Day 3 Introduction and fear

[mominm]

Hello, everyone. I'm Meadow and I've been dealing with chronic daily headaches for the past six months. I'm pretty certain that it's mindbody syndrome (I prefer that label vs. TMS) but there is still some nagging doubt and my biggest issue is FEAR. Fear that it won't go away and horrible anxiety on days that the symptoms are lower. Actually, I was listening to the Mind Body prescription the other day and one of the stories about a woman with pain that changed to anxiety fit me to a T!

How do I know? I fit just about every personality type in the book (perfectionist, stoic, goodism, worrier, etc.) and have had real MBS pain disorders that I've tackled in the past pelvic pain and IBS. But I've had a very very stressful year with some physical health issues (cancer - currently in remission) and a damaged vocal cord from the surgery that was misdiagnosed and led to depression and anxiety. As soon as I got the vocal cord fixed and my voice back and was feeling on the road to real recovery, I started getting chronic daily headaches. I've blamed it on meds, my eyes, my teeth and jaw, etc. and none of the doctors have found anything wrong, so it just dawned on me this week (I'm a slow learner that it sounds like a pretty classic case of mindbody syndrome. As soon as one issue resolved, another cropped up. Go figure.

But this one is tough. The headaches don't respond to traditional over the counter meds so I feel the symptoms much of the day...although, they do vary in intensity. My biggest pressing issue is that I want the pain to go away NOW and I'm quite impatient. I'm having a hard time figuring what to say to my symptoms and trying not to be obsessed with this site and the TMS work. Suggestions and headache success stories would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Ellen]

Hi mominm,

I had migraine headaches for over 50 years (started at age 4) and fibromyalgia for 20 years, and I am now pain free. It took me a year of applying the techniques discussed on this site to heal. I still have some other MBS symptoms that I'm dealing with, but I am confident I can overcome those as well.

If I can do it anyone can. I was diagnosed with chronic migraine as I had a migraine more days than not. They are totally gone. I didn't think it would work for me either, but it did. Many people have healed using these techniques. There is nothing special about those of us that healed other than that we were willing to do the work, and to keep at it even though there are times when it seems success will never come.

You are already doing the SEP, so that is great. Just keep at it one day at a time. I suggest mindfulness meditation and deep belly breathing as particularly helpful for headaches. Here is a link to a free guided meditation that is good to use when you are getting a headache. It's the one called Soften, Soothe and Allow.

http://www.mindfulselfcompassion.org/meditations_downloads.php

When I had symptoms I would tell myself that there is nothing wrong me, that I don't need this pain to distract me, as I'm now willing to face and feel my emotions, so brain, just knock it off! I was always surprised how well this worked.

Welcome to the Forum! Keep us posted on how you're doing and ask questions anytime. We're here to help and support you.

 

[mominm]

Ellen, thank you! I really, really needed to hear your story as I'm having a difficult day. What I really appreciated most was hearing the words that you used to talk to your symptoms. Very, very helpful.