Dr. Clarke Is Ulcerative Colitis TMS/PPD?

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Question

I have had Ulcerative Colitis for 26 years and have recently been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I want to fully understand the mind body connection idea. Why are some Auto-immune conditions (eg UC) considered TMS but others (eg MS) not considered to be? What is the difference?

 

A comprehensive answer to your question will await the results of much more research. We do have research results that confirm an interaction between the mind and the immune system mediated by the neurologic system. The existence of this interaction came as a big surprise and resulted in the research field known as psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). (For information about the origin of this field, see my blog here: http://www.stressillness.com/blog/?p=1471)

However, it is a long way from knowing that the mind can affect the immune system to knowing how much the mind contributes to diseases (like UC and MS) where the immune system appears to play a significant role. The challenge is magnified by the fact that psychosocial stress can cause physical symptoms that resemble some of those caused by UC or MS. I am not an expert in PNI but in 25 years practicing as a board-certified gastroenterologist I did not observe much of a link between UC and psychosocial issues and do not believe it should be considered a form of PPD (or TMS). I am not aware of any other autoimmune disorder where psychosocial issues are more than a minor contributing factor (though that may change in coming decades). Writers who claim otherwise need to back their comments up with published evidence and know how to interpret it.

Having said that, some of my UC patients suffered flares in their diarrhea or cramping due to psychosocial issues even while their colon inflammation was minimal. The best explanation for this is that they simultaneously suffered from Irritable Bowel Syndrome which can be considered a form of PPD in most cases. I wrote about one such patient in my book, diagnosing his PPD the day before he was to have his colon removed (the surgery was cancelled of course.) If you suffer from an autoimmune disorder and have significant psychosocial issues to cope with makes sense to treat both. If there is no benefit to the former from treatment of the latter you have still done the right thing for yourself.
My best wishes for your health in future.

 

Thanks, Dr. Clarke, for your reply regarding UC. Guest, good luck in TMS healing.
If you haven't yet, start the Structured Educational Program, free in the subforum on this web site.
It will help you to discover the emotions causing your pain.

 

Thanks for the helpful answer. This was the question I asked before joining the forum. I am reading the Great Pain Deception. I am convinced most of my issues are TMS, but it's hard to resolve my doubts when the author shows such a limited knowledge of auto-immune conditions. I think I should just concentrate on the Fibromyalgia which I KNOW is TMS. I started increasing my activity yesterday. Today I am in severe pain with nausea. All I want to do is lie down and rest. So here is another question. How do you know when to rest and when to ignore your body's messages?

 

You can walk into the first 100 physicians' offices you see and everyone one of them will have a limited knowledge of auto immune conditions. I've been asking scientists about the conditions for decades. But we can observe certain causes and effects, as well as the outcomes. These conditions of ulcers and IBS are certainly mindbody effects. Dr. Sarno listed IBS as a TMS equivalent in DM, and Mate wrote extensively on ulcerative colitis as an effect of attachment disorder fueled by the inability to say no.

As long as you hold to the notion that your body is genetically "broken" and not reacting to unconscious forces, your brain will be allowing you to circumvent the true cause. In denying the cause you aid your brain in its deception. I've received emails from people who have healed from UC and IBS as well as stage 4 metastatic cancer. These people knew (recognized), without doubt, that they themselves created their own symptoms. Their recognition and acceptance of this was their first step in healing.

I would read When The Body Says No. The key will always be to understand "why" the body attacks itself, and to understand that the body doesn't just fall apart. There are reasons for the physical effects.

 

Hi Steve thanks for the reply. I'm sure you realize that UC is not the same thing as IBS, but I have no doubt that there is a mindbody component. I have researched and soul searched for most of these 26 years and I have a pretty good idea about the sources of the condition, plus I went into remission 3 years ago and came off all medication. However, I have heard/read a lifetime of claims and tried many of them to no avail and some with dire consequences, so whether you like it or not, I have to resolve any doubts that I have. Unfortunately, people who confuse IBS with IBD set off alarm bells for reasons I won't go into here.

 

I know Chrons is different than UC, but I have a friend who had this and no longer does (gone on all tests and zero symptoms) and it left along with his other pains during TMS healing

 

It's amazing, especially that I feel it's harder to deal with stuff that have labels. I mean Crohn disease is recognized as 'true' illness. Most people that Sarno helped had back pain, and most of those people have normal spines -> sometimes a little bit degenerate, but it was normal tear and not something unusual. Crohn disease on the other hand make changes in your body that are FAR from normal. To heal from even something like that it shows how TMS can run deep. Not to mention that if you have crohn is hard to stumble to TMS as your problems are recognized by medical community. The only problem is... they usually can't really help you.