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Almost full recovery from RSI

Discussion in 'Success Stories Subforum' started by Hannibal41, Aug 28, 2022.

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  1. Hannibal41

    Hannibal41 Newcomer

    I'm happy to be posting this thread, as my second ever thread created on this forum. My first thread covered my story before I fully committed to TMS. To avoid repeating myself, here is that thread https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/new-to-tms-trying-to-work-out-if-my-rsi-is-tms.26114/ (New to TMS, trying to work out if my RSI is TMS)

    To preface my recovery, I will state that I am not 100% cured, My pain has gone from 100% where I think about it all the time, to 10% or 12% where a lot of the time I completely forget about it and when I do feel it, it doesn't hurt anywhere near enough to bother me.

    My process for reaching here is as follows.

    I was doing Physio exercises 3x a day and applying biofreeze 3x a day. Before I had even started reading any books, I had watched and read a few success stories and going to various physios to check my issue out. I knew that you needed to believe 100% in TMS and I know that if i didn't get multiple physios opinions and work on physiotherapy for a while ,my brain would be too afraid to accept TMS. I was watching/reading success stories as a sort of starting point. Once I decided to give up on physio and go for TMS, I didn't actually go cold turkey. I started by stopping the use of biofreeze and going from 3x a day of physio to 2x a day. After a week this went down to 1x a day and soon after to 0x a day. I started reading the Mind body prescription and then followed up with the way out by Alan Gordon. Finally I followed up with the audible version of Healing Back pain.

    I did not have a Eureka moment where the pain just disappeared. I did not have a substantial movement of pain. I did struggle a tiny tiny bit with ankle splints, but the pain was not distracting me from living my life, but it did appear out of nowhere. Neither did I read myself in every page of the books. I did see myself partially in certain characteristics described, but didn't consider them my defining characteristics. So when reading, I had to think how this could fit me. I also did around 10 days of Journaling, doing about 5 minutes each day, but struggling to think of things to write.

    My pain receded gradually once I had stopped journaling and had finished reading the books and audiobooks, I stopped doing and just started to try living my life. I cannot say what part of the process helped me the most, but since my original post on 21st June to today, I have seen a far larger improvement in my condition (to where I consider myself almost cured), compared to the 3.5 months of physio and reduced activity. I also feel like TMS etc is still very much in its early days of research and understanding, so hopefully new research, new techniques are discovered to make the process simpler and easier for people (and help me cure the last 10 to 20%).

    The one thing that I think helped me the most that isn't often mentioned is that you will not see yourself on every single page/ characteristic/personality mentioned in the literature. You may not see dramatic changes and may not even notice those changes when they do happen. Finally, Something I also learned when I got dry eyes a few years ago. Do not spend your entire life searching up on TMS. I haven't searched it up in weeks. Obsessing over it is not good for mental health, as I learned a few years ago when I got dry eyes.

    Finally, I hope this does help someone who may not be seeing the dramatic results that many success stories have. You may not be a dramatic recovery.
     
  2. JanAtheCPA

    JanAtheCPA Beloved Grand Eagle

    That's definitely success!

    Most of us who have been around for a while understand that TMS is not a condition that can be "cured", but rather a normal brain mechanism that has gone into overdrive in some of us, but which can absolutely be tamed.

    When I discovered Dr. Sarno in 2011 at age 60, I was well on my way to becoming housebound with symptoms, so being anywhere from 80-100% symptom-free at age 71 makes me very happy. Outside/world stressors have made the 100% days fewer in the last several years, but even at 80% I'm still far better off and way more functional than I was 11 years ago.

    Thanks so much for posting your story, @Hannibal41!
     
  3. silentflutes

    silentflutes Peer Supporter

    This hit me like a bolt of lightning and made me calm.
     

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