Big Setback Today

[bachman]

I would appreciate any help and support please

Things were going so well since I discovered the books of Dr Sarno in July after 2 and a half years of chronic pain with seriously bad acute episodes in my low back

Via the books, audible versions, You Tube videos, the Thank You Dr Sarno site and this site I was progressing my work and my comfort levels

By no means a cosy ride but when things like walking, jumping and basic living were coming easier it was easy to focus on the bright side

Fast forward to last couple of weeks and I had also started the Structured Educational Program to give me more focus and exposure

I had definitely also noticed things like some levels of pain moving around away form the back like in my shoulder and knee. Nothing like my back pain that has required morphine but just an extra note on my case


Fast forward again to today and I have took my first significant downward turn

Significant levels of back pain on my low left hand side
Movement restricted
Lots of fear and anxiety...and a few tears

Been like this for about the last 3-4 hours (live in UK) and in a bit of a downward spiral as far as both pain and attached emotions with it

Just wondering what I should do (and also what I maybe shouldn't)

I'm getting to the stage where I question whether I should take some drugs to assist me (tramadol and diazepam)
My thoughts are that it would maybe help alleviate to the extent I can continue to 'think TMS'

Other than that I'm just going back to my notes, coming back on the forums, will try and do todays SEP and just devote as many of my thoughts to all things TMS today (and maybe just try and rest/sleep if get the opportunity)

Writing this alone has helped.
Although I think I know what I need to do any support and advice would be much appreciated

Feeling extremely low and depressed right now

Mike

 

[Alfaman147]

Been there mate. I feel like that right now. I have extreme anal pressure and rectal pressure. I have good days and bad days. I have been off work for a while but now I'm due back on Monday day my symptoms are flaring up again. But I beat this for a while by stopping all thoughts of tms and stopped trying to analyse everything. I'm sure you are aware that the problem is psychological so in my view just bombarding yourself with thoughts of the pain and how to get rid of it just make it worse. I'm the same. As soon as I feel bad I'm straight on this forum and the Internet trying to get answers but it's just reminding me of the problem. So I would just forget all the notes and forums and just try and carry on. It's not a fast fix it will take time. But it will fade eventually. Anxiety and depression make pain worse. So does obsessing over it. Which I believe reading notes on how you feel is just a constant reminder.

 

[Brant]

thanks for sharing Mike, as part of my lifelong battle with the pain, feeling low and depressed is part of the TMS distraction I truly believe. If you get a chance read my story, I can definitely relate, I had a lot of pain shuffling around while doing the SEP too. really focus on "accept and embrace" TMS, it is a real thing, the downturn your feeling is TMS fighting back to regain control, send you back into more fear and anxiety, keep plugging away, your not alone, I had multiple surgeries that made no difference in my pain levels, only acceptance of TMS did!

 

[MrRage]

About a week ago I had a really bad migraine headache and the pain was so great that I couldn't think straight. I realized that the pain was TMS and that the purpose of the pain was to prevent me from being able to think straight. Then I reminded myself of something that Steve O wrote: 'great pain can be a sign that TMS knowledge is working and the brain is putting up a fight.'

The headache didn't go away immediately but it become much more tolerable and by bedtime it was more or less gone.

Dr. Sarno said that depression and anxiety are TMS equivalents. Depression is definitely an equivalent in my case.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Hi, guys. You might take comfort in knowing that you are not alone suffering depresssion and anxiety. They are twin monsters going around the world like a virus. Most everyone is struggling with them, but you (and I) are among the blessed because we know about Dr. Sarno and TMS. Steve O. is so right that TMS knowledge is working for you and everyone.

I used to wonder why my mother had migraines. As I grew up, and especially in learning about TMS, I realized why. Life is not always a bowl of cherries. Sometimes it really is the pits. TMS helps us to discover those pits and learn how to deal with them.

I suggest you all watch Dr. Sarno's videos about TMS on Youtube.

 

[bachman]

thanks so, so much for the comments guys

It's been a thoroughly tough day. Decided to take some meds just to take the edge off. Wasn't admitting that there was something more sinister or structural in the mix. Just took the edge off, allowed me to relax and read/rest a little bit.

Instead of reading the same stuff, took a break and got the first Steve Ozanich book and watched a few vids from his YouTube profile while doing a bit more talking to the brain

Mrrage - I agree wholeheartedly with that statement about the TMS fighting back

It's just so depressing (on a general mood level and also a clinical level)
It's like a Godfather moment....just when I try to get out, they pull me back in lol
Just got so many pressures that have come about after this all started that I was looking to make headways into all that but I'll just have to be kind to myself and scratch them thoughts a little longer and keep embracing what my intelligent mind has perhaps realised but the rest of me quite hasn't yet.

Thanks again
Mike

 

[bachman]

Thanks Walt - I created a playlist a month ago and did find using more video makes a refreshing change to reading

 

[MrRage]

'The Great Pain Deception" is a good book. What has helped me is reading new TMS literature as there are many insights and TMS requires us to absorb the material not only consciously but also unconsciously. Recovery is a process but it is not a process that we can readily ascertain or understand. A patient could be suffering today and by tomorrow he will recover. There are other people who become entirely pain free and will have a relapse because the brain still hasn't abandoned TMS as a survival strategy. There is no way to really measure how much progress has been made because the unconscious is distracting your conscious mind. A person could be suffering immensely today and by tomorrow he will recover. Nowadays I still have issues with TMS but I am losing the fear of the pain and the result seems to be that the pain itself has decreased.

Nowadays I've stopped trying to ignore the pain. Now I try to observe the pain and not resist it.

 

[TG957]

The key is that you are having a lot of emotions that come with it. Try to shift your focus to the emotions and feel through them. Really feel how they resonate in your body: through pressure in the chest, tightness in your muscles and so on. My pain usually gets a bit less when I do it. Hang in there, a better day will come!

 

[Ines]

I'd like to add that if you need pain meds that's ok. I went through that with Migraines and tried to fight it but it backfired. It backfired because I thought I wasn't understanding TMS and that I failed and I had doubts. It's our certain Personality T.
It's ok if the pain wants to come. Just let it flow through you and know that eventually if you stick to this TMS stuff it will ease up.

 

[bachman]

Thanks Ines

That's brilliantly summarised my last 48 hours

1- took one set of meds to stop 'peeing in the wind' so to speak
(Just re-read a few pages from healing back pain that also approves that requirement)

2 - listened to Claire weekes for first time- the flow thing was very helpful both for the pain and the mental side of things

3- within the relaxed flow, gently added to list of doing things again. Very mild exercise movements, couple dog walks, other functioning

Know I've had a setback but lots better than I thought I would have been 48 hours ago

Thanks again for all your tips and support