Day 1 what life would be like without TMS and the video

Video - As a physical therapist, I treat children. They rarely tell me they are in pain even when they have many orthopedic abnormalities. I enjoy watching them grow and progress and it makes me feel really lucky to be part of their life. I disliked treating adults because they had so much pain and so many stresses in their life. It took a long time to convince them that they would get better. I always felt bad when I went home and I worried that I would one day have one of those conditions so I stopped treating adults. This video was wonderful because you can see how people can change their outlook and make improvements, some of them so very quickly. I think it was very uplifting and I strive to change my attitude and focus less on my body and more on doing the things I enjoy. I know that I too am worried that my problems will get worse and I will not be able to walk and enjoy life. That is a bad attitude if I want to get back to my life.

Life without TMS - Life without TMS was very good. I was able to do everything without fear and I did not worry about being able to do things. Over the past two years, I have become afraid to do even simple things like take hikes, do grocery shopping, be in crowds, etc. I still do all of these things but I am afraid. I have experienced dizziness, anxiety, palpitations, paresthesias in my legs and feet, as well as sensitivities to some sounds. I am currently recovering from surgery to remove a fibroid and now I am worried about going back to work. I look forward to returning to my old life and dream of running, taking long hikes, etc. without fear.

 

Hi, resilient. I think you were wise to stop being a physical therapist for adults and are only working with children. That must be a lot less stressful on you.

Try to build up your confidence that you are going to return to your old life without pain and fear. As you know, it's all in the head. Think well and you will be well.

I'm feeling some lower back pain this morning and know why I have it. I'm pissed that a handyman is so undependable. He says he'll be here and yet he's not been here for three days and never calls me to say why.
I just remind myself he's an a-hole and not worth me stressing about it.



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Thank you Walt. Sorry about your repairman - it is always the roll of a dice. I want to add that I was not trying to sound negative about treating adults, I just wasn't good at it. I took everything home with me in my head because I felt so bad that I could not help them. Once and awhile I see an adult with MS or some other neuro diagnosis in the clinic because I do the wheelchair evals and I feel so awful after the session.

I just read baseball's story as part of day 1, it was great and gives me lots of hope. My biggest problem is not the fear of pain but the loss of sensation and the strange feelings in my legs and feet. So many people have talked about pain but not the paresthesias (strange feelings and numbness). I fear losing control of my legs. I think baseball's story was a big help for me as he not only had pain but true weakness.

 

Hi resilient,

Glad to see another PT on here, welcome! I know what you mean about treating children...I work mostly with adults but when I do get a teenager or kid they recover so much more quickly and I think a lot of that is less stress/anxiety and the pain clears up much more quickly!

Glad you found TMS and the forums, I hope you start see a change in your symptoms soon and wish you a quick recovery from surgery. I also had to take some time off work for my back pain and other TMS issues but have gone back to treating patients now and have experienced great success with the SEP and reading TMS books.

 

Thank you so much for your feedback, I appreciate it! I am really glad that you are doing better, that is fantastic and gives me hope. If you have any other suggestions for me please let me know.

 

I think you'll find sciatica and loss of mobility a common complaint on the boards; there are quite a few stories on this. Not to worry, you will get through this.

 

Thanks RichieRich! I appreciate your feedback.

 

Thank you for your feedback, I appreciate it! I hope your journey is going well!

 

You're welcome! Happy to offer any feedback or ideas. I read all the Sarno books as well as some by other TMS practitioners, did the SEP and am on the forums regularly...and am trying to incorporate some of the ideas into my current practice as best as possible given the setting I work in. How has it been going for you?

 

Hi MindBody,
I am doing ok. I have been working on this since June. I just started the SEP and became a member on this board but I have read all of the books from Sarno and Steve O. I was able to get rid of a lot of the back pain after a few months but then started having this horrible vibration sense in my feet. I had some burning in my feet and legs prior to this but this new sensation drove me up a wall. I could not stand or sit for prolonged periods of time but I could bend over and pick things up, rotate, etc. I started having more trouble with my period and often things escalated around this so I just had a hysterectomy. The sensations increased after my hysterectomy, in fact both my legs started to have burning, tingling, etc. The fibroid was about 5.5cm and sitting close to my sacrum and apparently tethering my spine. The past 4.5 weeks have been hard but I continue to walk about 4 miles and I am trying to sit upright for longer periods of time. The sensations in my feet will sometimes fade but they are bad in the am and pm. I am working via Skype with the Pain Center associated with this forum and I think it is helping. I am hoping to get better every day but there are some really rough days.

 

I'm sorry to hear of the struggle you've been through! I'm really glad you're working with the Pain Psychology Center...they sound awesome from what i've heard. It's a tough process and i'm sure even harder if you've been through a surgery and all the anxiety that goes along with that. As PTs we know more than the average patient and that can make things harder, it definitely did in my case- I used to worry that my herniated discs would keep getting worse! I wish for you a swift recovery from surgery. Keep us updated on your progress. It can take time for the TMS sensations to fade...but sounds like you're doing the right things.

 

Thanks I appreciate your support. The Pain Psychology Center is excellent. I have nothing but good things to say about them. I too worry that my herniated discs and my degenerative spondylolisthesis will get worse and I will lose control of my legs and you are right, we know too much. How many months did you have to take off work? That must have been hard.

 

I took about 2 months off...my story is good though, I feel SO much better (back to work now), have no pain or nerve symptoms and only occasional morning stiffness. I just have too much firsthand experience and can observe with patients and through research that the TMS/PPD theory is true and makes a ton more sense than the biomechanical explanation of pain. I think it was getting rid of my fear and changing the way I think that helped me recover the most! It really has changed how I practice at my current job too. These ideas take time to sink in though. I think I took to them a little more quickly given my background in psychology, also that my primary population is neuro so I see mindbody connection daily .

 

I really get the Mindbody Connection and I serve near patients too. They are kids not adults. I had a great amount of success with Herbert Benson's MindBody Program 20 years ago when I had dizziness. It really changed my life. I believe I can get better as well. I have the pain under control - it is the buzzing sensations in my feet with standing and then followed by numbness or burning that drive me insane and most people on the forum talk about pain but not paresthesias - so hard

 

Neuro not near in the first sentence.