Neurological Issues Plus TMS (exercise sensitivities)

M

mm718

Peer Supporter
I have neurological issues caused by a medication several years ago. This is a recognized syndrome with a neurological basis however I believe there is psychosomatic component too. Over the years there have been many improvements but my functioning is still low due to residual symptoms and symptoms that are triggered by fear.

I am writing for help with exercise sensitivity. After exercise I experience a rapid onset of depression, followed by confusion, and irritability or rage. The episodes always triggered by exercise but lately I've been wondering if maybe it is FEAR about getting an episode versus the exercise itself that is the initial trigger.

From a classical conditioning perspective fear would be the conditioned stimulus, the exercise the unconditioned stimulus, and the symptoms would be the conditioned response. Lately the episodes have been happening in response to extremely low exertion situations, which got me thinking that this has nothing to do with the exertion itself but rather something associated with it (e.g. fear)

I'd like to start slowly exercising again so that the fear will hopefully dampen and eventually go away. However, I've never been able to exercise without a reaction and the episodes are now 3-10 days long. So it would be hard to expose myself to exercise over and over again given the duration. I am looking for tips on how address the issue and test the hypothesis that it is fear rather than the exercise itself that is the trigger. I feel that the slightest victory would reduce my fear and maybe the symptoms themselves.

General thoughts? Is it helpful to view this as classical conditioning? Specific tips on how to resume exercise in a way that might lead to small victories? Thank in advance for any help with this!
 
mm718 said:
I have neurological issues caused by a medication several years ago. This is a recognized syndrome with a neurological basis however I believe there is psychosomatic component too. Over the years there have been many improvements but my functioning is still low due to residual symptoms and symptoms that are triggered by fear.

I am writing for help with exercise sensitivity. After exercise I experience a rapid onset of depression, followed by confusion, and irritability or rage. The episodes always triggered by exercise but lately I've been wondering if maybe it is FEAR about getting an episode versus the exercise itself that is the initial trigger.

From a classical conditioning perspective fear would be the conditioned stimulus, the exercise the unconditioned stimulus, and the symptoms would be the conditioned response. Lately the episodes have been happening in response to extremely low exertion situations, which got me thinking that this has nothing to do with the exertion itself but rather something associated with it (e.g. fear)

I'd like to start slowly exercising again so that the fear will hopefully dampen and eventually go away. However, I've never been able to exercise without a reaction and the episodes are now 3-10 days long. So it would be hard to expose myself to exercise over and over again given the duration. I am looking for tips on how address the issue and test the hypothesis that it is fear rather than the exercise itself that is the trigger. I feel that the slightest victory would reduce my fear and maybe the symptoms themselves.

General thoughts? Is it helpful to view this as classical conditioning? Specific tips on how to resume exercise in a way that might lead to small victories? Thank in advance for any help with this!
Click to expand...
Can I ask what the medication was ?
 
Hi mm,
Of course I have to advise you to talk to your doctor first.
I call it exercise-resistance; an excessive amount of backlash after having exercised. In my case it was cramps, involuntary muscle fasciculation, pain in certain joints and muscles and a drop in energy.
Fear indeed is a big part of what causes it. Partly a vicious circle of fear for exercising starts and partly it might be fear in general that is not directly related to exercising. Survival mode is meant for survival in the short run, so the body spends little time and energy on long term repairs and maintenance. I believe that this is why with TMS we see this phenomenon, we don't allow ourselves to return to a state of relaxation in which the body is able to repair and maintain itself.
I say, just go exercising moderately and don't mind the backlash too much. Don't overdo it either, just slowly ramp it up and stay convinced that things will improve in time and that your brain will once and a while will provide you small victories. Those are golden as you can put them in your pocket of TMS evidence. I know, easier said than done, but in my case it helped.
 
I say, just go exercising moderately and don't mind the backlash too much. Don't overdo it either, just slowly ramp it up and stay convinced that things will improve in time and that your brain will once and a while will provide you small victories. Those are golden as you can put them in your pocket of TMS evidence. I know, easier said than done, but in my case it helped.

Thanks. That is my hope to have some little success that will boost my confidence and reduce the fear. The problem though is that the episodes are so long (several days) and sometimes severe. Not sure the best way to proceed... Should I meditate before exercise to quell fear or does this a message to the unconscious that something is wrong? Or should I exercise harder to send the message that nothing is wrong and that I won't be ruled by the fear? Would it help to listen to Sarno (audiobook) before or during exercise? Does any one have any practical tips or thoughts about the exercise issue described in my original post?
 
Do any others have thoughts or tips on how to approach my exercise issue? I have some thoughts but was really hoping the community could share their experience facing fears and severe symptoms. Thanks!
 
mm718 said:
Or should I exercise harder to send the message that nothing is wrong and that I won't be ruled by the fear? Would it help to listen to Sarno (audiobook) before or during exercise? Does any one have any practical tips or thoughts about the exercise issue described in my original post?
Click to expand...
EXERCISE HARDER! SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS. Absorbing Dr. Sarno's KNOWLEDGE PENICILLIN in any form is always a good thing until your unconscious absorbs and accepts TMS theory. Listening to Sarno while exercising sounds like a great way of preventing the TMS gremlin telling you it's bad for you--multi-tasking is a ruse, the mind can only focus on one thing--substitute positive TMS theory for negative fearful thoughts that the body is weak--the Good Doctor always advised that the body is strong--JUST DO IT!

BTW, what exercise are you doing, and for how long?

Boilerplate : this advice is given with the assumption you have been checked out by a competent physician and have been advised you that it's ok for you to do the exercise you want to do. I'm a tennis player and not a white-coat.
 
Tennis Tom said:
EXERCISE HARDER! SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS. Absorbing Dr. Sarno's KNOWLEDGE PENICILLIN in any form is always a good thing until your unconscious absorbs and accepts TMS theory. Listening to Sarno while exercising sounds like a great way of preventing the TMS gremlin telling you it's bad for you--multi-tasking is a ruse, the mind can only focus on one thing--substitute positive TMS theory for negative fearful thoughts that the body is weak--the Good Doctor always advised that the body is strong--JUST DO IT!

BTW, what exercise are you doing, and for how long?
Click to expand...

Thanks, Tom. That's what SteveO did. I'm reading his book now... The problem is the exercise reactions are so severe, debilitating and long lasting (several days).
This isn't just fatigue, muscle discomfort, etc, it's depression, mental confusion, and agitation.

Maybe if I work on how I respond to the exercise reactions it will somehow reduce their severity. My pattern in the past is to try to exercise, get a bad reaction, and then abandon it all together for months. On the rare occasion that I've tried to continue to exercise after a reaction the 2nd reaction is even worse. Scary really. Does this sound like TMS?? Yes I have been thoroughly checked out by a doctor.

The reactions have a occurred with exercise ranging from *very* light yard work to riding my bike 60 miles. I really believe there is a TMS element caused by fear (conditioned response) because some of the episodes are triggered by such little exertion.
 
mm718 said:
I have neurological issues caused by a medication several years ago.
Click to expand...

mm718 said:
The problem is the exercise reactions are so severe, debilitating and long lasting (several days).
This isn't just fatigue, muscle discomfort, etc, it's depression, mental confusion, and agitation.
Click to expand...

I took a look at your first post, you have--or you believe you have "neurological issues caused by a medication". This is a message board, there's no way anyone can properly give you advice without knowing a lot more about the specifics of your case. I'm a tennis player, not a doctor, I only regurgitate what I've read in the TMS books filtered through my own experiences. All injuries can have a TMS component--that being your mind's reaction to them, how your thoughts might effect your immune system and your body's ability to heal. You didn't state what your neurological issue is or the med that you feel caused it--you don't have to here. As long as you feel you have a structural issue, and that is the cause of your reactions to exercise it will prevent accepting TMS as the solution.

Have you been back to your prescribing doctor and discussed the complications you feel were caused by the med? If so, what did he say?
 
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