Day 1

[Shine4me]

My pain journey about started about 20 years ago, with pain in my right knee that made my life miserable. I was a golfer (social) and eventually had to stop because of the pain in my knee. I also gave up social squash, in fact anything athletic. Not only sport , but any walking became increasingly painful. The orthopedic surgeon recommended a total knee replacement, which was a great success and it was fantastic to be pain free again.
But, unfortunately I then started getting foot pain in my right foot. At first I thought i must have damaged it by limping when my kneee was painful. Anyway the orthopedic surgeon said he could find nothing really wrong with it, but that as one gets older the bones in the foot collapse and that might cause pain. Then I started getting pain in my left foot as well. This started a round of foot strengthening exercises, orthotics, pain killers, anti inflammatories, natural supplements to build cartilage. I gave up wheat, dairy tried all sorts of different pain remedies. My bookcase looks like a doctors library- all books on how to overcome pain.
I presently have, foot pain, hip pain, back pain and shoulder pain. Drugs, drugs and more drugs and I'm pretty sick of the whole saga. Some days I just wish I could die so that I do not have to be in pain. Other days life is good and I think I might have beaten it. I'm 72 years old and am hoping that this is not just another wild goose chase. I discovered Mind/body syndrome on the internet when searching for something to give relief and downloaded Dr Sarno's book "Healing Back Pain". As I began to read I started to get excited - it was as if he was describing me and my life. So here I am Day one. I will do whatever it takes.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Hi, Shine4me. Welcome to this online community of MindBody healing. You have come to the right place to heal from your pains. Dr. Sarno and his book on TMS are the miracle you have been looking for. I'm 86 and healed from severe back pain three years ago when a nurse told me about Dr. Sarno and his book.

Journaling in the SEProgram, I discovered trauma going back to when I was seven and my parents divorced. It left me with feelings of abandonment and insecurity. That led me to understanding them and myself better and I was able to forgive them, which healed me.

I do have a suggestion... there is a terrific salve for helping with relief from pain on any hurting part of the body... Voltaren Gel. It's available only from a doctor's prescription. It gives me instant relief, while I continue to believe the cause of the pain is TMS, from emotions.

 

[Shine4me]

Thanks Walt. I have some Voltaren gel. You can buy it over the counter here in South
Africa. I am taking so many supplements to help with pain as well as trying to avoid dairy and grains. I also take anti-inflammatories daily and I'm also taking colchicine for gout. I feel like a walking chemist shop!! I am fairly pain free if I don't do too much walking, but if I walk too far e.g. Shopping, I start to feel pain especially in my feet and hips. I'm working with a functional medical doctor who tested me for heavy metals and my lead levels are 18 times higher than normal so am on Chelation Therapy to remove that. His opinion is that it is exacerbating my inflammation. I am sure I have TMS so I decided to start walking again. I didn't go far only about 300 meters and now my feet are painful again, so the sneaky thought keeps coming back that maybe it's not TMS. I will definitely try the gel tonight. Thank you!