Beginning the Journey

[bordersgirl56]

I recently joined this forum and I am so glad I found it. Such lovely helpful and supportive people.

I live in Scotland and realise now that I have suffered with TMS since about the age of 15. I came across Dr Sarno's work whilst searching for help for my hip/groin/leg pain which I had had for 2 years. I have read two of his books and also Steve O's and just started another. It's like the scales have been lifted from my eyes. My most recent symptoms started 2 years ago after a horse riding incident but I realise that almost every pain I have ever had (not counting childbirth!) was/is TMS. I think when I read that it can cause recurring bladder problems I was convinced. So, everything from bladder problems, IBS, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder to the most recent will now be consigned to the TMS dustbin.

I totally get that my unconscious mind is capable of causing all this - but I think it just threw all the toys out of the pram when it realised I was onto it! Still limping along last week with the groin/leg pain, I then got hit with a hideous IBS attack and then along came cystitis/UTI. I mean really! Everything at once.

However, when the UTI hit, I thought just wait a minute - I know what's going on here. So instead of wailing at the unfairness of it all, I talked kindly to myself and didn't reach for the usual quack remedies. I have been drinking a lot of water but I tend to do that anyway. Normally by now I'd be in tears with the pain, but I'm NOT.

I am optimistic that I will beat the UTI but my ongoing leg pain is concerning me as to how I deal with it. I limp. I have limped for 2 years and now I think it is just a habit, but it's really difficult to break. I realised that I had a 'thing' about getting back on my horse so I have done that twice in the last week and felt good (still sore though). Part of my problem is that the first thing everyone says to me (with a 'poor you' expression on their face) is 'how are you?, how's the leg?' I need to find a way to politely ask them not to as I don't want to draw attention to it.

I go to the gym 2-3 times a week and can do recumbent bike (half hour) cross trainer 20mins and various weights - but a different matter altogether to be moving about the house making dinner or doing the housework!

Thank you for reading this and it's so uplifting to know that I am not alone.

 

[Becca]

when the UTI hit, I thought just wait a minute - I know what's going on here. So instead of wailing at the unfairness of it all, I talked kindly to myself and didn't reach for the usual quack remedies. I have been drinking a lot of water but I tend to do that anyway. Normally by now I'd be in tears with the pain, but I'm NOT.

This is HUGE! Congratulations! I know it can be easy to quickly move onto focusing on the next "problem" after you've made progress on one, almost like a checklist (beating UTI, check, now onto beating leg pain) but really take some time to be in the moment and feel proud of yourself. It's important, I think, to take that time and really sit with those positive feelings. It reinforces that you CAN do this! Also - you deserve it!

 

[Forest]

I don't think people really understand how easy it is to condition yourself to believing you have a serious problem. With people asking how you are all the time at some point you are going to start thinking that you do in fact have something wrong. The reason knowledge is the penicillin to TMS is because it reduces the effect that this sort of thing has on us. By understanding that we do not have a physical problem, we can tune out all of the voices that reinforce the physical. You are on the right path!

 

[gailnyc]

I would just answer people with "It's fine" or "it's improving, thanks for asking," and then move on to other topics. I have the same problem with my foot. I realize people are asking because they are concerned, so I answer minimally. If they press the issue, I will say "I'd really rather not talk about it--talking about it seems to make it worse." They take the hint and move on to other topics.