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TMS, exhaustion or something else?

Discussion in 'Support Subforum' started by Rotanzania, Jan 24, 2016.

  1. Rotanzania

    Rotanzania New Member

    hi, I posted a while back as I was so excited to read John Sarno's book and start to get better so fast. My pain is 80% better since reading his book (and reading other books and blogs etc ) on 23 December.
    I was almost house bound with just short walks and hydrotherapy for 6 months, and some release and muscle work from a specialist. I have now gradually built up to swimming, walking and sitting for longer periods of time. However, I am increasingly finding that I do an activity and then become so exhausted I have to lie down, sometimes fall asleep, and feel empty.
    I've spoken to doctors here ( who don't know anything about TMS) and they say this is very extreme, even given that I was quite unfit, and that the tiredness is near collapse so a bit of a concern.
    I wondered if anyone had experience of this and can offer any suggestions please? Thank you
     
  2. Tennis Tom

    Tennis Tom Beloved Grand Eagle

    A common everyday doctor will not be able to address existential fatigue because they're only trained to treat the physical symptoms and not the underlying TMS emotional causes--it would back up the waiting rooms--you've got 90 seconds to explain yourself and then he hits the RX pad for the chemical or the PT answers. A TMS doctor may take an hour to three to get to know your life background to determine if your symptoms are structural, psychosomatic or a combination of the two.

    It sounds like now that you've got your physical TMS symptoms on the run, you are experiencing the SYMPTOM IMPERATIVE. You may now be experiencing AFFECTIVE/emotional TMS symptoms.
    If you see enough white-coats they will eventually probably give you a chronic fatigue or lymes label. From far out here in the internet desert, (Palm Springs), it sounds to me more like a raison d'etre issue, or the proverbial "get a life". There's nothing wrong with napping, it's a great past-time after some exercise, a good meal and a cocktail or two. But, if you feel "empty", it's got to do with your TMS personality, and a lack of enthusiasm and passion for your life situation. The solution: find a positive distraction, something to get excited about after you awake from your refreshing nap.

    G'luck!
    tt/lsmft

    (Boilerplate : I'm only a tennis player, so if you haven't had a hundred work-ups by licensed medical professionals, go to QUACKWATCH to research "sugar pills".)
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2016
  3. blake

    blake Well known member

    Hi rotanzania,

    Tennis tom gives some great advice here. When I started doing TMs work, I felt exhausted at times. I napped every day for about 3 months ! Somehow it just felt right. I knew it was part of the process. After pressuring myself for nearly a decade, I just needed a little rest. The great news is that my energy gradually started coming back as I started doing more and more things I enjoyed. I'm still working on "getting a life," but I'm getting there one step at a time.

    All the best.
    Blake
     
    Tennis Tom likes this.
  4. Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)

    Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021) Beloved Grand Eagle

    Hi, Blake. You are doing it right... take a break from thinking about what is causing your TMS and enjoy each day. I believe in TMS, emotions causing our pain, but also think we need to limit the time we think about that each day. I believe in keeping busy. I am 85 and still working... two jobs on the Internet.
    It keeps me from worrying about things, and in this age there is a lot we can worry about. Find an activity or several that can make your days more enjoyable.
     
    blake and Tennis Tom like this.
  5. Rotanzania

    Rotanzania New Member

    Thank you all for your helpful advice. I will go and read up about SYMPTOM IMPERATIVE! It was really helpful to hear of someone else who suffered from exhaustion too, and that its ok. I suppose now I feel better, I'm so keen to get going again, perhaps too keen.
     
    blake likes this.

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