Need Help Dealing with Symptom Imperative

Hi, I'm new to posting but have been reading here for several months. I found Dr. Sarno's book, Healing Back Pain only a few weeks AFTER having a microdiscectomy at L4/L5 for sciatica in both legs/butt/feet, but thought it was bunk and dismissed it. Surgery did not work (surprise!) and after almost three months of post-op misery, I re-read that book and got Dr. Sopher's book and saw that TMS was the real reason for my problems.

I began improving shortly thereafter. With a few relapses, I've been steadily improving with my leg/butt/foot pain for months now. However, in the last two months I've had some acid reflux (resolved) a bad flu with a recurrent cough (much better now) and just a few days ago a UTI. All one right after the other! The UTI isn't responding quickly to antibiotics like I've experienced in the past.

Even though tests show I really do have a UTI, I'm wondering if my lack of getting better and my inability to sleep through my symptoms is TMS? Which is why I'm posting at four in the morning. This new symptom is drawing my attention way more than my sciatica problem is currently doing.

Has anyone been through something like this? Help!

 

I had a very interesting experience today that helped me see how TMS manifests for me. Earlier this week I got a medical diagnosis of a UTI -- clearly an infection which wasn't TMS. I took the antibiotics but wasn't feeling much better. I went back yesterday for another test, and despite still having some symptoms, there was no infection. The antibiotics had cleared it up, but the TMS took over from there.

Whereas previous to knowing about TMS this news would have been depressing (why can't the doctors cure me), I was so happy to know that this was just another TMS symptom that would go away as I continue to do the work.

 

Hi, cishealing. How wonderful that your UTI went away and there is no more infection.
But it left you with some doubt about how you got the infection in the first place.
Now it looks like you realize it was from TMS. That is what Dr. Sarno calls "TMS knowledge penicillin."

Keep going in t he Structural Education Program and you will be a new person. Healthier, happier.

 

Walt, thanks so much for your support. I'm only on Day 2 of the SEP but I already see its value. I'm also learning alot from SteveO's The Great Pain Deception.

Cee