Day 1 Day 1

Well today I shall start...

After suffering with pain for quite a few years you can see my main post here http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/help-advice-on-what-to-do.9456/page-2#post-52242

I am certain I have TMS, the pain went from my feet into my lower back and constantly after a few months move around to different places, this included, arm pain, neck pain, hand pain, upper back, stomach issues and throat issues, all these symptoms just didn't make sense and thats when after months of research I came across TMS and realised I have it. I went to see Georgie and she confirmed that this is the case.

BUT...

The problem I have is I've had surgery on both my hips for fai & labral tears, I find it hard to believe that the pain I get from here which includes minor groin pain and constant buttock pain when sitting (its just below the buttocks which goes down my thigh) is TMS.

The research into FAI/Labral tears is here thefaifix.com it basically says there is no correlation between labral tears and FAI on X-ray/mri evidence that suggests that person should be in pain. I was doing this program for quite a few months everyday up until I went to Kefalonia

However when I was so focused on fixing my back my hip pain reduced a lot.... BUT was this because I was doing the exercises or because I was so focused on my other pains. Then when I went to kefalonia after my back pain subsided I was fine sitting the whole plane journey there and back without any pain and for the entire holiday.

It was once I got back and went to the park that I feared running after this rugby ball but did it anyway that the pain started the next day.

So I know I have TMS but am just not sure about my hips...It makes sense that it is TMS though.. I am just unsure if I should start doing my exercise on them everyday again, but as Georgie said to me if I am so focused on the pain by doing them then the pain won't leave (if it is TMS which she said it is)

So here is to Day 1

Sam

 

Hi Samuel,

Way to go in starting the SEP! Not everyone has access to a TMS practitioner, so it was great that you got to see Georgie and obtained an official diagnosis. She is well respected and well known in this community, and that should help you to trust her diagnosis and believe in TMS. As Georgie told you, no, don't do the exercises if you are just focusing on the pain - that is because focusing on pain fuels more pain! But, if you are exercising for general health and well being, that is great. Do you see the difference? In general, try to forget about the hip pain and other pain; instead, focus on your feelings and starting the SEP. It will lead you where you need to go. Good luck, and so happy you've gotten started with the SEP! Sunny

 

Welcome to TMS!

I've had a history of some chronic pains too in my mid 20's--medically unexplainable throat pain 2 years and shoulder/ankle/wrist pain 8 months. I was obsessed about it too, searching for a diagnosis and answers for why I was in pain. Looking back at it, TMS was the obvious answer. I'm glad my doctor at the time sent me to a Mind Body Stress Reduction class. Eventually I just stopped focusing on the pain and one day I noticed it was gone.
Harder to do with my arm. Half of my income came from massage so a lot of pressure built up and focus to get better. I've kind of just let that go, and just keep persistently doing the TMS work, knowing that just like all the other pains, this one will be gone 100% some day too.

 

Hi, Sam. You still have some doubts that your pain is TMS. It isn't easy to believe 100 percent but that is what Dr. Sarno and the other TMS therapists say is essential in healing.

Steve Ozanich says in his excellent TMS book, THE GREAT PAIN DECEPTION, that he played golf despite the pain and it helped heal him, together with discovering his TMS repressed emotions, which were anger. Here is some advice on when to resume activity and exercise.

Many people have been asking when to resume physical activity. It can be different for different people, and they may fear that activity can cause more pain. The following not only may be of interest to and apply to you, but it is good for everyone to read who wonders about when to resume physical activity and exercise:

Dr. Sarno says in his TMS book, THE MINDBODY PRESCRIPTION, "If the pain disappears but you are still fearful of physical activity, recurrent pain, injury and progressive degeneration of spinal elements, the battle has not yet been won. The pain will return unless you overcome those fears. So patients are advised to resume normal, unrestricted physical activity once the pain is gone, or nearly so, and when they feel confidence in the (TMS) diagnosis.

Sarno says don't worry if you exercise too soon and experience some pain. You cannot hurt yourself. Continuing pain with activity means the brain is still in the process of changing its programming (from thinking structural to thinking emotional causing the pain. Stay secure in the knowledge that you will prevail. This has proven to be the case for thousands of patients. Exercise as if the pain is not there.But do not purposely exercise the area in pain. If you do this becomes physical therapy, which hinders healing. Train for good health [in general] and a sense of well-being."

Dr. Scott Brady agrees, in his TMS book, PAIN FREE FOR LIFE, saying "Confidence is huge in the process of (TMS) recovery, and your subconscious knows it. So when you begin to engage in those activities and exercises you once did, you can expect the subconscious to turn up your symptoms in a last-ditch effort to keep you away from the dangerous emotions you've started to explore... emotions that the subconscious is trying so hard to protect. Be ready to fight with your subconscious mind!"

 

Hey Sam. I'm 22 and like you I'm an active guy, I go to the gym a lot. I have had hip and shoulder problems for the last 2 years, and knowing about TMS has pretty much made all the pain disappear. One orthopaedic surgeon told me I had impingement and labral abnormalities in my shoulder, and it feels great now. Remember there is almost no correlation between structural changes and pain, and in the long term, it can't explain the pain.

 

Thanks Walt I shall certainly start reading these books again. As I certainly need some more confidence! I really appreciate the reply's you give me! Regarding the daily reminders did you print them out and read them every morning I think I should probably do that.

 

Yea thats similar to me! I mean I sit all day at my desk doing design work, and its sitting which causes me the most pain! so its hard to not think about it when that is what I am doing all day. It's great you are making good progress hopefully I can too!

 

That's great! It's horrible but also quite nice to know someone is going through a similar thing. What TMS work did you do to get out of your pain. Thanks for the message !

 

Thanks Sunny, getting replies after I have posted on here really helps me to keep going!

 

My progress has been great! I gave 3.5 hours of pain free massage last week. When just weeks before I would be in significant pain moving my thumb or extending my forearm. This week I've done 2 hours with some sensation in my arm that is borderline pain.... Then I get caught in the cycle of thinking about it, fearing it.

It's taken months and years of conditioning, life experiences and self talk for this to develop, and will take some time to abate 100%, until then I'm just being patient and recognizing its a process.

In the mean time the meditation, journaling and self discovery has led to much positivity and other wonderful things happening in my life. So there is much to appreciate. Be well and hang in there! Remember, TMS may cause pain but it cannot physically hurt you!

 

I read the Mindbody Prescription by Sarno a few times. Then I came on here and worked through the program. The biggest breakthroughs for me were when I overcame the fear of the pain, in other words, strengthened my belief that it was psychological. Take it easy on yourself man, and work through the program at your own pace. You have to really believe on a gut level this stuff: that's when this stuff works. And it may take time. Recovery is rarely linear, or straightforward.

 

Hey Sam,

Thanks for sharing your apprehensions with us. Man, you were fortunate to be officially diagnosed by a recognized TMS practitioner, focus on that. Many TMS sufferers have healed by way of reading and introspection, such as I, so the fact that you have the diagnosis AND are doing this program, you will overcome TMS. When I finally learned of TMS, about 8 months ago, after exhausting so many conventional medical treatments, I learned that Dr. Sarno had retired recently.... I live in NYC where he practiced, so I was bummed. But I kept reading, began and completed this Structured Educational Program, and wouldn't you know it, by the time I finished the program, I was healed! I'm 2+ months post program, and I'm great. I am in psychotherapy, I have some deep childhood crap that needs addressing, but I also continue to read, come here stay active, and JOURNAL! Journaling for me personally has been by far the most effective tool to release and get in touch with repressed emotion.

Anyhow, glad to see you here, you're certainly on the right track, I implore you to stick with the program and finish it, you won't be disappointed.

Take care,

Kevin

 

Hi, Sam. Yes, I printed out Dr. Sarno's 12 Daily Reminders. If I haven't given you the extended version of them from Herbie, here they are:

Herbie’s Extended Version of Dr. Sarno’s 12 DAILY REMINDERS

1. The pain is due to TMS. This is real pain or anxiety but its caused by subconscious tensions and triggers, stressors and traits to your reactions and fears and also when at boiling point your conscious tension can and does cause real pain too.
2. The main reason for the pain is mild oxygen deprivation. This means that when you get in pain or in anxiety then the the blood is restricted from going to your lower back for instance. The blood being restricted causes oxygen deprivation which causes the pain - remember, where theirs no oxygen then there is pain in the body. Also, The pain stays because of fear and focus to physical organic symptoms and repressions.
3. TMS is a harmless condition caused by my REPRESSED EMOTIONS so even though you think you can harm yourself from the years of pain you have felt and how you feel in general -- so far no reports have been heard from tms healing knowledge causing damage to anyone, it only helps.
4. The principle emotion is your repressed ANGER -- this means under your consciousness lies something that happens automatically to everyone. Tmsers have repressions that are stored because of our personality traits,traumas, stressors, fears, strain, etc... When these stored repressions build and build then eventually they cause the brain to send pain into your body to keep you from having an emotional crises. The mind-body thinks its helping you.
5. TMS exists to DISTRACT your attentions from the emotions, stressors, tensions and strains of your personality traits because if you can get distraction then you wont have to be in emotional turmoil. When you don't face and feel your emotions and they get repressed cause you didn't want to deal with something -- they are just adding up in this beaker, ready to pour over and create real pain and anxiety in your body.
6. Since my body is perfectly normal, there is nothing to fear. So in reality when I fear the pain or anxiety I just cause myself undo strain and tension adding to the beaker of pain. If I fear then I feed the pain, If I fear Its impossible to recondition. Fear keeps the pain and anxiety alive in the body through focus.
7. Therefore, physical activity is harmless.If I want to work against the pain I could but its better to lose some of the pain so when I start my life over I=t have to be in pain trying to heal cause facing the repressions and all the other activities that cause the pain and reversing my fear and focus to them then I can heal.
8. I am resuming all normal physical activity. I don't fear moving anymore. I believe in my bodies ability to heal now. I can move how I want. I will not fear moving with a bent back anymore. I will also practice going out and acting normal again, not in fear of what pain might do to me.
9. The pain is unimportant and powerless. Its only power is how its hidden -- its illusion, Its fear.
10. I will keep my attention on the emotional issues. I will think about my emotions and feel my emotions throughout the day. I will not judge, criticize or fear my emotions. I will not run from my emotional issues but face everyone of them. I will feel my emotions fully and cry if I need to. Then I will release the emotion and get my mind and thoughts back to my life and living in the present, in flow.
11. I am in control of all of this. This is how I recover.
12. I will be thinking PSYCHOLOGICALLY AT ALL TIMES. This means I will keep my thoughts on psychological issues like happiness, fear and anger -- traits and triggers, conditioning and journaling. The science behind mind-body/tms healing, etc.... This way I will not feed my thoughts to the body -- that is a trick of tms. Tms will always try to get me to focus on the body caused by the pain until I break its show and flair. When I get my attention off psychical symptoms and on emotional issues and psychological issues then I will not feed the fear of the physical issues anymore thus making the tms of no effect. This will in return, give us the cure.

 

Thanks Kevin So you aren't suffering with an major pain anymore?

 

Hey Sam! Sorry I didn't get back sooner, I had in-laws in town and was busy with all that. To answer your questions, I'm pleased to report I haven't suffered any major pain since I completed the program, right around July 16th of this year. I have done SO many activities since then, including very long walks (6-7 miles); going to several concerts and standing for long periods; hikes; weight lifting; etc. I still get a light tightness every so often, but I can usually get that to disappear by talking to my brain, telling it that I REFUSE to go there, that I know it's TMS, then poof, it goes away. I'm still doing some psychotherapy, every other week, and I still journal. I also like to check in back here to stay connected. But I'm cool with doing these things because it helps keep me aware, and I'll do anything to keep that pain away- that way of living was awful, although it taught me much, so I am grateful for it - but I don't wish to go through it again.

Hope this gives you more encouragement. Please keep us posted on your progress, or setbacks, helping you helps me, that's how this seems to work.

Kev