• Alan has completed the new Pain Recovery Program. To read or share it, use this updated link: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/
  • Welcome to the new TMS Wiki server! Things aren't finished yet: email is not set up, so notification and password-reset emails don't go out, and new registrations are paused until email is installed. Details and updates are in this thread (click here). Locked out? Email tmswikisignups@gmail.com from the address where you receive TMS Wiki notifications.

Day 4 Day 4

S

StarStuff

Peer Supporter
I’m in a flare up today and in a lot of pain. It’s mostly nerve related and GERD. The abdominal scan I had a few days ago didn’t show any abnormalities and I’m on a PPI so I don’t know what’s going on other than my body is rebelling against this program.

I’m feeling nerve pain I’ve never felt before or pain that’s gone from tolerable to impossible to ignore. It can’t be a coincidence after writing all of these lists. My brain is screaming at me to stop but I did Day 4 anyway. I’ve reached out to a therapist to help me navigate this program but I haven’t heard back yet. I haven’t had good experiences with therapy as my insurance isn’t the best for that but I’m gonna try one more time anyway.
 
This is from the introductory post on the SEP forum:

"What to Watch Out For: As you work the SEP, your brain will not be happy, because it would rather have you stay in a familiar fearful state - so it might start to fight back. Worsening symptoms and new symptoms are very common experiences as people start seriously doing this work. Just know that this is a sign that you're getting somewhere and that it is a reason to rejoice - so keep the faith, and don't give up."

Just keep going-it's worth it. It happened to me too and it was hard. I took the SEP more slowly since my body was ramping up symptoms and it did take me longer than 42 days to complete it.
 
Joulegirl said:
Just keep going-it's worth it. It happened to me too and it was hard. I took the SEP more slowly since my body was ramping up symptoms and it did take me longer than 42 days to complete it.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the information and for sharing your experience with me. I also think it will take me longer than 42 days as I may need to take a break some days. My brain really wants me to just sit in freeze mode and stare into the distance. Seems so counterproductive even for safety, because being sedentary isn’t very safe or healthy and neither is being cut off from joy. Have you found that it has quieted down some since completing the program?
 
Joulegirl said:
I took the SEP more slowly
Click to expand...
StarStuff said:
My brain really wants me to just sit in freeze mode and stare into the distance.
Click to expand...
This is a great self-observation, @StarStuff. See if you can convince your brain to let you do some meditative breathing while you stare into space! If you look up "vagus nerve breathing" you'll find a huge number of resources with practices of different lengths. It doesn't have to take long at all - even a minute or two is therapeutic. If you have experience with yoga or meditation, you will already have the skills. If not, it's super-easy to learn how to breathe "properly" with free online resources.

https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/breathing-for-stress.24312/
 
Last edited:
StarStuff said:
Have you found that it has quieted down some since completing the program?
Click to expand...

Completing the program was the very first step for me so no, I didn't have a huge miraculous change in me. But I had awareness of my situation and what probably brought on latest TMS episode. That doesn't mean that you won't see changes, but just know everyone is different in this TMS journey. Even if two people have the exact same symptoms, the approach to heal can be very different. This forum is wonderful to ask questions!!!
 
JanAtheCPA said:
This is a great self-observation, @StarStuff. See if you can convince your brain to let you do some meditative breathing while you stare into space! If you look up "vagus nerve breathing" you'll find a huge number of resources with practices of different lengths. It doesn't have to take long at all - even a minute or two is therapeutic. If you have experience with yoga or meditation, you will already have the skills. If not, it's super-easy to learn how to breathe "properly" with free online resources.

https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/breathing-for-stress.24312/
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I’ve been doing vagus nerve breathing for a while and I even hum sometimes. Another thing I started doing is playing cards. Like solitaire and just shuffling them so that I’m not just sitting and feeling pain. It does help to engage in something like that and it makes some of my brain happy, but part of my brain doesn’t like it. I’m trying to get back into yoga again so I think that will help. Right now I’m able to do some stretches so I’m on my way there.
 
@StarStuff,You wrote
I’ve reached out to a therapist to help me navigate this program but I haven’t heard back yet

i was having a hard time too and was surprised how effective online therapy was for me. I didn’t think it could help but after a couple of weeks of online sessions and many hours daily responding to SEP prompts i was pain-free from the most debilitating TMS symptoms.

@StarStuff , You wrote
I also think it will take me longer than 42 days

Sometimes I stay with a SEP day’s prompt for days or weeks. I started 15 weeks ago, shortly after my father died, and today I’m on SEP Day 19. Go at your own pace but hang in there!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top