100% healed. RSI, tendonitis, tendonosis

Happy to report life is back to normal and I am 100% healed. The road to success was not an easy, but I want to encourage all my fellow TMSers to NOT GIVE UP.
What I have learned from this journey has made me happier, wiser and more at peace with the challenges that come in life.

In February of last year, working as a massage therapist I developed pain in my right arm. I was looked at by 3 doctors, given an MRI, and diagnosed with repetitive strain injury, tendonosis and tendonitis of my right thumb and forearm extensors. I underwent months of physical therapy, did cortisone injections, had my right arm braced for months (this actually stopped the pain) but nothing worked. If I took off the arm brace, the pain would return. I remember learning to write with my left hand too.

Dr. Sarno's theories made sense, but I couldn't quite believe them. And when I would fnally commit to TMS being the answer, I would push too hard and "reinjure" myself. And the fear and anxiety about the "injury" were high too. I lost much of my income working as a massage therapist and was devastated.

I went to see a psychologist at a pain management clinic, thinking he would understand TMS. I told him I thought I had a psychosomatic condition. He didn't seem to understand. He kept refocusing on the physical.
The night of my birthday in July was a big turning point. My preteen stepdaughter chose not to wish me happy birthday. My heart was saddened because of all the things I have done for this child, and to be constantly treated with disdain and rudeness. I told myself it didn't matter, that I was ok. That night I woke with intense shoulder pain in the opposite arm. I couldn't move it without it hurting, so it hung by my side for a few weeks. The dr. diagnosed me with biceps tendonitis. After a few weeks I finally realized one night that the shoulder was TMS! Literally I woke the next morning with the shoulder pain free.

The arm pain was much harder to get rid of. Lots of meditation, deep insight, Sarno's 10 daily reminders, journaling, and diagnosing myself with TMS since we have no TMS doctors in Hawaii. Oh yeah I got rid of the psychologist at the pain clinic and went to someone who believed me when I told her I thought I had a mind/body thing going on. I did a lot of releasing of anger I didn't know was there. Oh but it was!

I then even went back to work doing massage even though my arm hurt. I had to push myself to do it even though it caused much pain, fear and anxiety. And sometimes the pain would appear, and the brain would want to latch onto the idea it was caused by the physical movement. But I wouldn't let it any longer.

I became stronger. I did 6 hours of massage in a week. I did a lot of meditation. I practiced forgiveness towards the people I felt had wronged me, but then I took that one step further. I began to see the perfection in these "wronged" situations, and how grateful I was for these challenges that have come into my life. I had deep compassion for the people who were hateful towards me. There actually was nothing to forgive anymore, that would imply I was somehow a victim. Only gratitude and love.

And finally the pain was gone. This is how I did it. I don't think I've experienced pain for at least 6 weeks and know this bout of TMS is over. I will keep up with the meditation, and keep working on myself. Much gratitude to TMSwiki.org, Forest for putting this together, Dr. Sarno for his work and all my fellow TMSers who have supported me on this journey. What a ride!!

 

Congrats, and well done!

 

Thanks for posting this. Its really motivational for those of us still in the final stages of this strange and always changing journey. I'm glad to read some of the important steps you took to change your way of thinking. I have been working on similar methods and have been seeing great progress. Once I began to relax and build confidence that I would eventually heal, I realized that I had been looking for a quick recovery and was so upset, defeated and doubtful each time the pain would return. Posts like yours help me to realize that this is a process and it takes time to reprogram our brain as well as our life.
Congratulations on finding your way across the divide! It must feel absolutely terrific. I hope to join you there someday very soon.

 

Excellent, that's amazing news. Well done!

I was just discussing this with someone yesterday, it's so nice when people come back and post a success story, it fills the rest of us with hope.

 

A wonderful and inspirational story! Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

 

I hurt myself as a massage therapist too. That was the start of my injury and tms. I couldn't work after awhile either.

What an incredible story!!

Sounds like you had quite a breakthrough

I have come along so far too - but i have not healed 100%
And for the past month i have been struggling with stomach issues, strange sensations and contamination fears -- something fairly new and very different than the back pain and sciatic pain I started the journey with.

I think my beaker ---1/3 personality 1/3 current circumstances 1/3 past experiences ---has been filling up

Thanks for sharing this and keep us posted!!


Miss Lucy

 

What a fantastic success story; Congrats!!!

 

Thank you Amarie133 for your detailed story. I am so happy for you you. And you have had so much inner growth... This will inspire others!!
Andy B.

 

Thankyou Amarie133 for sharing your story. I am at the very beginning of your journey, with RSI in both arms and not being able to work (I'm a writer!). I do accept the TMS diagnosis and when reading amazing stories like yours i really have hope instead of desperation. I hope I'll be writing my own success story one day too! Thank you again....