preemptive action

Part of my TMS success has been quashing asthma symptoms. I was diagnosed less than a year ago and in the last few weeks I haven't touched my rescue inhaler once! I have to say that even on the days where I have pain in my back, the success of my right side shoulder being pain free and the ability to breath easily are the success stories that I can recognize.

Does anyone have a secret for preventative medicine? In the next week, my family will be going on a trip with my in-laws. There will be lots and lots of together time (read that as lots and lots of stress). To be clear, I'm leaving on Wednesday with them, driving for a few hours with them, then flying together, then driving some more.. etc.. and returning on Monday. I know Dr. Sarno would not approve of my med bag, but laying on the floor in pain (or worse) is not an option on this trip.

Thoughts?

 

This is a great question, JD, and I hope that you'll get some creative responses.

Dr. Sarno wasn't actually against using medication when it's really needed - because sometimes you just need some help. So whatever you do, don't view it as a failure if you have to resort to your meds a few times, especially on a stressful trip with your in-laws, for crying out loud!

A useful preventive tool you can use is visualization. If you need to take something, make it into a little ritual: take a few minutes, drink plenty of water, close your eyes and breathe deeply while you relax every muscle from head to toe. You can do this in a few seconds. Congratulate yourself for being there and participating. Finally, visualize your future goal, which is to be med-free and pain-free. It will happen.

Oh, and try taking less. I have had a couple of really bad headaches since my recovery (which I consider to be at least 90%, six years ago) but they went away with just one ibuprofen. Back in the bad old (Before Sarno) days, I needed three, followed by two more, two hours later, before I got any relief from these headaches which I would get fairly regularly. No more!

Good luck, and keep us posted!

~Jan

 

Jan, thanks for your kind reply. It's good advice. We leave on wednesday!

 

JD--
Perhaps your anticipatory awareness of stress involved with such a trip will help...... I have found that if I accept that I feel stressed--and plan strategies to help me deal with it-- I feel better. I wonder if planning solutions or opportunities to cope with the stress might prevent the back pain from developing! Maybe you won't even need that med bag if those emotions don't get buried---- just thoughts....
enjoy your trip-- I am getting the "travel bug."[/QUOTE]

 

Stress isn't caused by external circumstances or people, but by our reactions. You can change how you react to people and situations. You are in control. It can take awhile to change our automatic patterns of response, but it can be done. Build on the success you've already had and journal about what it is that makes hanging out with your in-laws stressful. What emotions are you repressing when you're around them that may be triggering your TMS? See your trip as an opportunity to learn more about how you respond to people and why, and to practice changing that response. Try to stay in the present when with them instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Just relax and hang out with them. Don't overthink it.

And have a good time.

 

Hi All,
Thank you once again for your replies. Its nice to be in the company of people who have an understanding TMS and the proverbial minefield that we seem to walk thought on a daily basis regarding emotions. My stress level is at 10 right now. The funny thing is, there is nothing negative to be stressed out about. To the people who didn't read Dr. Sarno's book, this might seem odd. To those who did, its obvious! Even good things can be stressors! I'm going away on a vacation with my family. We weren't going to be able to take a vacation this winter, but a family event came up and we are getting away after all. Work will still be there on Tuesday when I get back.

Passover is coming up in 4 weeks and we are hosting both sides of our family for the two big meals. Since my mom passed, our holidays are always a source of sadness and anxiety for me. To further elevate the good stuff, my brother invited us to spend some time with him and his family towards the end of the holiday. Since he seems to be able to deal with everything (EVERYTHING) in good stride, maybe being together for this holiday will keep me a little more level headed. It seems like everything is coming up good..... but even the good stuff can be a stressor.

I started sharing some of my anxiety based thoughts tonight with my other half. We have been down this path before but this time, the response was something like "You should try to relax, this is going to make your back flare up tomorrow if you don't." The paradoxical situation is that the stress and anger drive up pain, but pain drives up stress and anger. Its a cyclical problem and to me, there is no obvious solution.

I want to end this post by saying how thankful I am that I found this group. I know many of you have probably known about TMS for more than 2 weeks, but for me, its been 14 life changing days. I think all of you for your continued insight.