Day 3 My first post, and Exercise Q

[Kalmiopsis]

I had been having very painful sciatica down my left leg. After having an MRI the Dr. said it was from a herniated disk (T5-S1). I went in a received the Epidural Steroid Injection. Two days later, still in pain a friend gave me "Healing Back Pain." It was like reading my life story - it made a very large impact on me. With very little thought I was able to trace the pain back to a very specific and highly emotional event. I was convinced in a personal TMS diagnosis based on the book, and because this was not the first episode. Last summer I had my first sciatica pain, and it too was mapped very clearly to a highly emotional event.

So, here I am convinced and doing the program. I am not pain free, but it has decreased quite a bit. Which of course creates a bit of conflict in the back of my mind - was it because of the shot or the knowledge about the emotional event. I choose to believe the latter. Why? Because I have been able at times of pain to talk myself down. It is like some wild crazy mind magic - I love it. I tell my mind to stop creating pain, and let the blood flow. And darn near every time it works.

So, to the exercise question. In the three days between the shot and reading the book I started to ride an exercise bike. It was nice. It made me feel good. Then Dr. Sarno's book said I needed to stop exercising because I did not want my mind to think that exercise was the cure. So, I stopped. I want to ride again. Is it too soon since I still feel some pain and am working on the emotional stuff - or can I get on that bike and ride?

 

[Forest]

If the steroid injection was the reason for your improvement, it would have helped immediately. Instead, you were in pain for the two days after. Almost all the time, steroid injections are only a placebo. Further prove of this is that you have been able to talk your pain down. It is really great that you are able to do this.

Exercise always depends on the person. If you feel confident and accept the diagnosis being active can be a good thing. I found exercising to help me boost my confidence significantly. I tend to think that if something makes you feel good, then keep doing it. Pace yourself though. If you do too much too early you may get muscle soreness, which, even though it will heal in a day or two, may damage your confidence in the approach. In the end, it is up to you. If you feel good enough to ride, go for it.

 

[ChickenSandwich]

I've recently just posted my introduction and story on this site.. sounds like our symptoms are quite similar. I had a "herniated disc at L5/S1" diagnosed in 2008 and received a steroid injection and it, now what I know to be a placebo, worked a treat! I didn't have any issues with my back (I have had issues with my shoulders however) until early this year when the pain returned in my right leg, even worse than than it did originally. My neurosurgeon wanted to operate straight away but I opted for another steroid injection.. why not it worked the first time right? Well.. it did ZERO for me this time..

I'm only in the very early stages of discovering TMS but you've done well if you've been able to identify your emotional events and are able to talk yourself out of pain - they are 2 things I'm yet to be able to achieve!

From what I understand, you stop doing the exercise if you think its going to be a solution to your back problem, as opposed to actually wanting to do the exercise because you enjoy it (I could be wrong here - some of the more experienced users may be able to correct me if needed)

Good luck!

 

[Leslie]

I think the question of exercise ultimately comes down to the reason why you are performing the motions. If you're doing reps of specific movements taught to you by a Physical Therapist to "strengthen and heal" a weak or injured area then doing those specific motions in the exact way you were taught is what you want to stop. Before I knew anything about TMS, a PT had given me a specific set of exercises using something that very much resembled a yellow rubberband in tension and appearance which caused me so much pain the doctor that sent me to the PT told me to stop them. It wasn't until after I learned about TMS that I even realized that I actually do those very same motions with weights in several of my workouts. In my case it's definitely my programming because when I came to that realization I had to test myself! Those moves do not bother me at all when done in the course of a workout routine with weights, but by themselves with a yellow rubberband - forget it!!

Exercise releases endorphins that improve our moods and increase our energy - and let's face it, who among us couldn't do with an improved mood and more energy? If it feels good, do it. If you're doing it because someone has told you it's the solution to the "problem" - stop. Exercise will improve your overall health and the endorphin levels that elevate mood but no amount of it will undo a mind set to "distraction"