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bjkopplin

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Hi, this is my first post to the forum. I will try to make my story as short as I can. Here goes... I'm a 54 year old woman who has been experiencing acute pain from what has been defined as an L5-S1 herniated disk, causing compression on my sciatic nerve. My pain is running down my left side from the lower back to the ankle, primarily on the outer leg. I've been seeing a chiropractor and massage therapist for deep tissue and stretching for about a year. I've now had four shots of steroids and after the third I was pain free for about three months. At that time I woke up every day thankful to be pain free. Well...the pain is back and once again I'm living the affects both physically and emotionally. I'm an x-runner, knee surgery forced me to stop about 2 years ago. Having to emotionally deal with no longer being able to run was tough, but prior to my diagnosis of the herniated disk I was strength and endurance training every day and doing yoga about once a week. I was also working out every day during the 3 months this year that I was pain free. My pain is so bad right now I can hardly walk, and when I do I'm hunched over and even then I can't be on my feet very long. Being an active woman for the last 30 years and then my body telling me I can barely walk is making me pretty down, to say the least. A friend of mine gave me Dr. Sarno's book, Healing back Pain. Having had colitis years ago I thought it was very possible that I may be a perfect candidate for TMS. I am also hesitant and fearful too that it could very well be a physical injury that is causing my pain. How do I know the difference and how can I be diagnosed with TMS?

Help!
Bonnie
 
Hi Bonnie, and welcome!
Most of us start by seeing an MD to determine if there's a structural reason for our pain. That's where I'd suggest you start. If a doctor doesn't find much, or doesn't find enough to cause your level of pain, you may consider TMS. And If Healing Back Pain resonated with you, maybe there is at least a TMS component to your pain.
Another option is to contact a TMS physician and get an opinion. There's a list of TMS practitioners on this wiki.
Blessings on your journey.
 
What Gigi said, try to get a work-up from a TMS physician for an objective dx. If you can't run on the land, how 'bout in the pool with a flotation belt. I do that half hour a day and after a few minutes the pain goes away and I get a full range of motion. I have an inexpensive waterproof FM radio I listen to that makes the time go by and they have waterproof MP3 players too.

If you listen to the docs, you'll fear that with every step, you are doing more damage. If it's TMS it's the opposite, JUST DO IT! There is life after running, you can swim for exercise or walk.

G'luck!
tt
 
Gigi said:
Hi Bonnie, and welcome!
Most of us start by seeing an MD to determine if there's a structural reason for our pain. That's where I'd suggest you start. If a doctor doesn't find much, or doesn't find enough to cause your level of pain, you may consider TMS. And If Healing Back Pain resonated with you, maybe there is at least a TMS component to your pain.
Another option is to contact a TMS physician and get an opinion. There's a list of TMS practitioners on this wiki.
Blessings on your journey.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your direction, I've sent an email and reached out to a TMS physician in my area from the website. The year long visits to the chiropractor and four shots of steroids haven't helped eliminate my pain permanently and this last shot didn't even remove my pain completely. I've spent a lot of time doing exercises to build muscles around the herniated disk and I've also gotten an inversion table that I use as well...none of which seem to completely eliminate the pain either.

Dr. Sarno's book did resonate with me, although I do have questions. I'm an extremely logical person and look for answers, now I just need to believe and work toward healing.
Bonnie
 
Tennis Tom said:
What Gigi said, try to get a work-up from a TMS physician for an objective dx. If you can't run on the land, how 'bout in the pool with a flotation belt. I do that half hour a day and after a few minutes the pain goes away and I get a full range of motion. I have an inexpensive waterproof FM radio I listen to that makes the time go by and they have waterproof MP3 players too.

If you listen to the docs, you'll fear that with every step, you are doing more damage. If it's TMS it's the opposite, JUST DO IT! There is life after running, you can swim for exercise or walk.

G'luck!
tt
Click to expand...
Yes, there is life after running!! I need to keep hearing that. :-) I was walking last week but have had a huge set back, in my mind I'm thinking the shot has once again failed me. I'm looking forward to a new way of thinking and look forward to hearing back from a TMS physician.
 
You are very fortunate you have a TMS physician near you, they are few and far between. That's step one to get an objective work-up to determine what's going on structurally, if anything besides normal anatomical anomalies on imaging. If you have radiological reports, x-rays and MRI's, it would probably be helpful to bring them with you. In my running days I did 13 marathons finishing all in decent times. I still run but it's in the pool, with some backstroke to stretch out, that's my yoga. I've done the injections like you have and gotten nothing from them for my hip. I play tournament level tennis, with a hobble, as much as I can, almost everyday and twice a day if I can. There is life after running, but hopefully after your TMS physician's work-up you can return to running. Keep us informed how the process works and the physician's contact info if that's alright with you. TMS physicians are few and far between on the planet, and TMS work composes a small part of their practice, since most people don't want to hear "that it's all in their head", but want a quick cure and walk out with an rx to Walgreens or some PT sessions. '

I've done all the alternative treatments from A to Z, including the chiroquacter, accu, Rolfing, etc., etc., etc.,--They offer some placebo effect until you pull out of the parking lot, and return to the real world. Massage is OK for some relief, getting you off the battlefield of modern life. At least you get some bang for your treatment buck, but you have to do it with the mindset that it's not going to cure anything physical, that it's just for relaxation and some lowering of the rage/soothe ratio.
 
I could barely walk, let alone run. I started slow... I put away the inversion table. It has been 1 year now and I run 10 k regularly. Sarno says tumor cancer or fracture. Everything else is a no go. So that's what I did . Had an mri. with none of the above. I could see a paragraph on the screen but did not read it. told my doc to not tell me. Told her good I am running. She answered , I should send you some of my patients. bjkopplin keep acquiring knowledge and you will heal. Belief is the key and there are just TOO MANY success stories to not believe. Help is available. YOU WILL HEAL.
 
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