New to this: Need Help

[thomas11]

Hi everyone, I need help determining if I really have TMS. This is my first time on tsmwiki so apologies in advance if I am posting in the wrong area or anything like that.

Here is a pretty condensed summary of my situation:

I started having low back pain in November of 2017. Over time, it caused me to have to stop working, and has greatly hindered my ability to sit in class and focus on school work (I am a 20 year old university student). Often times I cannot stand or sit for more than a few minutes. The crippling pain has had a huge negative impact on my mental health. Of course, I have tried every treatment known (traditional like injections and anti inflammatory meds, non traditional like acupuncture) and seen a whole host of doctors, specialists, orthopedic surgeons, I won't waste your time by listing it all. On December 26, 2018, I had a microdescectomy to which I was told would fix my herniated L4-L5 disc and in turn would stop my low back pain. (I have never had any leg pain). I am now about two months out, which I know is soon, but about 70% of the surgery pain/stiffness is gone, however, my back feels the exact same. The same burning, crippling pain that I have had since late 2017.

Like I said, I've tried every possible treatment. About a month ago, unable to sleep because of pain, through a late night Youtube binge I discovered the work of Dr Sarno. I have since read Healing Back Pain. His description of the typical TMS patient does sound like me. However, even after reading the book, and I have recently started journaling for 20 minutes every night, I still have noticed no difference in my pain. I just need someone to help me. The pain is ruining my life.

Thanks for any responses.
-Thomas

 

[Baseball65]

Maybe, Yes and Yes

Your story could have been mine minus a detail here and there. I went through the same rig-a-ma-role as you. Over a year and a half it took me out of work, was 'allegedly' my L4-L5 and a lot of other diagnoses (plural). I DID have sciatica (in both legs even though the herniation was on one side). Finally had the surgery...microdiscectomy.... zero improvement. After I failed to get better in the prescribed amount of time they threw me on the "chronic pain" scrap heap.

I was 32 when 'it began' though I had been in and out of the system since I was about your age (Back, neck, shoulders). After I read "Healing Back Pain" and went back through my life and my symptoms as two running narratives all of a sudden it became abundantly clear that the symptoms were ALWAYS there to distract me from an unsavory or enraging, shameful thought or situation.....mixed in with being conditioned like a skinner box rat.

You SOUND like a TMS story, but only you can know. Even if one Md came and told you you had TMS he would be outnumbered by a hundred white coats saying 'But structurally...disk...stenosis....nerve...degeneration..." Into F-ing infinity

I went to the system. They told me what was 'wrong' but never seemed to EXACTLY agree. Some said it was the disk...some said it was a birth defect (I was born with a fusion). Chriropractors told me I was misaligned. None of the stories were consistent. Sarno once said "THERAPEUTIC ECLECTICISM IS SYNONYMOUS WITH DIAGNOSTIC INCOMPETENCE" which is big fancy speak for "WHEN YOU GET DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR A PROBLEM THEY HAVEN'T DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM CORRECTLY"....

Keep reading, studying and looking into yourself.

Post script... Since I decided I have TMS and treated it I have been pain free for twenty years this year...twenty pain free skateboarding, jumping, falling, flipping, baseball and football playing, wonderful years. I am 53 and still work full time as a construction worker.

 

[KevinMartilloViner]

Hi everyone, I need help determining if I really have TMS. This is my first time on tsmwiki so apologies in advance if I am posting in the wrong area or anything like that.

Here is a pretty condensed summary of my situation:

I started having low back pain in November of 2017. Over time, it caused me to have to stop working, and has greatly hindered my ability to sit in class and focus on school work (I am a 20 year old university student). Often times I cannot stand or sit for more than a few minutes. The crippling pain has had a huge negative impact on my mental health. Of course, I have tried every treatment known (traditional like injections and anti inflammatory meds, non traditional like acupuncture) and seen a whole host of doctors, specialists, orthopedic surgeons, I won't waste your time by listing it all. On December 26, 2018, I had a microdescectomy to which I was told would fix my herniated L4-L5 disc and in turn would stop my low back pain. (I have never had any leg pain). I am now about two months out, which I know is soon, but about 70% of the surgery pain/stiffness is gone, however, my back feels the exact same. The same burning, crippling pain that I have had since late 2017.

Like I said, I've tried every possible treatment. About a month ago, unable to sleep because of pain, through a late night Youtube binge I discovered the work of Dr Sarno. I have since read Healing Back Pain. His description of the typical TMS patient does sound like me. However, even after reading the book, and I have recently started journaling for 20 minutes every night, I still have noticed no difference in my pain. I just need someone to help me. The pain is ruining my life.

Thanks for any responses.
-Thomas

Sorry to hear it. Check out this podcast interview, I talk a lot about what you're going through. Hope it helps!

https://audioboom.com/posts/7173184-057-kevin-martillo-viner-phd?fbclid=IwAR0vSXw6MfXJZx290rxvJTLrZiCdjTxsk-ItAbRQ9xOSNG68C_U-oCd5aHE (Audioboom / 057 - Kevin Martillo Viner, PhD)