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pain on vacation

Discussion in 'Support Subforum' started by okidokisan, Feb 6, 2014.

  1. okidokisan

    okidokisan Peer Supporter

    Help! I had a good three weeks a month ago. I was walking up to an hour..so it seemed possible to plan a vacation in Mexico. We have been here a week and my pain gets worse and worse. I would say I had pain prior to trip..but now I can barely walk a block without pain. The past 2 nights have been excruciating..hours of pain with no relief. I'm in great pain now and can barely walk. What should I do? Go home? We already changed trip and are now just staying in tiny bungalows. We are10 days into month trip.
    This pain is relentless.
    I have been doing tms program since October and cycling in and out of pain..but wonder why it is so unbearable now after some success.
     
    Eric "Herbie" Watson likes this.
  2. Eric "Herbie" Watson

    Eric "Herbie" Watson Beloved Grand Eagle

    Cause you are worrying about something. It's not the trip itself -- it's you worrying about something that is helping the pain stay. So meditate and relax. Grab some comedy movies and laugh. Enjoy your vacation -- Stop focusing on the pain and stop fearing it. You are worrying that your going to have pain before you even enjoy your trip. Stop the stress thoughts ok. Let the pain be -- its their now just let it be and don't give it any attention ok. No fear.

    What program are you on? What is your protocol? Let me know these things and we can tweak your style so you can get better results in your journey ok. Remember this does take time so if you are paying attention to that calendar or watch, you might as well leave all that alone cause its only hindering you. The more you want it gone, the more it will stay. So just allow it for now with acceptance and peace. Let the pain just be with no judgments and as soon as you calm down -- give it a week or a few days and let us know how it works. You'll be fine. Stay with the course and loose all frustrations ok. Its like we have a time limit in our lives on frustration before it boils over into rage but you can reverse this rage with relaxation of the mind, deep breathing and meditations. Don't forget to visualize yourself healed with no pain too.

    Bless You
     
  3. okidokisan

    okidokisan Peer Supporter

    Eric.. I know I know..cannot get a grip on anything..the pain is nonstop and intense and has worsened daily..had migraine this morning and could barely walk a few feet..I had 2 sessions with Gordon Allen therapist..in January..and was doing better..I was
    Meditating..reading..journaling..and now the pain is so intense I can barely lie still..I am frustrated with slow healing
    ..my husband has TMS too and he is much better and has done not much..so here I am trying so hard to heal and getting worse.
    I have been on TMS process or program for 4 months now..
    Honestly I thought this trip would be healing..no stress..nice weather..so I am I guess perplexed by it all..I we
    I'll resume focusing practice and meditation..and get back to the healing space I was in..it's like one day a switch was turned on and the pain has taken over..
     
  4. Tennis Tom

    Tennis Tom Beloved Grand Eagle

     
    Eric "Herbie" Watson likes this.
  5. Tennis Tom

    Tennis Tom Beloved Grand Eagle

    Going on vacation is on the Rahe-Holmes list of TMS causing situations. You are out of your homeostasis, your subconscious isn't happy about it. If you're not on meds have a couple of Margaritas, tequilla sunrises or or a couple of shots of Patron or other top-shelf tequilla. Maybe you're doing too much touristing. Hit the chaise at the beach or the pool, relax, drink, eat lobster, sleep, repeat.
     
    yb44 and Eric "Herbie" Watson like this.
  6. Eric "Herbie" Watson

    Eric "Herbie" Watson Beloved Grand Eagle

    Ok trying so hard to get better is keeping the pain going. Stop trying to get better -- look at your husband , you said he is much better and done not much so that should give you a clue on how to approach your own sub-siding pain ok. Take it easy on yourself. Give your heart a break. You'll win this with the rd less traveled. Everyone tries to heal to begin with and at 4 months your at the beginning stage where the pain will jump around and try to make you think its the worst thing but you have to know to keep to your studies as you said you would to effect a cure ok. Do you have Sarnos 12 daily reminders?
    1)- its not physical but emotional
    2) Tms is harmless - mild oxygen deprivation
    3) Don't fear the pain
    4) Don't focus on the pain.

    These are just some of the reminders off the top of my head. You should repeat these to yourself and practice them everyday ok.

    Have you heard of Claire Weekes. She can help a lot if you have anxiety ok.

    Tennis Toms post about the Rahe - Holmes test is awesome so you can know what events to journal about ok.

    Hope you get to feeling better soon.:)
     
  7. okidokisan

    okidokisan Peer Supporter

    Ha..that is all I am doing is laying around the beach! Maybe I need some tequila too. The problem is I can barely make it to the beach. I'm working on Eric and others suggestions..seems to help.
     
  8. okidokisan

    okidokisan Peer Supporter

    Got it!!!
    I'm on to all of your suggestions. Thanks so much..you have the 12 reminders posted..I'll find them.
     
  9. chickenbone

    chickenbone Well known member

    okidokisan, I have the same problem whenever I go on vacation. My TMS has a field day. I have agoraphobia, which is basically the fear of leaving home. This fear is completely irrational. Part of your mind is giving you escalating pain in a desperate attempt to get to you to end the vacation. It is probably doing this to keep you safe. It is a defense mechanism you probably learned in childhood so you could cope with fearful situations you could not control. Don't fight it or try to control it because engaging it is exactly what it wants you to do. Just accept it, be the unemotional, objective watcher of it and it will eventually lose it's grip on you.
    Try to observe your mind as if the real You is a separate being so that your mind is just necessary baggage, thereby separating you from the pain and fear. Strongly affirm that you will only use your mind for appropriate, positive uses, not for negative imagination. Watch those thoughts and the feelings of fear and be curious about how your mind is operating to deceive you into thinking it knows what you should do. The mind gremlins will also tell you that it knows that the fear and pain will go away if you do what they are telling you to do, i.e. end the vacation. Don't fall for this, it is a lie. See the pain and fear as harmless mind gremlins, not part of the real you and they will fade because the power they have over you is really only that power you have given them. Don't become identified with these negative states, but accept that this is something that is happening to you. Slowly withdraw the power you have given to them. The pain and fear will end because you will have succeeded in Letting Go of that which doesn't serve you well.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2014
    yb44 likes this.
  10. okidokisan

    okidokisan Peer Supporter

    Thanks chickenbone..that is so helpful.

    Eric..my husband and I listened to Claire Weekes..she is great..coupled with other suggestions..We feel we have some good tools. I had a great day yesterday and pain today but I gave it less power so it is like another good day. All of this is so Buddhist..it all fits together and is one and the same.
     
    Ellen, Eric "Herbie" Watson and yb44 like this.
  11. okidokisan

    okidokisan Peer Supporter

    Hi Eric..

    I am back from our vacation. We both learned so much from our pain on this trip...I think the information you gave me about Claire Weekes and her tapes got me over the hump. And I realized that since I was near a warm ocean I could really "float"...I finally finally got what mindfulness and acceptance was truly about. I was only accepting pain..not the emotions..So I think this was so big for me.

    We planned to move about from place to place..but ended up staying in the same bungalow for a month. It turned out that we made amazing friends and learned to have no plans and totally relax.
    We would have never done that if we were able to walk.

    Now home..I am so much better. I am so happy and pleased. My husband and I began to have the same symptoms on the trip..we were with each other 24/7 and since reading SteveO's book The Great Pain Deception realize why that happened. So interesting the power of suggestion..and attraction .

    ..I am going to keep the appointment with Dr David Schecter in a few weeks. Although I have no doubts that I have TMS..I still would like to see him and get his suggestions and opinion.

    Mainly I want to thank you for caring for me and helping me. You also indirectly helped my husband..
    We called ourselves Ben D Over and Eileen Over..(if you saw us walk you would know why)

    Blessings..Take Gentle Care
     
    Ellen and Eric "Herbie" Watson like this.
  12. Eric "Herbie" Watson

    Eric "Herbie" Watson Beloved Grand Eagle

    okidokisan thank you so much for your post. You are doing better, that's what keeps me going forward is replies like this. You got to understanding the emotions and how looking at them was more the way than directing your thoughts at the pain. I love the no plans and just relax decision you made. That alone took pressure off from you so you could think clearer.

    I am so happy that you are feeling better, Awesome. And yes Steve's book is great for knowing whats happening and how to get better. I learned a lot reading "The Great Pain Deception". Dr. Schecter should be of great benefit to you, he has been around a long time.

    I want to thank you for believing in me and I'm so humbled to hear those words of gratitude. It's those thank yous that keep my heart aglow.:)

    Tell your husband I said thank you to him too. The two of you working together is an awesome strength. You have your belief and each other. A three fold cord cant be broken. I'm always here if you need anything -- we all are. Keep us posted on any up-dates ok.

    Bless You
     

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