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Has anyone experienced worse symptoms after learning about TMS and believing it?

Celayne

Celayne

Well known member
I read The MindBody Prescription about a month ago and it was earth-shattering. I've believed that our minds and bodies are intimately connected, in the power of the mind to affect our physical well-being and all of that but I didn't connect it with my chronic pain. Dr. Sarno's book blew me a way. Everything clicked. I was prepared to be instantly pain free.

Well...I felt great for a couple of days. On a high, really. Then it started up. Again. And it's seemed to be worse than ever, but I don't know if that's because some of the symptoms are new and different, or if it's because I have actually felt good for a bit and the contrast between feeling good and feeling crappy is so great.

I can see where starting to work though things, really look at them and work through them, might stir things up and let TMS rear its head again, thinking its got more of a chance.

Wondering about your experiences, have you had this and if so how did you deal with it?

I am so very tired of feeling this and so ready for it to go away for good.
 
Hello Celayne, I've had pretty much the same experience. I was at my desk working and was watching a youtube clip of Dr Sarno explaining TMS. It all just clicked and suddenly everything made sense. By the time the 10-15 min clip had finished I realised that my pain had gone !
I then read The Mindbody prescription and like a lot of people in this forum I recognised myself on every page. Having finally found hope I immersed myself in researching TMS, it makes sense on every level and since watching that first youtube clip I have experienced so many situation where my pain/symptoms just don't correlate with anything other than emotions/feeling etc.
However, there is a downside. My symptoms have also got worse. The pain is more concentrated but in general doesn't last as long as it used to. From what I have researched my understanding is that as you start to focus on the psycological aspects the TMS increases the pain so that your focus is shifted back to the pain. The pain may also shift to other areas of the body.
It's damn hard to stick with due to the pain increasing but you will overcome it eventually. I haven't beaten it yet but I will keep going. Even today I had some pain episodes and I was able to control them just by distracting myself and relaxing...basically ignoring the pain.

Stick at it, you will beat it....we'll all beat it :)
 
It's a crafty opponent, this TMS. It's good to know it's normal to have an increase or worsening of pain. I was kind of freaking out. I like to have a steady stream of improvement. ;)


Also, I just read on the TMS Recovery Program page that it is a typical response to treatment.
 
Hi Celayne, I've had some symptoms get worse, then better, then a new symptom will pop up...all kinds of crazy stuff! But mostly, I've been having a lot of emotions turn up. I've been asking myself during the day, "What am I feeling right now?" when I start to feel a little "off"...whatever it is (anxiety, sadness, fear, anger, etc.), initially it seems to be connected to something that's going on right then, but soon I start to remember something from my past that brought up the same kind of feeling. So I let myself feel these feelings, without judgment, and they soon pass. Then I usually get some relief from the symptoms, too. I know it's different for everyone, but I think most of us have had childhood experiences that have contributed to the way we react to things...in my case they have wreaked a lot of havoc in my life, so even though it's tough, I'm glad they're coming up so I can feel them and move on.

I'm kind of a newbie, too. I say "kind of," because I tried this a couple of years ago but then stopped because I was so hung up (really addicted) to some spiritual teachings that promised healing. They never worked, but I couldn't seem to let them go. When I finally did, I came back here, and I'm sure glad I did!

Not sure any of this is helpful, but I hope so! :)
 
Yes, jazzrascal, very helpful!

I've been dealing with a ton of emotions, stuff from my childhood and teen years that I've been angry and ashamed about for so long. I was feeling anger but now I can look at the occurrences and just let them go. Hoping it will help -- eventually.

I was doing pretty well with the pain - shoulder, back, chest muscles - and then I took my dogs to the vet to get their nails trimmed yesterday. They are big (70 & 80 pounds) and when we go in the clinic, I they are angels on the leash and I have no trouble with them. On the way out, though, they are so eager to get in the car I have to really work at holding the leashes. I have been taking them out one at a time, but was feeling so good that I thought I could do it. Wrong! Today I am sore and regretting my poor decision making. It shouldn't be this hard, they really weren't pulling, but were running to the car. I'm just so sensitive now (thanks, TMS!) that it doesn't take much. Back to acetaminophen, that usually helps somewhat.

I can be so hard to find the right path when you are dealing with this pain, and before you know what it is. I have tried so many things - from acupuncture to myofascial release to a shamanic healer and on and on and on. I wish I had the money back that I spent on all this! All this TMS treatment has cost me so far is the price of The MindBody Prescription...
 
Hi Celayne...Have you read Steve Ozanich's book, The Great Pain Deception? Your experience with your dogs reminded me a lot of how he dealt with his debilitating pain. He really stresses accepting the diagnosis of TMS, and I get the feeling that you may still be thinking of your problem as structural instead of completely emotional. What you did (taking the dogs out on the leash) wasn't wrong, but your mind wanted you to believe that it was! Anything to keep us from facing our feelings. Anyway, if you haven't read SteveO's book, I hope you will, and if you have, I hope you'll read it again! I'm reading it for the second time and getting so much more out of it than I did the first time. Keep pluggin' :)
 
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