Nerve body pain almost gone . . .

[Merilu]

I read the forum almost every day but I haven't posted recently but I just wanted to update that I am almost healed of my all over body nerve pain but It has been replaced with tooth & gum pain /tmj. To summarize, I have been suffering from nerve pain since early August 2015 after an amusement park ride. Most of the nerve pain was in my arms, hands, feet, legs, neck but the pain also spread to the pelvic area. I had electric shock type pain, buzzing, burning, tingling, etc. At times it would be very difficult to walk because of the pain or wash dishes or use the computer. It was also very difficult to drive as my right leg and arm would be in a lot of pain. Every morning my legs would be very stiff when I would get out of bed. I was diagnosed with a moderate herniated cervical disc. I did physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractor but nothing helped. I started to read about TMS in November with books such as "Healing Back Pain", the "Mind Body Prescription", "The Great Pain Deception" and "Unlearn your Pain".

Around the beginning of December, I started to wean off 600 mg of gabapentin by reducing 100 mg weekly. I switched my male GP to a female GP I was referred to. My prior GP didn't care what I was going through. My new female doctor actually took the time to listen to me. My bloodwork was redone and my B12 was very low so I was given B12 shots. I had been taking a high dose of methyl B12 pills weeks prior. My bloodwork from 6 weeks prior showed my B12 was 1600+ so I stopped because I didn't want to overdose but my levels 6 weeks later were around 240, which is on the low side. I read that gabapentin can deplete B12 levels but I don't know. I should have stopped the gabapentin much earlier because it never helped with the pain.

The week of Christmas was the first time I had longer periods of being pain free. We usually spend Christmas with my mother who lives 5 hours away, but I was not in the mood to travel. My husband's family wanted us to host Christmas this year. I was reluctant at first but I said yes. It ultimately was a great decision because it kept me preoccupied with something else than my pain. I was feeling pretty good Christmas week and was more concerned with shopping, and cooking. Christmas day was great spending it with my family and I haven't felt that good in a long time. It was totally the opposite of Thanksgiving day where I was in a lot of pain. The week after Christmas until New Years Eve was wonderful. Our church had a New Years Eve Celebration we went to. I put on high heels for the first time in 6 months and I even danced. My husband told me he was so happy that I was feeling great. We went to sleep at 4 a.m. and I woke up around 9 am New Years day and went to the computer and then the pain in my arms started as I was typing. I told my husband he jinxed me. I was in pain for a few more days and then the pain started to gradually go away again but I noticed when I was no longer focusing on my pain I started to obsess over other things.

About mid January as I was brushing my teeth, I think my gum in one spot on my bottom from teeth started to feel a little sensitive and I looked in the mirror and it looked like the gum in that spot was a little puffier than the others but it could have always been like that? I haven't had a cleaning in 2 years so I go to a new dentist for a cleaning and to look at the gum. She was very rough when cleaning my teeth but she said I had pretty good hygiene and hardly no tarter. She then starts probing my gums roughly making them bleed and she comes up with pockets from 2 to 9! Anything 4 and up is not good. She then wants me to do a deep scaling for $1000. I started to flip out because now I think I have gum disease because of all the stress and I hadn't had a cleaning in 2 years. I pay $300 out of pocket and I go to a periodontist for a 2nd opinion and full X-rays, and he was much gentler with the probing and he comes up with pockets up to 6 and would charge $1800 for scaling/root planing and then I would have to have 2 extra cleanings with him and 2 regular cleanings. He also said I would need surgery in the future because my gum skin was thin in one area?? All this stressed me out so bad that I started 25mg of Zoloft that the GP had prescribed prior but I didn't take. I have never been on antidepressants before. I schedule my scaling with the periodontist but 2 days before my appointment I get all my X-rays and get a 3rd opinion from another more reputable periodontist who treats other doctors and he does the probing and comes up with 2's and 3's and a couple of 4's and he says I don't currently have gum disease and I don't need scaling. He said I might have had gum disease at some point in my life because I have some bone loss but I don't have it now. In the mean time I had been oil pulling, I bought an electric tooth brush and a water pick. It has been about 3 weeks since the last periodontist and all my teeth, face jaw have been hurting and that sensitive spot that I originally went for is hurting me real bad. It feels sore in between my teeth where you would floss but I can't see it and my gums are pink and not red or bleeding. I had called the first dentist for an antibiotic just in case I have an infection and she wouldn't give it to me and i should go see an endodontist. I went to another dentist yesterday to get an X-ray and check the gum because my insurance pays for that but she said a gum infection won't show on the X-ray and I should get another cleaning because the other dentist didn't do a good job and maybe that would help. She also probed where the gum hurt and I think she made it worse because she was very rough. I know the rest of my mouth hurts because of TMS but I am not sure of my gum pain and I am already tired of these dentists and if I go to any specialists I would have to pay out of pocket and they probably won't find anything but I am now obsessed over this that I have something serious going on.

Anyway, sorry for the long post. I am thankful I have almost overcome my body nerve pain. I am thankful for Dr. Sarno and this forum. I am Eastern Orthodox and have been praying to Jesus and the Virgin Mary and Saints and have been asking people to pray for me. I have even called monasteries to have the monks pray for me. I was really in a low place for a long time and at times felt abandoned by God but ultimately I believe he healed me.

 

[Andy Bayliss]

Hi Merilu,

Glad to hear of the wonderful recovery from the "nerve pain." What a wonderful Christmas you had, and New Year's with high heels. I hope you keep focusing on how good this recovery has been.

About the teeth, it makes sense that your teeth/gums are hurting because you have spent a lot of time focusing on the problems there. Waterpicks are great! Too bad the dentists have such various opinions, but it is great that perhaps the best one says "don't worry." I'd stick with that, and get good care, and re-visit the whole issue in another 6 months or year, let your mind rest, since you've gotten the basic treatments, cleaning, etc.

Andy B

 

[Merilu]

Thanks Andy for the reply. I tend have obsessive thoughts over what would appear minor to most people. I always think of the worst. I usually have Tmj type pain under stress but when I was having the nerve pain I didn't notice it. All my thoughts were on the nerve pain. I am trying to think TMS this time also. I hope it goes away.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Hi, Merilu. You sure did have a great holiday and enjoyed yourself. Some repressed emotion is probably causing your mouth pains. Go back to journaling to discover those emotions. And try not to worry about any pain. I pray all the time and say the rosary daily, asking God to be with me always, and I feel He is. He has given me so many blessings, and I constantly thank Him. He led me to back pain through which I learned about TMS and healed when I did some journaling and discovered I had been repressing anger and feelings of abandonment since my parents divorced when I was seven. I came to forgive them and believe that healed me.

 

[Merilu]

Thank you Walt!

 

[tgirl]

Merilu thanks for your post. I have been suffering nerve pain in my legs (skin) and it is stubborn. Doctors are through with me, as I have been tested to no end and everything comes back normal. Reading your post gives hope that it can in fact go away. I am happy for you!

 

[Merilu]

Thank you Tgirl!

I came down with a bad cold and yesterday I started feeling the twinges of nerve pain in my hands and feet and my whole body is aching and as I am typing this my right leg is going numb. The pain is very mild but noticeable but I am trying not to panic. Lately, I have been reading about fibromyalgia and I think Sarno also said fibromyalgia is TMS. I was never diagnosed with fibromyalgia but I noticed some of the symptoms were similar to mine and I read people with fibromyalgia can get flare ups when sick. So hopefully this is temporary.

Tgirl, from your prior posts, I believe you said you don't have the pain when lying down? I think that is a good sign. When your body is relaxed, the pain diminishes. Have you tried any supplements such as b-12 and magnesium? I know many feel that supplements have placebo effects and don't really help. In the early stages of my nerve pain, I had been taking such supplements as alpha-lipoid acid, acetyl-carnitine and others. I didn't notice a difference in pain when taking these but the last supplement that I added was magnesium which I used to wean off gabapentin without side effects. I have been reading that magnesium helps with stress and nerve pain also. I haven't taken my magnesium supplements in weeks but I am going to start again. I hope you start feeling better soon!

 

[tgirl]

I do take Mg but I have to say I take it rather sporadically. Why do you think your pain diminished, that is until cold started? I hope your symptoms go away soon.

 

[Lavender]

Merilu thanks for that reminder about the magnesium. I stopped taking it when the tablets were too hard to swallow. I will search on line for Gel-caps. I would dearly love to get off the gabapentin. Aside from the pain that prevents me from walking ( that seems so structural) I am beginning to wonder if the creepy bodily sensations I experience are at least partly exacerbated by that drug.
Tgirl I share your frustration with the doctors. Hoping today is a better day for each of us.

 

[Merilu]

Hi tgirl, I am still fighting my cold and I still have pain not as bad as in the past but I am able to function normally and get through the day although I feel very tired.

Lavender, I initially started on 300 mg 3 x a day for my nerve pain but it never helped. I cut one 300 mg pill around 4 to 5 weeks later and I had bad withdrawal symptoms. I felt my whole body go numb and my brain was not there. My friends and family said I looked like a drug addict. I have 3 children under nine so I was afraid to attempt to cut another pill. The communication with my GP was not very good. I requested gabapentin in 100 mgs to wean off slowly and he only prescribed enough to wean off in about 2 weeks. I subsequently found a new GP and started weaning off the remaining 600 mg by 100 mg a week and I supplemented with the magnesium because I read it helped with withdrawal symptoms. The only withdrawal symptoms that I noticed is that my body would shiver for no reason even though it was not cold. By the time I started noticing my pain diminishing and having longer periods without pain, I think I was down to 200 mg. My total time on gabapentin was almost 5 months but I should have quit much sooner.

 

[Lavender]

Hi Tgirl
So glad that that you were able to taper off eventually. I can identify with the struggle. If needed, one can get a prescription from a compounding pharmacy that will custom make gabapentin in capsules as small as 25 MG, usually given for the purpose of making the weaning more gradual. Expensive, however but well worth avoiding the symptoms that accompany a more rapid withdrawal.

 

[Avy]

Merilu, a year ago a doctor after my second surgery told me to drop the Neurontin cold turkey (she was not supposed to do that since she was no neurologist who prescribed me that medication, but unfortunately I was never told by anyone that I have to tap it off gradually). I was then on 1200 mg and also 40 mg Amyzol and was taking it for 2 months. I thought I was going to die due to so bad withdrawal. For 2 weeks I didn't know that this was because medication withdrawal and when I realized I immediately went back on both medication and things got better within few days. Today I am ''only'' on 600 mg gabapentin but I'm trying to reduce it even more. So I understand your withdrawal, it's a living hell. I also don't believe that gabapentin helps me with my pain, but I got to go off very slowly this time.

 

[mncjl123]

My dear Marilou, it was you who healed yourself! Not a supreme or supernatural being. You need credit no one but yourself for your miraculous healing. Had it been for prayer, and your belief, you would not have needed dr. Sarno work. My two cents.

 

[sarah555uk]

this is insane, I have the same symptoms now "I had electric shock type pain, buzzing, burning, tingling" ..except for burning
I also have a history of anxiety and TMJ which is on and off ...
Thanks for posting

 

[Drew]

Hi tgirl, I am still fighting my cold and I still have pain not as bad as in the past but I am able to function normally and get through the day although I feel very tired.

Lavender, I initially started on 300 mg 3 x a day for my nerve pain but it never helped. I cut one 300 mg pill around 4 to 5 weeks later and I had bad withdrawal symptoms. I felt my whole body go numb and my brain was not there. My friends and family said I looked like a drug addict. I have 3 children under nine so I was afraid to attempt to cut another pill. The communication with my GP was not very good. I requested gabapentin in 100 mgs to wean off slowly and he only prescribed enough to wean off in about 2 weeks. I subsequently found a new GP and started weaning off the remaining 600 mg by 100 mg a week and I supplemented with the magnesium because I read it helped with withdrawal symptoms. The only withdrawal symptoms that I noticed is that my body would shiver for no reason even though it was not cold. By the time I started noticing my pain diminishing and having longer periods without pain, I think I was down to 200 mg. My total time on gabapentin was almost 5 months but I should have quit much sooner.

what were the things that helped you most get over this nerve pain since I have all the same symptoms. Thanks

 

[Vladan]

what were the things that helped you most get over this nerve pain since I have all the same symptoms. Thanks

Drew,saw your few posts,i have been where you are,and much worse,i will give you one advice as someone who spent way too much time,"thinking my way out" "tricks and tips" try this for instance,give yourself a month break,call it a vacation and actually separate yourself from pain and Tms,let it be,breathe,if i knew what i know now i wouldnt waste my time monitoring nor convincing myself is it tms or not that it became my opsesion to the point of me making myself like some kind of experiment,accept the pain and move on i promise you its the only way,but it takes time and courage.i didnt log for a long time but when i see posts i just have to try to help. Wish you the best.

 

[Drew]

Drew,saw your few posts,i have been where you are,and much worse,i will give you one advice as someone who spent way too much time,"thinking my way out" "tricks and tips" try this for instance,give yourself a month break,call it a vacation and actually separate yourself from pain and Tms,let it be,breathe,if i knew what i know now i wouldnt waste my time monitoring nor convincing myself is it tms or not that it became my opsesion to the point of me making myself like some kind of experiment,accept the pain and move on i promise you its the only way,but it takes time and courage.i didnt log for a long time but when i see posts i just have to try to help. Wish you the best.

Love it. Thank you so much means a lot coming from
Someone’s who had nerve pain and all those bizarre sensations like Mine and you said you completely were able to get rid of them.

I do wanna distance myself from all this. Amazingly in 2017/2018 I did move away from all this and that’s when I was the best. This year everytime I try to move away it’s like symptoms get more intense and stronger and I come crawling back looking for reassurance and answers again and again. But I guess that’s the anxiety inside that never lets you stop always making you doubt or question or panic. also stressful situations cause intense nerve sensations still which also makes me angry and frustrated at times even though I’ve started to have days where sensations go down but it’s those flare up or spikes that still sacre me and make me doubt my future and probably feed the loop.

 

[Vladan]

Love it. Thank you so much means a lot coming from
Someone’s who had nerve pain and all those bizarre sensations like Mine and you said you completely were able to get rid of them.

I do wanna distance myself from all this. Amazingly in 2017/2018 I did move away from all this and that’s when I was the best. This year everytime I try to move away it’s like symptoms get more intense and stronger and I come crawling back looking for reassurance and answers again and again. But I guess that’s the anxiety inside that never lets you stop always making you doubt or question or panic. also stressful situations cause intense nerve sensations still which also makes me angry and frustrated at times even though I’ve started to have days where sensations go down but it’s those flare up or spikes that still sacre me and make me doubt my future and probably feed the loop.

Sorry i was really busy this month.
The less you care the better you get,not only about pain,but life itself. Let it go and stand your ground.

 

[Drew]

Sorry i was really busy this month.
The less you care the better you get,not only about pain,but life itself. Let it go and stand your ground.

Thanks buddy very wise words. Literally last 3 years whenever I really get busy with fun activities all tingling burning pins and needles disappear but the minute I’m alone by myself or something stressful in my acting career comes up or if I’m worrying about sensations they come back full flow.

so for you, you stopped caring about the sensations themselves right and then it slowly went away? Did it take a while? Also how did u remove your conditioned responses just by not caring! I still have a few of those.

did u also try not to stress about anything? I’ve noticed stress and worrying instantly makes the tingling spread all over my body not just legs but arms and neck and burning has been lesser but still comes and goes very random but one huge things I’ve noticed is when u read too much on anxiety or TMS forums those days my sensations are the worst compared to if I’m doing something fun or really busy with some chore.

 

[Vladan]

Thanks buddy very wise words. Literally last 3 years whenever I really get busy with fun activities all tingling burning pins and needles disappear but the minute I’m alone by myself or something stressful in my acting career comes up or if I’m worrying about sensations they come back full flow.

so for you, you stopped caring about the sensations themselves right and then it slowly went away? Did it take a while? Also how did u remove your conditioned responses just by not caring! I still have a few of those.

did u also try not to stress about anything? I’ve noticed stress and worrying instantly makes the tingling spread all over my body not just legs but arms and neck and burning has been lesser but still comes and goes very random but one huge things I’ve noticed is when u read too much on anxiety or TMS forums those days my sensations are the worst compared to if I’m doing something fun or really busy with some chore.

How i stop? Pain was my past,i separated myself from that pain and that person,i abandoned person which only did well for others and start doing what i like and what i cared about,actually it was my time"ME TIME" do not forget that we are only guests on this world and look it as a new journey,stop fear and worry,it wont change nothing,it wont "save you". Just move on,put a dot on that life,and on person who didnt care about you,specially that voice in your head insecurity,doubt,it doesnt matter,even if that thing that you fear happen,it doesnt really matter,i send you love man and wish you the best!