Sitting!

R

rainyday412

New Member
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but the lingering symptom on this flare is sitting! I have been getting better over past week with using tools from Alan Gordon, Dan buglio. Went from sitting only 10 seconds to sitting 12 minutes per sitting session after a week of brain training. BUT, now when I got to work, it’s a different chair. And my leg burns again when I sit in it. I am guessing it’s a different conditional response since it’s a different chair. Therefore it only likes it maybe 2-3 minutes before leg burns. Did anyone run into this, and what tools/tricks did u approach it with?
 
Hi @rainyday412 and welcome. You don't say how long you've been working on the mindbody connection to fibro, or how much you understand about it, which would be helpful for us to before trying to answer your question. For example, do you know about Dr Sarno's original theories about TMS, including the Symptom Imperative? We don't want to assume up front that you are totally new to this!
 
I have had fibromyalgia for a decade, flares with stress. Most flares involve issues with sitting. Burning in leg, or sometimes sharp pain. Can go a couple years between flares. Finally started noticing a mind connection during this last flare that started 2 months ago. I could tell when I saw images of a person sitting, my leg would burn! Read Sarno about 4 weeks ago, read Alan Gordon 2 weeks ago. So tried to tackle sitting a week ago after avoiding it for many weeks. My symptoms during a flare can be sitting. But it can hit my heel, then my knee, then my skin. It floats. But my mind can sometimes get symptoms to stop when I tell it I could care less if it hurts….that it feels good . In other flares, it would hit my tailbone, or my sacrum, or my legs. Changes depending on flare.

have had MRI’s in past, X-rays, physical therapy. Usually flare just goes away when I trust doctor will fix me.
 
Excellent, @rainyday412 , that's very helpful!

I would guess that you are encountering the infamous Symptom Imperative. Sometimes called Extinction Burst, but I feel like the first term makes more sense. Dr Sarno described this phenomenon, which is actually another proof of the power of the primitive TMS mechanism (speaking of which I love how you were able to make the connection from pictures!).

I can't even count the number of times we've heard from folks who are doing the free Structured Educational Program that at about two weeks or so they start experiencing worse symptoms, new symptoms, old symptoms reoccurring, any combination of these, and sometimes increasing anxiety or even depression. This is the TMS mechanism fighting back against "doing the work", especially because it senses that negative emotional distress might occur, and it literally believes you will be eaten by a predator if you are distracted and not constantly worried about danger.

The goal of the fearful brain is to get you to give up. My personal advice is practicing self-compassion towards your fear brain, with realistic and constructive self-talk to calm it down ("I'm perfectly safe, doing this work is not dangerous) and giving yourself credit and lots of love for what you've already accomplished. And don't forget to stop and breathe!
 
Ok so keep on pushing through and try to break the fear. I have really made a lot of progress on fear. It used to make m3 pass out if I felt the pain might be coming on. But I am stronger now, should I try sitting in the office chair in smaller increments to teach myself it’s ok?
 
rainyday412 said:
Ok so keep on pushing through and try to break the fear. I have really made a lot of progress on fear. It used to make m3 pass out if I felt the pain might be coming on. But I am stronger now, should I try sitting in the office chair in smaller increments to teach myself it’s ok?
Click to expand...

If you are unsure of this step, re-read some of your pain reprocessing book. Alan is very clear about how to start exposing yourself to facing fears. He even begins his book with some great anticidotes of his own experience. It will give you a boost of confidence!
 
Good advice. I was doing much better before returning to work. New chair, new environment. I prob was focusing too hard on improvement instead of making it light. I need to face my fear. I will listen to Alan Gordon’s book again this week while working.
I might be making recovery more of a homework assignment instead of something natural.
 
Bingo!
Pressure is being hard on yourself!
Striving is a tms personality trait.
This is about the emotion not the task of sitting. Think psychological :)
 
Just letting you know that u guys have helped me already. Approaching my recovering with less pressure on myself and it’s helping. Trying new chairs in very small increments to have a positive experience, like what Alan Gordon talks about. U r right, it’s the emotion of sitting not the task of sitting.
 
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