Introduction & Question

[Bryn Morgan]

I have just found this site. 10 years ago I had chronic back pain for 3 years and it was a very typical scenario no doubt so I wont give it blow by blow but needless to say too much time and stupid amounts of money spent on various treatments/ investigations with limited and / or temporary relief. Then after reading "healing back pain" I was back to work and life within days. I was lucky as was already coming to the conclusion myself that my back pain was a load of cr@p and Dr Sarno just explained how.

Since then once or twice a year I have been getting repeat episodes which last a few weeks and then go away after I have consulted by Sarno friendly back specialist to confirm my back is perfectly normal and done my "emotional searching" with a analytical therapist. They always happen at roughly the same time of year (around the anniversary of my mother dying 17 years ago)

Now for my question. This year it appears it has changed from back pain to pains on the left side of my chest (panic mode - heart attack looming). I have seen 2 doctors and had 2 ECG's and a few blood tests and been pretty much assured that there is nothing wrong with my heart what so ever. I am aware of TMS equivalents and can logically accept this as as well as the chest pains (which move around) I have tight muscles in all the old favourite back muscles and all the usual panic / anxiety symptoms. It is also the usual time of year I suffer. However as I havent actually read or heard of other TMS'rs with such symptoms this is blocking me fully accepting its TMS and hence its been dragging on for a good 6 weeks now and begining to grind me down.

My question is basically has anyone else had these kind of symptoms or aware of anyone who has etc? Been reading about Fibromyalgia and Costochondritis for first time today - possible? See Fibromyalgia is on the equivalents list and def sounds like one!

Sorry for slightly long post.

Thanks Bryn

 

[BruceMC]

I think somewhere Dr Sarno talks about chest pains due to TMS that are quite disturbing to the patient because, of course, he/she begins to get anxious about having a heart condition. Maybe it's in the list of TMS symptoms and equivalents at the start of the Mindbody Prescription? Interesting how the reappearance of your TMS symptoms is synchronized with the anniversary of your mother's death. My so-called "herniated disk" didn't cause me any pain until six months after my mother died in 2001, right at the time I inherited her house. Obviously, responsibility and guilt. Last spring, I came down with a cold out-of-the-blue on March 9th. Went into the doctor at Kaiser and got some antibiotics. Couldn't figure out where it came from until I looked at the calendar: March 9th is the exact day that my father died in 1997. No brainer! It's very good that you've noticed the connection between emotions, memory and the onset of your TMS symptoms. That means you are quite mindful of the emotional events buried in your unconscious, which must make it easier for you to deprogram your TMS symptoms.

So, to answer your question, I think Dr Sarno has had patients with the kind of false heart condition symptoms you are alluding to. Since the doctors have given you a clean bill of heart health, and there doesn't seem to be anything else going on, it very likely is TMS.

Interesting too how your unconscious mind always remembers psycho-symbolic events like the death of a parent or sibling, isn't it? Your unconscious mind has to be aware of all kinds of emotions and memories that you yourself aren't consciously aware of. What's that essay by Freud entitled the psychopathology of everyday life?

 

[Lala]

Steven Ozanich also talks about TMSers suffering chest pain in his book THE GREAT PAIN DECEPTION....i have experienced heartburn like symptoms and chest tightness/anxiety like symptoms.

 

[Bryn Morgan]

Thank you guys. I already have Mindbody and have been reading the latter section about TMS equivalents but shall check it all now. I have just ordered the great pain deception so thanks for the tip. I have also ordered unlearn your pain from the US as it isn't available in the UK yet. I wasn't aware of these other writers other than Sarno until finding this site.

 

[Forest]

It is great that you were able to have a doctor rule out any serious conditions and give you the all clear. One thing to keep in mind with TMS is that it will create any symptom that will grab your attention. If the chest pain grabs your attention, then your unconscious will continue to develop it. The fact that your symptoms move around, is another sign that you probably have TMS. TMS symptoms are constantly developing and new symptoms are replacing the old classics of back pain and RSI. With chest pain, it is probably a good idea to have a doctor check out your heart and blood pressure, but it sounds like you did this.

I have had a number of symptoms pop up since I first recovered. At first they do grab my attention and I feel that fear coming back again. But then I remind myself of Sarno and try to think psychologicallly. In time, the new symptoms fade away. If you follow the same course, you will be able to recover as well.

 

[Lala]

Thank you guys. I already have Mindbody and have been reading the latter section about TMS equivalents but shall check it all now. I have just ordered the great pain deception so thanks for the tip. I have also ordered unlearn your pain from the US as it isn't available in the UK yet. I wasn't aware of these other writers other than Sarno until finding this site.

Enjoy the GREAT PAIN DECEPTION...Steven's book was a huge turning point for me in my healing...I love Sarno and am forever grateful for his insight...but its great to have other takes on the same subject...Steven shares his personal story and goes much deeper into the 'whys' when it comes to us TMSers....his book is fascinating and insightful...I'm already on my second read. He also offers practical advice on healing....I remember him talking about TMS and chest pain more than once in his book. In one section (early on in the book) he describes a friend who works at a local emercency center at a hospital...she has seen many many people (who were under high levels of stress) come to the emergency room complaining of chest pain, thinking they were having a heart attack. These folks received a negative diagnosis for a heart attack and were instead told they had "ischemia"...Ischemia, by definition, is from vasoconstriction, a reduction of the inflow of blood....which is also what happens in your body when you experience TMS...a reduction of blood flow, thereby oxygen, to various joint, muscles and nerves (or any other component of your body).

Steven has an interview that is posted on the General Forum of this website...check it out.

 

[Anna1]

This is so inspiring to read, thank you Lala for the new book titles, I will look them up! And Bryn, I'm completely new to this TMS diagnosis, but am already convinced it can move to any part of the body. Probably especially when you've conquered the pain you had, it moves to a place where you would really worry about. The heart is definitely a place that I would worry about. So great to have it checked!

Take care and keep on going!