Introduction and A Question

My name is Margo, and I read Dr. Sarno's book a couple of weeks ago when I couldn't sleep after a cortisone injection in my spine. I had been told about his work several years ago and resisted it big time. About a year ago, while training to hike in the Dolomites in Italy, I began to have bilateral butt pain after hiking a number of miles. That number quickly decreased, limiting my adventure in the Dolomites, and has continued to the point where walking more than 1/2 mile was painful enough that I wasn't doing it.

I'm an avid tennis player and tennis did not cause the pain. I had created the story that it was because the movement wasn't linear, clearly stuck in the physical part of things. I was a very fit athlete in my 40's and 50's doing a great deal of trekking and high altitude mountaineering, so the limitation on movement has been very frustrating.

Sarno's book resonated with me big time in the dark of the night, and I have been learning more about it and working it as best I can, with some noticeable shifts out of new pains that arose and left quite quickly.

This morning I had excruciating pain in my left lower back, hip, butt, to the point where walking brought me to tears. It continues still. This is completely different and much more intrusive than the pain the brought me to the program. It's been a challenge to stay out of drama and tears and big fear today. I finally spoke with a friend who said if it were her, she'd come to this site and share. So that's what I'm doing.

I'm curious to hear if anyone has walked through symptoms that worsened drastically at the beginning of doing the Sarno work. My everyday life was okay except for the walking when I started. Today I'm not able to leave the house because of the pain. I've been talking with my brain as best I can. I'm looking for encouragement, experience, strength and hope from folks who've walked this journey before me.

 

Your mind, having come up with this very efficient strategy of distracting you from the realm of your emotions, is loathe to give it up.

The Pain you are describing is old fashioned back pain. Sciatica mixed with back spasms, pain radiating from the lower back, down through the hip and onwards. The fact that your symptoms moved or worsened is really stock TMS. The symptom switcheroo is actually an indicator that your subconscious mind is getting an inkling that you know what it's up to. It ratchets up the symptoms or moves them to show you "NO.. but this REALLY is physical!"

None of this is anything to worry about concerning long term recovery. I know you must feel like crap, but it's actually proof your studies are paying off. THE most important thing to pay attention too is your actual emotional states, Or better yet, what is going on in your life that You are NOT responding to emotionally.... THOSE are the things that your mind must focus on. As you do, the pain will finally give up, as you won't need it anymore... The answer is hidden right inside you in your life and responses to it (and lack thereof)

 

Thanks, Baswball65. That's exactly what I was wanting to receive: that the pattern of increased, moving pain is typical. I start the SEP today and will just keep doing what I'm told.

 

I didn't have the same experience of my pain getting worse when I first read Sarno, because my pain had already hit full force before I found out that it was mindbody-based. But I thought I would share my story just to show how bad psychogenic pain can be.

I rolled over in my sleep and ruptured a disk in my neck, which caused excruciating pain and neurological deficit symptoms. It took me over 2 years to discover that it was based on past trauma and emotions that were hidden in my body for a long time. (After all, how can you rupture a disc from passively rolling over in your sleep if there's not a bigger message behind it? Sounds crazy even to me now, but through years of mindbody work, I've discovered that that really had to be the case.)

My guess, from my experience, is that your body is still trying to tell you that there is something unsettled (some "dis-ease" as it were) that you need to address. At least that's what happened for me. Once I addressed the underlying emotional baggage, my pain finally began to really lift. But it was so hidden it took me doing mind-based bodywork to discover this (beyond just Sarno and talk therapy). If you're interested in reading more about my story, I describe it in my website--the URL is in my signature line.

Good luck, I hope your pain resolves quickly. And don't underestimate the power of the subconscious!

 

My guess, from my experience, is that your body is still trying to tell you that there is something unsettled (some "dis-ease" as it were) that you need to address. At least that's what happened for me. Once I addressed the underlying emotional baggage, my pain finally began to really lift. But it was so hidden it took me doing mind-based bodywork to discover this (beyond just Sarno and talk therapy). If you're interested in reading more about my story, I describe it in my website--the URL is in my signature line.

Good luck, I hope your pain resolves quickly. And don't underestimate the power of the subconscious! [/QUOTE]

Thanks for this. I'm imagining that's true even with all the work I've done. My pain is much better today, and I've been out and about more than in the past week. When the pain increased I just let my mind know I wasn't buying it. That I'm willing to feel whatever is there and please don't protect me anymore. The process is wonderful, and I'm doing my best to be outcome independent. Learning so much! Yes, my pain is better, and mostly I'm just plain fascinated!