Day 1 Hello

Hello everyone. I'm looking forward to connecting.

I'm a 40 y.o. mother of two children, 5 and 7, a freelance writer, living on campus at a private school in Baltimore where my husband works as a biology teacher.

I was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease and spinal stenosis in 2005 when my daughter was born, and was doing PT and was getting better.

In 2010 I had a period of numbness and tingling in my hands and feet, and some pain and was referred for another C-spine MRI which showed a large disk herniation. I was even contemplating surgery by my insurance (maybe this was a blessing) denied my claim. I felt better again, and was improving after some PT and steroid injections.

Then in May of last year all hell broke loose after I had a routine root canal. Shortly after the procedure, I developed facial pain, then neck and facial muscle spasm, was diagnosed with TMJ/ myofascial pain/ fibromyalgia. It keeps getting worse to the point where today I have episodes of faintness, shortness of breath, chronic diarrhea, esophogeal spasm, eye pain, chest pain, and continuing to worsen muscle spasm and pain in my face and neck and nobody can figure out what's wrong except throw me a bunch of pills which haven't done much for me either. I am open to Sarno's methods - think psychological - because what the hell else do I have? It is the one leaf I have not turned over in my search to get well. I so desperately want to be well.

 

Welcome, Elizabeth!

I have only known about Sarno and TMS/PPD since February. I, too, am desperately wanting to be well. I am currently working on the Dr. Schubiner Unlearn Your Pain workbook. I have no where else to turn, except within....

Good luck to you and I am so glad that you found Sarno and this site.

 

Hi Elizabeth, and welcome to your TMS journey! Have you read any of Dr. Sarno's books? Most people recommend The Mind Body Prescription as the first must-read. I'm glad you found our Ed Program - that's exactly how I got connected with this community, just about a year ago, after reading Dr. Sarno's The Divided Mind and.

We also have some great posts here on the forum by members who are TMS practitioners (doctors and therapists) and authors. Use the search box and enter any of the following names in the "posted by member" sub-box to find some recent posts that I really found helpful:
Alan Gordon
Peter Zafirides (also has a website where you can sign up for his newsletter)
Derek Sapico
Steve Ozanich (author)

Keep posting, and know that we're all in this together, and are here for each other.

Jan

 

Hi Elizabeth:

Welcome to the forum. I think you'll find like minded people here. If you are reading a few posts by others traveling this path, you'll see a host of people such as yourself who has "tried everything." I have learned enough about Dr. Sarno's work that I think a lot of people have TMS and simply don't realize it. There is a lot of work to be done in order to get healthy. Feeling "stuck" is common. But also there are the moments when you start to see improvement and you know you're on the right path.

Post often and any question you feel will help. That's why we're here. And I agree with Jan. If you haven't read any of Dr. Sarno's books, then they are a "must read". There are many good books on TMS. But hearing it from the master himself, is truly the way to start.

Good luck and again: welcome

BG