Day 1 TMS sciatic pain journey

[momoftwins]

Hello,

I am a 32 year old new mom to 4 month old twins. I have severe back/hip and sciatic pain. It has been going on for 5 months, however the last 8 weeks the pain has increased significantly, and my mobility decreased (can't walk, stand or sit, and now lying down is becoming painful...) This is extremely difficult with two young babies.

A CT can confirmed a large herniation at L4/5. I have read Dr Sarno's Healing Back Pain. There are no TMS doctors near where I live, so I am having to go off blind faith that this is what is causing my pain...

What I am struggling with at the moment is that my symptoms and their location are so characteristic of an L4/5 herniation... I don't get odd pains anywhere else, and the pain doesn't shift.

If anyone has any advice on how to get passed this (wondering if it is TMS, or if my pain is actually from the herniation) that would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Andy Bayliss]

Hi momoftwins,

No specific information to help you except to browse success stories, and read Dr. Sarno's work looking for a specific refutation of the supposed

their location are so characteristic of an L4/5 herniation

Also, pain does not have to come and go, in order for it to be TMS. I hope you don't let this factor dissuade you from investigating/embracing Dr. Sarno's work. Keep investigating, reading, putting the pieces together which fit you, and let the doubts begin to fade...

Good luck in the journey!!

 

[JanAtheCPA]

Hi momoftwins -

I agree with Andy - at this point, it certainly can't hurt to entertain the idea that this is TMS. I have to say that Healing Back Pain was written a pretty long time ago - I might recommend reading Dr. Sarno's last book: The Divided Mind. He efficiently revisits and updates his main research and theory in four chapters, followed by six chapters written by five MDs and a therapist. This gives you more recent and wider-ranging information about the mind-body connection.

As for back pain and herniations, check out this NPR interview and article featuring Dr. Jerome Groopman, MD, who writes frequently for the New Yorker and himself went through two miserably failed surgeries for back pain before he found the solution for recovery:
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/01/13/255457090/pain-in-the-back-exercise-may-help-you-learn-not-to-feel-it (Pain In The Back? Exercise May Help You Learn Not To Feel It)

Although Dr. Sarno's TMS theory is not mentioned, what IS mentioned is what he also says: that herniations and bulges are essentially meaningless, especially when it comes to learning to use your back and live a normal life. Dr. Sarno just takes the concept a bit farther, and theorizes that our brains use the physical flaws in those areas to create pain as a distraction against our negative emotions. It's important to understand that physiologically, pain messages originate from our brains, not directly from an injury site. This means that our brains can create pain messages for their own purposes.

The fact that you recently became the mother of twins is a perfect reason for negative emotions to arise - emotions which your brain doesn't want you to acknowledge because it thinks that doing so will somehow harm your (and your babies') chances of survival if you dwell on them. The real truth is that in our modern world, this is a primitive mechanism which is no longer needed. Reading the Divided Mind might help you to understand this concept more fully.

You can also consider doing the Structured Educational Program on the wiki. It's just reading articles, watching some YouTube videos, and doing some journaling and mindfulness exercises, and you can work on it at your own pace (as a busy new mom, don't worry about doing it every day). It was put together and is maintained by a team of volunteers, it's free, and it can't hurt to give it a try.

Good luck, new mom - with everything!!!

 

[momoftwins]

Hi JanAtheCPA, thank you for your reply and advice.

I read the article you suggested. One thing that it mentioned - and that I keep encountering in my research - is that for herniations with radiculopathy down the leg, surgery has good outcomes.

I find when I read things like this it makes it harder to accept the TMS diagnosis. As a TMSer, is the strategy to ignore things like this?

Thanks

 

[Andy Bayliss]

Hi momoftwins,
Another approach is to see a qualified TMS trained physician. This can really help clear the doubts, and move toward embracing TMS. This helped me... There is a list of practitioners at the TMS Wiki. Facing surgery, pain, uncertainty all possibly warrant taking a trip for this purpose.
Andy B