Emotions or Pain Pathways? Help! I am losing hope.

[Dorado]

@BloodMoon, it was something I had researched before I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos. Given how it affects muscles and nerve impulses, I’ve always found the way stress can prompt symptoms to be very interesting.

 

[BloodMoon]

@BloodMoon, it was something I had researched before I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos. Given how it affects muscles and nerve impulses, I’ve always found the way stress can prompt symptoms to be very interesting.

Yes, indeed, my ocular myasthenia gravis came on at exactly the same time as I became hypothyroid and that was at the point of reaching menopause which, of course, is very stressful for a whole manner of psychological, as well as physical, reasons. I'll let you know if (or I should say 'when') my myasthenia improves/disappears.

I think your advice about getting on with one's life is absolutely the best, Dorado. I'd been trying all sorts of TMS techniques this past year or so, but recently I've seen some progress (some reduction in pain) since I started writing a book (a lot of my thoughts these days are on the research I'm doing and in working out the plot), learning to play chess, learning a foreign language and doing Rosen Method movements for exercise. It means that my brain isn't constantly throwing up meandering fearful thoughts because it's concentrating on other things...

I'm beginning to think that my brain/mind is like one of those intelligent breeds of dogs that badly misbehaves and wrecks their surroundings if they're not occupied with things that combine their intelligence with movement, e.g. with agility training. But, in my case, it's not the sofa that gets torn to shreds, it has been my body that's suffered. I think that, at least for me, 'getting on with my life' in order to get better essentially entails variety and learning new stuff to keep my mind from getting bored and importantly knowing that those things aren't merely a distraction but something worthwhile (e.g. when I've finished my book someone might like reading it). And I think enjoying the actual process of learning and doing stuff is really important too.

 

[Meu-retired]

TMS & chronic pain community, I desperately need your help! 2 years of chronic low back pain. Never gets better. In fact, it seems to just get worse. After months of trying all of the traditional physical approaches (MRIs, 30+ docs, procedures, injections, lumbar devices, Rx medications, physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, exercise/gym, psychotherapy, meditation, yoga, herbs, supplements, CBD, kratom, medical marijuana, etc), I then spent a year and half dedicated and committed to the TMS/Mind Body approach. I was convinced it had to be TMS. It made 100% sense to me. I did months of daily journaling, trying to feel my repressed emotions, and telling myself it was just TMS and not physical. Multiple times each I have watched every YouTube video, read every book, listened to every audiobook, read every forum, facebook group, apps, etc. I fit the TMS mold 100%- perfectionist, people pleaser, worrier, hard on myself, etc. I am 44 with at least 20 years of severe chronic anxiety, bouts of severe clinical depression, and various forms of unexplained chronic pain. I see myself in every TMS story I read. However, no matter what I do, I just continue to hurt and NEVER feel the slightest improvement. I go to bed every night being positive and telling myself that tomorrow is the day I start to feel better, but it is the same thing every day when I wake up. I feel like I can’t break the cycle and see no end in sight and have just about lost hope. I hurt from the moment I wake up until the moment I fall asleep. On top of the back pain, I have minor sciatic pain sensations in my left butt, hamstring, calf, and foot, and some docs told me that the nerve is not properly functioning, but nobody can even directly correlate it to a pinched nerve or anything on the MRI (just some slight bulging)- and I know, that doesn’t indicate pain anyway!


I dont “fear” the pain. I just can’t take the pain. I am sure I have repressed anger and sadness and other emotions that my brain doesn’t want me to deal with, but yet I cant seem to uncover it despite many reputable psychotherapists working on it. I had a happy childhood and family with no memorable traumatic experiences growing up. I have considered a TMS Doctor, but I feel like they are just going to tell me the same things I have read daily for 2 years (I could practically recite every Sarno and Steve O book at this point!), so I don’t know what that would do for me at this point.


I am torn now between believing this is caused by repressed emotions (TMS) and wondering if this has now evolved into pain pathways that have become so strong. I really wonder now if dealing with emotions will solve my pain? Couldn’t it be that it is all neurological at this point and my brain and nerves are just signaling pain or interpreting signals as pain? How do you undo that? I believe Dr. Schubiner’s explanation of pain pathways, and I really wonder if that is my problem at this point, and if feeling my emotions can fix that? I don’t know what to believe anymore.


I am really out of ideas and hope. I haven’t experienced any joy in any moment of my life now for 2 years, and there are no signs of anything changing based on the fact that I feel the same every single day now. What do I do? I don’t want to accept a life of chronic pain and misery. I’d rather not live at that point, but I have kids and a family who loves me. Your insights and advice would be so appreciated. Thank you so much.

TMS & chronic pain community, I desperately need your help! 2 years of chronic low back pain. Never gets better. In fact, it seems to just get worse. After months of trying all of the traditional physical approaches (MRIs, 30+ docs, procedures, injections, lumbar devices, Rx medications, physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, exercise/gym, psychotherapy, meditation, yoga, herbs, supplements, CBD, kratom, medical marijuana, etc), I then spent a year and half dedicated and committed to the TMS/Mind Body approach. I was convinced it had to be TMS. It made 100% sense to me. I did months of daily journaling, trying to feel my repressed emotions, and telling myself it was just TMS and not physical. Multiple times each I have watched every YouTube video, read every book, listened to every audiobook, read every forum, facebook group, apps, etc. I fit the TMS mold 100%- perfectionist, people pleaser, worrier, hard on myself, etc. I am 44 with at least 20 years of severe chronic anxiety, bouts of severe clinical depression, and various forms of unexplained chronic pain. I see myself in every TMS story I read. However, no matter what I do, I just continue to hurt and NEVER feel the slightest improvement. I go to bed every night being positive and telling myself that tomorrow is the day I start to feel better, but it is the same thing every day when I wake up. I feel like I can’t break the cycle and see no end in sight and have just about lost hope. I hurt from the moment I wake up until the moment I fall asleep. On top of the back pain, I have minor sciatic pain sensations in my left butt, hamstring, calf, and foot, and some docs told me that the nerve is not properly functioning, but nobody can even directly correlate it to a pinched nerve or anything on the MRI (just some slight bulging)- and I know, that doesn’t indicate pain anyway!


I dont “fear” the pain. I just can’t take the pain. I am sure I have repressed anger and sadness and other emotions that my brain doesn’t want me to deal with, but yet I cant seem to uncover it despite many reputable psychotherapists working on it. I had a happy childhood and family with no memorable traumatic experiences growing up. I have considered a TMS Doctor, but I feel like they are just going to tell me the same things I have read daily for 2 years (I could practically recite every Sarno and Steve O book at this point!), so I don’t know what that would do for me at this point.


I am torn now between believing this is caused by repressed emotions (TMS) and wondering if this has now evolved into pain pathways that have become so strong. I really wonder now if dealing with emotions will solve my pain? Couldn’t it be that it is all neurological at this point and my brain and nerves are just signaling pain or interpreting signals as pain? How do you undo that? I believe Dr. Schubiner’s explanation of pain pathways, and I really wonder if that is my problem at this point, and if feeling my emotions can fix that? I don’t know what to believe anymore.


I am really out of ideas and hope. I haven’t experienced any joy in any moment of my life now for 2 years, and there are no signs of anything changing based on the fact that I feel the same every single day now. What do I do? I don’t want to accept a life of chronic pain and misery. I’d rather not live at that point, but I have kids and a family who loves me. Your insights and advice would be so appreciated. Thank you so much.[/QUOTE

/kerrj74, whatever happened to your pain? Did you find a way out? I hate not knowing after worrying about you, please update! God bless

 

[Simmon]

TH
I saw the Mark Owen story posted on youtube by Dr. Hanscum the most uplifting story yet posted by anyone. Mark had 2-3 spinal fusions I think. Was in severe pain for 9 years. He now rides horses etc. Since I watched that I have been journalling everyday 2x/day and meditating religiously. I also read a story about a guy who had nerve damage after a hernia operation. This also went on for years. The guy had repeat surgeries to release the nerve and the pain went on and on. He finally let go and one day the pain melted away. This guy spent years trying to figure out what the problem was and actually lectured to doctors on nerve damage related to hernia surgery ! He is pain free today. I tried looking for his story and couldn't find it (if anyone knows please let me know), but these 2 fellows were the most beautiful stories that prove healing is possible no matter what the issue is.

Hi! WHERE can I read the successful tms story of him(suffered from nerve damage)m

 

[JanAtheCPA]

@Simmon, Google this: Back In Control Mark Owen

It should be the first hit. Back In Control is Dr Hanscom's website.