Notters_1983
New Member
Hi All,
Hope it's ok for me to just come on here an spill my guts. I've essentially been pain free for a long time, since May 2013, with the odd little day of soreness or whatever but nothing of concern. It's been such a long time that I've forgotten all my log on details etc. but I know what a great help the people on here can be. It's hard to summarise a long story (for me) in a few words but I'll try to keep it brief.
Priory to May 2013 I had four/five years of excruciating lower back pain. I then read "Healing Back Pain" and was almost entirely cured within a few days (thank you Dr Sarno). Since then I've really gotten into running, cycling, gardening etc. - all the things I never thought I'd be able to do again. Having said that, I now recognise some of the milder pains I've had - such as knee pain whilst running and my first migraine last year, as likely TMS.
Still, I've had some pretty stressful times - the usual stuff, births, deaths, marriage, house purchasing, moving, changing etc., having a very challenging 3 year old, but managed ok. Well I say that, but I have been increasingly suffering from anxiety and had counselling etc. for this. The biggest challenge has been moving the length of England with my family for a new job. This probably seems tiny compared to US but 300 miles here is quite something culturally.
I guess the anxiety could be because I've not been repressing my feelings anymore? I've been starting to manage the anxiety through meditation, which I've been really enjoying and felt I was getting on top of it. But since last Thursday I've felt the old back pain creeping back. I still managed 30 hilly miles and a long walk on Sunday but in the last couple of days I've been so stiff and sore I've had to get my wife to put my socks on for me. I've also had shooting pains in both legs.
I do wonder if the "body scan" meditations are part of the problem? They encourage you to observe how different parts of your body feel, which in a way encourages you to look for pain. Should I stop these? Are other meditations ok, like visualisation, breathing etc?
I've read "Healing Back Pain" thoroughly over the last two days and it's given be some reassurance. I also have an appointment with a Sirpa therapist this afternoon. I assume this is a good move but does anyone have any experience with them? I can't believe how many TMS specialists there are now in the UK compared to when I looked back in 2011/12ish. This can only be a good thing.
Until now I've only ever been self-diagnosed and never really met or spoken to anyone (except on here) who really knows about and believe in TMS.
I'm going on holiday with my family on Sunday, to stay at my in-laws which is around a 250 mile drive and I'm determined to be in a fit state to do this. I've been really trying to thing psychological and work out every little thing that could be worrying me or that I could've been repressing. It is taking some time to have an effect though so can only think maybe I'm missing something?
I'm also telling my pain to "do one" - to put it mildly.
Can anyone offer any words of advice? Is a flare up so long after the original occurrence unusual?
Oh, just to add, I think Brexit has a lot to do with my stress and anxitey and is likely causing a mental health crisis in the UK
Hope it's ok for me to just come on here an spill my guts. I've essentially been pain free for a long time, since May 2013, with the odd little day of soreness or whatever but nothing of concern. It's been such a long time that I've forgotten all my log on details etc. but I know what a great help the people on here can be. It's hard to summarise a long story (for me) in a few words but I'll try to keep it brief.
Priory to May 2013 I had four/five years of excruciating lower back pain. I then read "Healing Back Pain" and was almost entirely cured within a few days (thank you Dr Sarno). Since then I've really gotten into running, cycling, gardening etc. - all the things I never thought I'd be able to do again. Having said that, I now recognise some of the milder pains I've had - such as knee pain whilst running and my first migraine last year, as likely TMS.
Still, I've had some pretty stressful times - the usual stuff, births, deaths, marriage, house purchasing, moving, changing etc., having a very challenging 3 year old, but managed ok. Well I say that, but I have been increasingly suffering from anxiety and had counselling etc. for this. The biggest challenge has been moving the length of England with my family for a new job. This probably seems tiny compared to US but 300 miles here is quite something culturally.
I guess the anxiety could be because I've not been repressing my feelings anymore? I've been starting to manage the anxiety through meditation, which I've been really enjoying and felt I was getting on top of it. But since last Thursday I've felt the old back pain creeping back. I still managed 30 hilly miles and a long walk on Sunday but in the last couple of days I've been so stiff and sore I've had to get my wife to put my socks on for me. I've also had shooting pains in both legs.
I do wonder if the "body scan" meditations are part of the problem? They encourage you to observe how different parts of your body feel, which in a way encourages you to look for pain. Should I stop these? Are other meditations ok, like visualisation, breathing etc?
I've read "Healing Back Pain" thoroughly over the last two days and it's given be some reassurance. I also have an appointment with a Sirpa therapist this afternoon. I assume this is a good move but does anyone have any experience with them? I can't believe how many TMS specialists there are now in the UK compared to when I looked back in 2011/12ish. This can only be a good thing.
Until now I've only ever been self-diagnosed and never really met or spoken to anyone (except on here) who really knows about and believe in TMS.
I'm going on holiday with my family on Sunday, to stay at my in-laws which is around a 250 mile drive and I'm determined to be in a fit state to do this. I've been really trying to thing psychological and work out every little thing that could be worrying me or that I could've been repressing. It is taking some time to have an effect though so can only think maybe I'm missing something?
I'm also telling my pain to "do one" - to put it mildly.
Can anyone offer any words of advice? Is a flare up so long after the original occurrence unusual?
Oh, just to add, I think Brexit has a lot to do with my stress and anxitey and is likely causing a mental health crisis in the UK
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