My name is Rob and I am a 47 year old Police Sergeant, fitness enthusiast and bodybuilder who has been fighting this battle for the past 4 years +. My issue is back pain. My entire left side of my body has sharp muscle spasms and I was unable to even sit without using my arms to brace myself in the beginning. Standing more than 1 minute could cause "end of the world" spasms that would knock me to the ground. I have been through all of treatments, nerve ablations, shots, physical therapy, chiro, etc etc. and nearly killed myself to escape the neverending pain. I used to cry driving to and from the doctors office because no one could help or cared to.... I was devastated. I have a herniated disc in my thoracic spine that is pressing on my spinal cord, but I am now not paying that any attention and things are starting to get better... FINALLY. Due to my addiction to exercise, I continued to work out over the years in direct contradiction to the pain, which also may have saved my life. I found you all here and have had dramatic improvement in a short time. I am about 3 weeks into the TMS discovery and am inching closer to freeing my mind of this torture. My main issues now are not trying to be so overvigilent in my thoughts that that dedication doesnt become overwhelming and take the place of pain as another form of distraction. Sometimes I feel like I am chasing my thoughts around in circles. I can make it out of this... first time I have said that in years... thanks to you all and this great site!
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Alan has completed the new Pain Recovery Program. To read or share it, use this updated link: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/
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Day 1, well really day 1500, but here goes:)
- Thread starter neverfail
- Start date
Andy Bayliss
TMS Coach & Beloved Grand Eagle
Welcome Neverfail,
I am happy for you with your steadfastness to not give up exercise, and to find an approach like this, finally, that is working. Many of us here have similar stories of endless physicians and healers, and only Dr. Sarno's approach worked. I was scheduled for surgery on a "dying nerve" and a couple of months into using Dr. Sarno's work, I moved from limping and crutches, to my first overnight backpack trip in 4 years. Avoided damaging, needless surgery, and embraced the true cause of my pain. You are right. This is the real deal.
I wonder if you can explain a little more about this. How are you overvigilent in your thoughts? Is is about using Dr. Sarno's work correctly?
Seeing how you might get lost in thought or pressure yourself (about anything, including the TMS approach) is good information for you. You can see what may be causing symptoms, and the way you habitually engage with life. If this is so, part of the relief comes with just connecting the mind and personality activity to the symptoms, and part of the relief may come from relaxing these patterns over time. But not pushing ourselves to make huge changes. Rather, to work on awareness and acceptance, and compassion for ourselves in all our difficult patterns.
Self acceptance (even of our most "destructive traits") is the antidote to the habitual striving to make ourselves better and loved, and is a basic approach for treating TMS.
Good luck, and good healing!
Andy B.
I am happy for you with your steadfastness to not give up exercise, and to find an approach like this, finally, that is working. Many of us here have similar stories of endless physicians and healers, and only Dr. Sarno's approach worked. I was scheduled for surgery on a "dying nerve" and a couple of months into using Dr. Sarno's work, I moved from limping and crutches, to my first overnight backpack trip in 4 years. Avoided damaging, needless surgery, and embraced the true cause of my pain. You are right. This is the real deal.
I wonder if you can explain a little more about this. How are you overvigilent in your thoughts? Is is about using Dr. Sarno's work correctly?
Seeing how you might get lost in thought or pressure yourself (about anything, including the TMS approach) is good information for you. You can see what may be causing symptoms, and the way you habitually engage with life. If this is so, part of the relief comes with just connecting the mind and personality activity to the symptoms, and part of the relief may come from relaxing these patterns over time. But not pushing ourselves to make huge changes. Rather, to work on awareness and acceptance, and compassion for ourselves in all our difficult patterns.
Self acceptance (even of our most "destructive traits") is the antidote to the habitual striving to make ourselves better and loved, and is a basic approach for treating TMS.
Good luck, and good healing!
Andy B.
Thanks Andy!
Yes, I am putting the pieces together about how hard I push myself and fit the TMS mold perfectly. As far as the "chasing" goes.... I sometimes find it hard to tell my brain to stop being a bully while trying to ignore a flood of pain signals and then concentrate on what emotional cues could be causing it. I know the answer to my own question "Just focus on the feelings, not the pain" and it should subside.... practice practice practice I guess
Yes, I am putting the pieces together about how hard I push myself and fit the TMS mold perfectly. As far as the "chasing" goes.... I sometimes find it hard to tell my brain to stop being a bully while trying to ignore a flood of pain signals and then concentrate on what emotional cues could be causing it. I know the answer to my own question "Just focus on the feelings, not the pain" and it should subside.... practice practice practice I guess
Andy Bayliss
TMS Coach & Beloved Grand Eagle
Yes neverfail! And this does take some time, to change habits, because we've been so used to focusing on symptoms.
I think it is great you can recognize the Inner Bully. Part of its job is to distract you from feelings, or make your feelings wrong. It is part of the "distraction" complex. As you say, focus on the feelings, and if you get tired of the Bully, tell it to BACK OFF!!
Andy B.