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Levator ani syndrome

Day 2 of feeling pretty good. Pain virtually gone. I haven't Googled all day and been walking loads and been out shopping
 
I'm not going to read the book or do anything at the moment because I'm feeling a lot better and I don't want to keep thinking about it. Is that wise ???? I know the problem is psychological so surely that's the right way to go.
 
Give it a rest, but reading TMS books should only make you feel better and give you more confidence in the DX. So, if and when you feel crappy and fearful again, crack a TMS book.
 
Thanks for the advice tom. I'm hoping to be on the right track. But I will deffo read if I feel shit again. but I think if I can keep it out of mind it's the right way
 
Even though I have had this pain while been off from work I'm worried it's going to be agony when I go back on Monday. I'm almost expecting it. It's so stupid
 
Alfaman147 said:
I was on vacation and felt a little twinge and then for some reason I instantly panicked and then could not stop thinking about it. It then manifested itself back to the constant ache and pressure. I was so relaxed on holiday so I don't understand what made me panic. I think I was worried about having it come back so far away from home maybe. But for some reason I couldn't move past it. Every morning I wake up and think about the tension and it returns almost instantly. My muscles relax when I'm asleep so when I wake up in do feel a bit tender but this just makes me think about it and then boom. I'm tensed up all day again.
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E
 
I know this reply is to one written a while back but this is the first post I have ever read that clearly depicts what I have been feeling and suffering terribly from for years. And yes, I have had all kinds of pain and injuries but nothing, I mean nothing puts me down like the suffering of this pelvic floor muscle pain!
Your description especially of being relaxed and no pain while sleeping and then upon awakening, to start thinking, the nauseating ache in that deep, pelvic floor muscles just instantaneously begins to seep in. Misery follows and then the inability to get out of bed. I keep trying to relax the muscles by not moving and taking deep breath's but it never controls the pain.
Major challenge, is to somehow distract my dismal thoughts when I first wake up just as you described. Yes, it becomes the horrible cycle of pain, anxiety, more tension, more pain....
To complicate matters much worse for me, I still rely upon the narcotic pain meds to help control the pain in the mornings and then later on in the day. The MEDS, a journey in itself that must be dealt with though tapered down recently to a very low dose. It complicates the pain and healing process for sure.
But, this is great encouragement for me to know I am not the only weird person in this world to experience the sensations and the suffering of this strange affliction no one can understand .
TSo my main question is whether to get off the pain meds first, or get the TMS under control and then deal with the meds. Maybe someone who's been on this journey can give some wise counsel on this.
The other major challenge is how to handle these mornings upon awakening to no pain until conscious thoughts begin.
Thanks
 
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ricky26 said:
To complicate matters much worse for me, I still rely upon the narcotic pain meds to help control the suffering pain in the mornings and then later on in the day. But, this is great encouragement for me to know I am not the only weird person in this world to experience the sensations in the suffering of this strange affliction no one can underStand.
The pain meds, that is an entirely other subject to Ally complicates this complex syndrome. So my decision making and main question is whether to get off the pain meds first, or get the TMS under control and then deal with the meds.
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See your physician, there is a protocol for weaning off meds, check with your physician on that. Tell him about your new found belief, that it is TMS/psychosomatic. If he blows you off on TMS, find a new physician who is more understanding of the interaction of the mindandbody.

What state are you in? There's a list of TMS physicians at this site who you can consult with.
 
Ricky26 it's all part of the obsession. It is pelvic tension pure and simple. They are muscles out of our control. It has now become a habit for you. You are instantly thinking about it because it has become a part of you. I have been there. I still have aches down there but when I'm distracted it goes away. You HAVE to carry on as normal and it will eventually fizzle out. I can have months with no pains at all if I just carry on. It's very hard but it is a part of you and just accept it. Yes it's very hard to carry on but you must try so hard. I have a pressure feeling down there but I am making progress. I can have days with no pain. I went back to work in January and then had 3 months with no pain at all. If you accept it and don't fear it you will help yourself so much. If you fear it you will try and guard against it and that makes it worse. Don't try and relax that area. Don't try and do anything . Eat well and have loads of fibre. Drink lots of water and just carry on. People have so much worse problems than us. People have cancers and all sorts so try and look at the positives. Yes I do some stretching now and then to help that area but I don't say to myself I must do these stretches to get rid of this pain. I do it to help. Chronic proctalgia is horrible. It's quite common actually and most importantly it IS caused by the mind. Feel good about yourself that you don't have a nasty injury down there and just accept your brain is tensing up this area. Some people have headaches, we have headaches in our ass
 
Alfaman147 said:
I was on vacation and felt a little twinge and then for some reason I instantly panicked and then could not stop thinking about it. It then manifested itself back to the constant ache and pressure. I was so relaxed on holiday so I don't understand what made me panic. I think I was worried about having it come back so far away from home maybe. But for some reason I couldn't move past it. Every morning I wake up and think about the tension and it returns almost instantly. My muscles relax when I'm asleep so when I wake up in do feel a bit tender but this just makes me think about it and then boom. I'm tensed up all day again.
Click to expand...

Thank you for describing exact same morning scenario for me. No pain until I wake up and when thoughts begin, the nauseating deep ache begins to ooze in. Then, it consumes me as no other pain ever has. Also hits during day, most all day. I know it is TMS and Dr Sarno mentions briefly in his book this “mysterious” pain in the perineum area which is often scary but is “classic TMS”. It is consuming and even deabilitating for me and still not resolved it despite my firm belief it is TMS/Mindbody.
It has devastated my life, especially when I didn’t know of TMS and I must get it under control. Even now as I write this. It’s been too many years of suffering from this. Pain Meds all this time has likely exacerbated it.
Thanks again.
 
Alfaman147 said:
Ricky26 it's all part of the obsession. It is pelvic tension pure and simple. They are muscles out of our control. It has now become a habit for you. You are instantly thinking about it because it has become a part of you. I have been there. I still have aches down there but when I'm distracted it goes away. You HAVE to carry on as normal and it will eventually fizzle out. I can have months with no pains at all if I just carry on. It's very hard but it is a part of you and just accept it. Yes it's very hard to carry on but you must try so hard. I have a pressure feeling down there but I am making progress. I can have days with no pain. I went back to work in January and then had 3 months with no pain at all. If you accept it and don't fear it you will help yourself so much. If you fear it you will try and guard against it and that makes it worse. Don't try and relax that area. Don't try and do anything . Eat well and have loads of fibre. Drink lots of water and just carry on. People have so much worse problems than us. People have cancers and all sorts so try and look at the positives. Yes I do some stretching now and then to help that area but I don't say to myself I must do these stretches to get rid of this pain. I do it to help. Chronic proctalgia is horrible. It's quite common actually and most importantly it IS caused by the mind. Feel good about yourself that you don't have a nasty injury down there and just accept your brain is tensing up this area. Some people have headaches, we have headaches in our ass
Click to expand...

Great words for me. Thank you from someone finally who gets it. It’s been a lonely journey as I have never spoken with anyone who has a clue to this. That creates much fear, habitual, and obsession when it hits perfectly describes me. Yes, a migraine in the butt (ass) is exactly right.
I will begin to heed your wise words of advice. Thank you so much and will keep you posted , hopefully as a Success Story on this great forum.
 
Alfaman147 said:
Ricky26 it's all part of the obsession. It is pelvic tension pure and simple. They are muscles out of our control. It has now become a habit for you. You are instantly thinking about it because it has become a part of you. I have been there. I still have aches down there but when I'm distracted it goes away. You HAVE to carry on as normal and it will eventually fizzle out. I can have months with no pains at all if I just carry on. It's very hard but it is a part of you and just accept it. Yes it's very hard to carry on but you must try so hard. I have a pressure feeling down there but I am making progress. I can have days with no pain. I went back to work in January and then had 3 months with no pain at all. If you accept it and don't fear it you will help yourself so much. If you fear it you will try and guard against it and that makes it worse. Don't try and relax that area. Don't try and do anything . Eat well and have loads of fibre. Drink lots of water and just carry on. People have so much worse problems than us. People have cancers and all sorts so try and look at the positives. Yes I do some stretching now and then to help that area but I don't say to myself I must do these stretches to get rid of this pain. I do it to help. Chronic proctalgia is horrible. It's quite common actually and most importantly it IS caused by the mind. Feel good about yourself that you don't have a nasty injury down there and just accept your brain is tensing up this area. Some people have headaches, we have headaches in our ass
Click to expand...

By the way, your post is the most helpful and encouraging words I’ve ever read. Even the books. It describes my situation exactly. Thank you
 
YET, even as I wrote the post last night, this morning and day was dreadful and same pelvic floor pain. As a sudden single dad, my life recently has taken some very rough turns recently and great deal of much more anxiety (business was sold, lost my position, plus trying to detox off pain Meds). Poor timing of latter but thought it may help TMS to not depend on. It’s all been terrible environment for “thinking psychologically” as too many major negative stressors causing constant tension. My plan has become disastrous, my pain is much worse getting off Meds of course. So, what to do? Can’t give up, especially my children.
I try not to fear the pain but there are too many conscious and subconscious factors. I pray this could all turn around with knowledge and belief in TMS. My physical pain, is the worst of all my challenges in this vicious cycle of thoughts, anxiety and negative emotions , tension and thus great pain in same dreadful pelvic floor muscles. Even my jaw muscles are in constant spasm and quiver non stop. I’m certain my pelvic floor muscles doing same.
Can anyone chime in for helpful advice? I don’t want to go back to pain med addiction again as that’s not the answer, just a coverup. But I am miserable in all areas, physically, mentally and emotionally.
Thanks
 
riverrat said:
It is so tms! I am new to fully accepting tms for pelvic pain. Improving but still working on it. I understand your anxiety. I have history of back and neck pain, even foot. But nothing, for me is as painful or consuming as pelvic! My pelvic pain moves around locations so I have had left levator ani as well. It is gone for the most part now. Currently I have mostly perineum/ vaginal sensations that comes and goes. And now this new weird throat thing. Ugh.

Do try to stop the research. It will make feel worse. Rest assured that most all even medical perspectives say that levator is an anxiety disorder. So it's stress/ emotion induced. There's nothing physically wrong with you! Find peace knowing you were free once before and can be again. Find strength in that thought. Too many people are healing from one thing tms related or a other all the time for you to be any different. You can free yourself from this again- stop searching for answers. Your mind/ emotions/ thought processes are the only answer you need. I say this not to judge, but of compassion because I truly understand the panic of pelvic pain where ever the location may be. Keep it simple to heal this. Try to do things that give you joy and peace, breathe deeply, and trust.
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Saw this from long ago but it’s so appli able to me now. I too have had back and neck surgeries but none have been as painful and “consuming” as this strange pelvic pain. I believe in the TMS but struggling with the constant chronic pain. Consuming is the best description. I try to think psychologically when in pain but there seems to be no set pattern, except the constancy of it. I will admit to fear especially each morning g as I wake up to it. It keeps me down and only pain Meds curb it for me to get up.
Any other recommendations? Are you still over it? It must end, or rather it will end, right?? Eventually leaves??
It’s a lonely road being so mysterious in location and how to deal with it’s intensity. It’s been 10 years now with this. Again it will end ??
Thanks for any tips
 
ricky26 said:
Saw this from long ago but it’s so appli able to me now. I too have had back and neck surgeries but none have been as painful and “consuming” as this strange pelvic pain. I believe in the TMS but struggling with the constant chronic pain. Consuming is the best description. I try to think psychologically when in pain but there seems to be no set pattern, except the constancy of it. I will admit to fear especially each morning g as I wake up to it. It keeps me down and only pain Meds curb it for me to get up.
Any other recommendations? Are you still over it? It must end, or rather it will end, right?? Eventually leaves??
It’s a lonely road being so mysterious in location and how to deal with it’s intensity. It’s been 10 years now with this. Again it will end ??
Thanks for any tips
Click to expand...
Sorry I just read this now- how are you doing?
 
I had this symptom and another pelvic symptom years before this one, and they never found anything wrong. I am a health hypochondriac too. A rectal surgeon said I had levator ani syndrome as well, and he doesn't know what causes it. The more that I am reading about the last 25 years of my health, the more I am realizing that this TMS thing is for real. All of my symptoms move around in my body, stick around for a while, and then go away eventually. It's like my body needs to hurt, so my brain finds a place to put some pain. I am a total emotion regressor.
 
teachthis1 said:
I had this symptom and another pelvic symptom years before this one, and they never found anything wrong. I am a health hypochondriac too. A rectal surgeon said I had levator ani syndrome as well, and he doesn't know what causes it. The more that I am reading about the last 25 years of my health, the more I am realizing that this TMS thing is for real. All of my symptoms move around in my body, stick around for a while, and then go away eventually. It's like my body needs to hurt, so my brain finds a place to put some pain. I am a total emotion regressor.
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How are you doing now with pelvic symptoms?
 
riverrat said:
How are you doing now with pelvic symptoms?
Click to expand...
I haven't had any in several years. It's now in my neck and shoulders. I was in a car crash though two years ago, so that has something to do with it. However, I feel like the pain should be gone there but I keep holding onto it.
 
Alfaman147 said:
32 year old male with a constant pressure sensation in and around the anus. Sometimes tailbone too. I'm a massive hypochondriac and have been diagnosed about 2 years ago with health anxiety. I know this is a form of tms. It goes when I'm asleep or drunk and the ache sort of moves around. I'm constantly looking on the Internet which makes it worse. I just can't seem to stop searching for answers. I have massive anxiety with this. I have a great life. Just cannot stop thinking about this pain. That is the only stress in my life. It's a vicious cycle. I'm keen to hear from anyone else with this problem.
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Hi there I too have been recently diagnosed and it’s been 6 months since my first attack and I did tons of internet research which did not help with my sanity, I began to get frustrated and depressed.... Fast forward 3 months after diagnosis still was frustrated with non stop symptoms, I was going on a cruise and thought I needed to get a bit toned up for my bikini body so I thought I would do bit of exercise..
Roughly 2 weeks after I started squats and a 30 min walk everyday the pain and pressure mysteriously disappeared I was amazed and happy then Lo and behold I came across a UK forum where one member posted about how exercise helped his own to go away and insisted others tried it and that’s how I realized that the exercise helped .. so pls everyone give exercise a try. Hopes this help
 
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