New here and exploring

Hi,

Just bumped into this forum some days ago. In the process of reading John Sarnos Heling back pain (guess that is what leads many here).

Basically I am here to try to recover and share my experiences if they can also be helpful to others.

I already went through all of this once. Or at least that is what I believe I did. I was 23 and had had chronic neck pain for over two years. In Sweden, where I come from, I had tried various methods of recovery. Nothing worked. As I was in Spain to study there, I accidently read a weekly magazine featuring a new method for dealing with back pain that seemed new and interesting. I made contact with the journalist who then led me to the therapist interviewed. This guy made a claim which I found viscerally counter intuitive at the time, namely that he could heal back pain through conversation alone. But lo and behold, three conversations with this therapist later, and I had completely recovered.

I have suffered from lower back pain for over 9 years now. In spite of my positive previous experience in Spain, I have somehow managed to resist the idea that this pain is connected to my mind, just like my neck pain was. MRI diagnosed hernias and a degenerated disc has complicated viewing my state as anything but physically conditioned. But since I have, yet again, 'tried everything', without seeing a definite embetterment I feel a need to re-think it all. Discovered Sarnos book the other day and quickly realised how I am on every page there and how clear it is that this was the actual method deployed by my Spanish therapist.

Now, I am in the beginning of trying this out. See where it leads me. Since beginning to read Sarno's book, I already feel better. However, went out for a run yesterday and now feel worse again. Recognizable revocery?

Used to be very active in sports. But cancelled football, and most running. Scared of running in general. For some years now, I am doing it only barefoot which is radically better for my back, but I still often get a reaction, a few days after as my back tends to 'stiffen up' or even go in to a 'lumbago state'. Kettlebell and pilates works for me. Anyone out there who feel they share this pattern?

Also, noting that in Sweden, professionals working with this method seem to be noneexisting? Any Swede here that knows differently?

Grateful for any advice.

 

Hi, Lighthouse. I'm not in Sweden, I'm in Chicago. But I am glad to read that you are finding yourself in Dr. Sarno's book. I strongly suspect your symptoms are caused by TMS emotions. I urge you to start the Structured Educational Program, free in the subforum of this web site. It will help you to discover the emotional causes of your pain.

Here is one TMSer's report on his becoming 95 percent pain free after doing the SEProgram. He posted a few days later than he was 100 percent pain-free.

Kevin healed 95 % from SEP


Welcome to the SEP and to the path of recovery. I am on my final two days of the program and I can say with complete confidence that I am a changed man. I started after 6 months of nasty low-back/butt/leg pain, could hardly walk, stand, etc. was in physical therapy, chiropractor, acupuncture, pain medications, etc.. the usual. My MRI showed 3 disk bulges/herniations touching nerves, so that is what I believe it to be....that is until I read Dr. Sarno and found this site.

I encourage you to really get involved, follow the instructions, do the journaling, take time to read all the suggested readings, and watch the videos. I'd say I'm 95% cured. There is still some very light lingering "annoyance", but I still have some work to do. I've been walking miles with hardly any pain these last few weeks. But even more, if the pain comes on now, it just doesn't bother me like it used to, I sorta just see it, acknowledge it, and go about my business. It took working the program to get to that point, but 6 weeks compared to 6 months is nothing! I made more progress in the first week than I did from two months of PT!!! It's going to challenge you and your "beliefs" in medicine, but you have nothing to lose. We generally wind up here when all else fails.

So give it a shot, especially before considering anything invasive like surgery. If you put the work in, you will get better. Have you read Dr. Sarno yet? I assume you have since you're here, but in case you haven't, definitely readHealing Back Pain. Again, it will challenge everything you've believed about your pain, and backs in general. You'll be encouraged to resume life as normal, i.e. stop ALL "therapies" (PT, chiro, etc.), stop taking medications, and most importantly, stop thinking STRUCTURAL problems are the cause of your pain and shift to psychological as the reason.....again, this can be difficult and takes some time to sink in, so be patient and kind to yourself.

It was a process for me. A few of the bigger moves in my case were: I ripped up and threw out my MRI test results (I found myself obsessively reading over them and comparing them to other results I could find on the web and even here on the TMSwiki site...); I got back to the gym and stopped using a weight belt; and I even cancelled an appointment I had made with aTMS doctorbecause it was more than a month away and it was hindering my recovery (that is, my 100% belief in TMS was lagging because I had this pending appointment, but as soon as I cancelled it, my recovery sped up significantly). Everyone's journey is unique to their situation, but I've found that really committing to the program and brining what I learn from it into my daily life has had profound results. Also, sharing along the way here in these forums has been extremely helpful - there's something about knowing that you're not alone in your TMS recovery that really helps. I encourage you to look through my past posts for some insight into my experience with SEP. Like I said, I'm just now finishing, tomorrow is my final day, and I feel like a changed person. It's amazing. And I feel as though it is something that one carries on with, not just like a one time 6 week thing and that's that...it has helped me to get to know myself and taught me tools to "deal" with my emotions. Learning and accepting TMS is a life changer for sure.

 

Hi Lighthouse,

It sure seems positive that you've already experienced a "Sarno-like" cure for your previous pain. This gives you something to reassure yourself with, as you embark on Sarno's work, again.

I would not worry about this. It seems you are starting again the Sarno process, and you can expect some setbacks, etc.

I suggest you start the Structured Education Program, free, and which guides you through exploration and media to deepen your Sarno work. As you explore, you can post to that section of the forum and read others' responses to the same material.

I am in the U.S. and do not know of Swedish TMS resources. Many coaches and therapists can work with you long distance, but physicians who work long-distance are rare or don't exist...

Andy B.