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My continuing journey

PepperGirl

PepperGirl

Peer Supporter
Hi folks
I'm new to the forum and wiki site but I have been on my recovery journey for TMS for about 2months now since being so thankful on finding a practioner here in the UK, as not very recognised here sadly. I have had 1year of terrible leg pain (sciatica) and low back pain and after surgery with no improvement in pain I was at my wits end until the concept of TMS opened new doors for me and I have made progress I never thought imaginable. In the space of 6weeks I have gone back to work after sick leave, lost the fear of lifting my one year old son, started exercise classes again and being more sociable and basically living again! I am not pain free and can't always quite grasp why pain is worse some days than others but I'm on looking at emotional factors always. The morning pain is better and there are periods in the day where the pain is not all consuming anymore!!
My biggest battle is conditioned evening pain, which I'm trying to combat with positive self-talk and challenging my fears by going to exercise classes and sitting on sofa even if in pain etc.
I am struggling with journaling and I realise I avoid it, I am hoping the educational program (on day 4) will help give me focus on this. I am glad to have found this forum as I have so many questions but just wanted to say hi for now!
Thanks :-)
 
Happy to hear about your progress! Really great.

Journaling takes time and effort! But the results are worth it. The Educational Program is very good too and will have you do some writing as well!

Best wishes!
 
PepperGirl,
It is so wonderful you are making progress.

Something that has helped me with conditional pain which I am still working on is using visualization.
I have been challenged with sciatica and back pain. One conditioned response with pain I have had is when I go food shopping. I use to be there only 5
minutes and would have to find some place to sit. It was awful and very upsetting. Now, I can do my food shopping and I have very little pain and the
most exciting thing is I do not have to sit down anymore. I think what broke the conditioning of pain was that everyday, especially when I was relaxed before
I went to bed, I would visualize me parking my car and going into the supermarket. I would imagine myself going down every isle with great detail of
what I was putting in my cart and I attached positive feelings of me food shopping. I see myself checking out pain free and victorious. Using this technique of visualization on many circumstances has really either freed me of pain or has significantly lessened the pain.

When I first read this about visualization in Fred Amir's book, Rapid Recovery of Neck and Back Pain, I did not really believe it was going to work but
to my surprise I find it really works and it is fun to do.

Hope this helps.
G.R.
 
Thank you so much for replies. I'm so glad to have found this forum. Than
Nks for tips on visualisation G.R, I think I would benefit from visualising a particular scene and visualise myself pain free rather than being too general. I will give this a shot before sleeping seems a good time too.
Thanks
 
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