Much improved...but how do I finish healing?

As of 10 weeks ago, my sciatica had progressively gotten worse, to the point that I could not sit or stand for more than a few minutes at a time. Since then, I have been using Dr. Scubiner's book, as well as some additional mindfulness meditation and affirmations. At first, I got worse, but over the past three or four weeks, my symptoms have faded dramatically.

I would say I am 80-90% better and this is so encouraging! It really seems to be working! I still have some tingling, tightness, and minor aches -but it has diminished from debilitating to just a little annoying. I don't want to start celebrating yet, but I am finally confident in this approach and look forward to writing a success story in the near future.

Do any of the veterans have words of wisdom for the home stretch? Has anyone else gotten mostly better, but then felt stuck?

 

Awesome news, Orion!

I would say that many, if not most of us have realized that our personalities are such that we will be dealing with TMS the rest of our lives. And yet this doesn't have to bring us down, because the key is to find a way to have a different relationship with our symptoms when our brains start playing tricks again. The main thing is that we're not afraid of them anymore, and by losing the fear, we have turned our lives around.

All of those things are certainly true for me. I completely banished most of my symptoms (and I had a lot) when I discovered Dr. Sarno and this community four years ago. And although I still deal with vague dizziness off and on, it doesn't keep me from doing what I want to do. I wrote a success story about an incident I had with a really scary headache a year ago, that went away in 20 minutes using techniques I learned from this work. I now use relaxation techniques to successfully avoid digestive upsets, something that was a frequent issue "Before Sarno". Sometimes a new pain will occur, but I don't worry about it, and if it becomes bothersome, I get out the paper and pen and I do some writing exercises. I also have to slow down and put some effort into calming my brain, because anxiety has always (since I was a kid) been my most pervasive issue. The thing is, perfectionism and goodism don't just go away - and if I'm not paying attention, they get me (and most of us) in trouble. But today I can recognize them for what they are, along with those dangerous negative emotions that my brain wants to repress.

So I guess I would say that compared to where I was four years ago, I'm at about 90% - and I honestly don't know if I will achieve the other 10%, but I'm not sure that I care. I'm not actively trying to get there, because I think that 90% is a success. So although I am most definitely a perfectionist, I have never believed that humans were anything close to perfect beings, so I guess I'm quite willing to be happy with where I'm at.

It sounds to me like you're doing great. My advice is to not worry about reaching 100%, and instead visualize a life in which the things you're learning become second nature in the way that you live and work, relate to others, and deal with life's ups and downs. Expand your awareness by exploring other avenues for self-healing, and learn how much power your thoughts have to keep you mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy the rest of your life.

All the best, and keep up the good work!

Jan

 

Jan,
You mention that you used Relaxation techniques to successfully avoid Digestive upsets........can you tell me what techniques you use that help you to achieve this.
Thanks.

 

so happy for you and very encouraging for many of us still recovering
Please keep us updated.

 

Hi Grateful, you bet!

It's simple, but not necessarily easy, because you have to change your mind about what is going on. And you have to be able to visualize a different outcome. Your brain doesn't necessarily want you to do that.

I remember the first time, "After Sarno" that I felt some queasiness/feelings of indigestion coming on, which usually occurred at night after going to bed. My mind immediately went into fear and worry mode, and I had visions of being up all night. And then I decided to change what was happening. First I did some deep breathing to calm myself, then I had a conversation with my brain, literally telling it "this isn't necessary" and then I visualized my gut being relaxed and healthy and feeling fine. So it was basically a little meditation.

It worked then, and it's worked ever since, although the need for it is almost nonexistent these days (only if I seriously overeat, in fact).

I think the hardest part was being willing to have a different experience, because our brains are designed to be negative, and it's just too easy to give in to that. The visualization itself I found relatively easy, because the deep breathing on its own made my gut feel good, so all I had to do was extend that feeling into my visualization, if that makes sense, so that I didn't have to stay up doing breathing exercises all night while fearing what would happen if I stopped. I was asleep in short order.

I am unfortunately unable to do the same thing when I get my vague dizziness, I think because it had been going on so long, and it was so persistent "Before Sarno" that my brain doesn't know how to not feel dizzy when I'm feeling dizzy. So the visualization doesn't work. But some day...

I hope this is helpful!

Jan

 

Jan,

Thank you kindly for your reply. I have learned a lot, and plan to keep up the work and skills I have learned.

Perhaps not caring about the last 10 or 20% will be the needed approach to get through it.

To anyone still struggling, be patient. For a while it seemed like I was going nowwhere, but after successfully ignoring the pain for a while, then working through a flareup, the symptoms faded. When the pain did come back, it was less severe, then less often, and at last, less relevant.

 

Great news Orion,

They say the last 10% is the most difficult to overcome, it seems you've done a marvellous job thus far. Please continue to follow your heart and inner pilot light.

Try to be gentle with yourself and don't worry or add extra stress about being healed. Just carry on doing what you are doing until the penny drops at the unconscious level and the pain dissolves.

Just be persistent, determined and love yourself completely regardless of any ailments, knowing it's temporary and you are in control of your complete being.

 

Thanks all, I am grateful for these kind and thoughtful replies. I will update as things progress.

 

Orion... the others have given you good advice. Just keep confident you will be relieved of the remaining 10 percent.
It may have to do with believing 100 percent that TMS is the cause of your symptoms.