Pain Killers

I am dealing with hip pain for over a decade. Does anyone know how to deal with pain killers in relation to TMS and the TMS pain recovery program? Because currently I can’t function without.

 

Hi Zippo,
This is exactly my problem at the moment; trying to do the TMS work and not knowing whether I should be trying to stop taking painkillers and try to push through the pain. I suppose it depends on how much pain medication you're on and whether you feel that you're becoming dependent on the medication. I would love to have some specialist guidance on this but feel that it would be morally indefensible to consult a medical practitioner when they're in the middle of a pandemic and so over worked. I live in the UK so the situations are probably not comparable as we have the NHS which I would never want to undermine or denigrate its founding principles. Is there a specialist spokesperson out there who might give advice?
i agree with you about reading Healing Back Pain. A light bulb moment!

 

Do what you need to do. You'll eventually taper off of them when you feel more confident and less pain. The important part is to start doing the emotional work so you can get there.

 

I asked this question too because it is something I have been trying to reconcile: should I more aggressively try to whittle down what I am taking, even though somewhat smallish amounts (1/2 Tramadol on about 3/4 of days, 1/2 Xanax every other day, about). I agree with what @Vedra and @Cactusflower said and would also add the following, from at least the books I have read:
- Schubiner ("Unlearn Your Pain"): says it's ok to stay on whatever meds you are on until you can reduce the pain via TMS methods, then can titrate down.
- Georgie Oldfield ("Chronic Pain, Your Key to Recovery"): ditto what Schubiner says.
- David Hanscom ("Back in Control"): says it's ok to take some meds particularly to get to the point where you can get good sleep, but advises stay with OTC if you can (which would be anybody's advice I suppose).
- Alan Gordon ("The Way Out"): doesn't explicitly give advice about meds, but does have a whole chapter in the Appendix about the dangers of narcotics and society relying on them.
- Steve Ozanich: ("Great Pain Deception"): seems like he never really says exactly if he took them, but as above cautions about long term use.
- Claire Weekes ("Hope and Help for your Nerves"): the book really is about nervous illness as opposed to chronic pain or TMS, but most of the methods are extremely pertinent, since anxiety and pain are so strongly related. She actually advises that is a good thing to use"sedatives" until you can get yourself calmer via other methods, but this was also written some 50 years ago.

But yeah it is a personal decision that depends on a lot of things, and consult with your doc obviously. I use them mainly as a way to get more calm, Tramadol having an anxiolytic effect on me, doesn't actually do much for pain (for me, at these low levels).

Hope it helps.

 

To add to hawaii's list and echo Cactusflower's support: Dr. Sarno wrote something to the effect of "use analgesics until the pain subsides." So there is nothing here that says pain pills will prevent you from successful TMS work. The only reason this might not be true is if you're too dopey to do cognitive, educational, awareness work, or if you're avoiding awareness of emotions through addictive engagement.

 

Thanks for replying. Yes, it does help because even though I've read much of the literature you quoted, until now nobody has said what they're taking and how much. On a bad day at the moment I take 2 Tramadol and taper off with 1 per day. Over a period of 15 years I've had pain free consecutive months and have not needed the painkillers. At the moment one of the fears probably contributing to my TMS is the thought of going through 3 days of misery coming off Tramadol and then being slammed back down by pain again. Another factor is the high media profile of opioids and their negative effects and abuse. Just to write this down is a relief as I play down or hide the pain in day to day life for all the usual reasons (more repression and stress, I know).
I'm on my third round of doing the educational programme now, devising new ways to journal, have dialogues, write letters etc. in various languages, which helps.

 

Thanks you all, this helps.

Regards, Zippo