I was good. Recently I was at home cleaning and I kneeled for about 2 minutes, trying to ignore the pain. The next 2 weeks of work the pain in my knees got worse and worse, despite trying to psych myself up to just fight through it. Sometimes I know the pain is psychological and other times I fear there's damage in there. Sitting at home, walking around outside, the pain continues to linger. Now I am stopping work for a week but I have to let the store know tomorrow if I need another week after that to rest. After all that I've overcome I'm afraid if I go back to work the knee pain will get even worse and I'll undo all the progress made since I was 15.
Another note- for the past few years my pain levels have been low in both arms and legs, but I do have pain activated by compulsive thoughts much of the time. Such as, needing to re-look at something in order to eliminate pain, or needing to touch something again in order for the pain in my leg/ anxiety in my head to subside. Right now I am in panic mode, thinking that this pain in my knee is damage and now my future is at risk. I have built so much at the store I work at and I do not want to stop working. I made sure to not go TOO far, none of the work days the past two weeks were totally unbearable. Part of me knows that a week to clear my head and rest will get me back to normal. But another part of me fears my life is falling apart, and I'm going to strain myself standing all day at work, and then my vision of having a normal adult life will disintegrate. I need some advice. I know the answer is within me, and I am obsessing and that's unhealthy. I may go to my psychiatrist, who has helped me immensely. I need to get a doctor's note soon so when I come back my absences are excused- I'll probably go to an orthopedist and try not to think too physically whatever he says. Still, I would like to hear some good words from some of you guys. I'm in a bad place right now and I just want to be where I was a month ago. Any help is appreciated.
