Everything but (and sometimes including) the kitchen sink

Hello all,

LONG time listener, first time caller. I don’t know what I’m looking for in this post but I at least wanted to get it out there. I have had what I wouldn’t know until later was TMS since childhood. I have had daily stomach aches, constant gas, weekly nausea since I was 7 years old. I am 39 by the way. I’ve had every test under the sun (endoscopy, barium swallow with and without constraint, x rays, ct scans, mri, stool samples, stomach lining biopsy, scopes, blood tests) everything returns “normal” and I’m diagnosed with IBS since childhood. I’ve never been professionally medicated just things like beano pepto et cetera.

The prospect of throwing up has always been scary. Two times in my life when I was 9 and when I was 27 I was hospitilized with a GI bubble which is a giant gas bubble in my stomach they take an ng tube up your nose down your throat and pump activated charcoal to get the gas to release. Awful and can’t eat for weeks. Tons of tests done no explanation. They take X-rays and you can see gas all over my body lower stomach upper and it causes tons of pain.

I must mention I am unable to burp. I just gurgle. I know that maybe sounds crazy but look it up it’s a thing dysfunction of the belch reflex. So I can only pass gas below. That causes tons and it’s embarrassing and painful and nothing I do every makes it go away. So I suffer with acid reflux near weekly as a result as I can’t burp it up.

So that has been 32 years of my life. Anxious personality growing up always been worried about my stomach. In 2008, in severe stress with career issues getting engaged and the like, I developed the LAST thing you ever want, chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Sore penis, painful erection hurts to have sex to even get turned on for it pain in the pelvis pain in the perineum pain in the anus and butt bones (piriformis) had all the INVASIVE painful and expensive test followed by a year of external and INTERNAL massage and nothing really changed. Again no medicines.

it’s never gone away completely though at times it’s better but I’ve been married since 2009…it’s 2023 and I’ve never had sex with my wife (only ever been with her) and every fully enjoyed it without pain).

So to recap

what I have

chronic pelvic pain syndrome
IBS? Constant stomach pain gas pain bloating et cetera gerd
back pain intermittently as a result

what I use

daily Nexium
Pepto as needed
Advil for pain

I should also mention I wake up nightly against since childhood with a stomach ache that usually gets better as I’m able to pass gas and get through my day I’ve done FODMAP, keto, no caffeine for 100’s of days, no perceivable difference.

A recent example Friday before Labor Day 3 year old came home vomiting her first time she did it 3 times over 4 hours then was perfectly fine running jumping playing. I was of course worried cause of the aforementioned hospital visits. Well Sunday it got me and I retched and it came out the other side too. I do believe this was a virus but I may have made it worse cause of the worry. But it’s coming out both ends and I’m as empty as a career politician.

yet the gas continues to build back up. It literally feels like I’m being pumped up like a balloon at times. I didn’t eat for 4 days to make sure it didn’t rebound and I just had gas over and over. Again the gurgling in the chest whatever.

the major point is no diagnostic test finds anything so I have no real issue with this being TMS. I do daily affirmations I do nightly meditations and somatic tracking . I don’t notice a difference. The medical world is just no spicy stuff stop drinking caffeine what have you. As I said I tried it but it doesn’t fix it so I might as well enjoy my caffeine.

Most of the conventional advice is like once you get back to living your life these things will fade. In all I mentioned I’ve rarely ever missed work or not done what I wanted I just suffer while doing it. I can’t afford to miss work and I can’t miss out on opportunities so I do it all. I mostly can do then with minimal pain but not 0.

For those with acid reflux IBS pelvic which I realize are interconnected, what has worked? I’ve read “success” stories but often they don’t sound different from what I’ve done.

I obviously have fear I obviously am anxious and haven’t seen anything change so it’s hard but just looking for some sort of guidance? And I’ll take the answers off air. Thanks for taking my call.

-Whoaday

 

Hello @Whoaday
Welcome!
Most of the symptoms you describe can be found in other posts of people visiting this site: pelvic and sexual issues are often posted here from men, as are gastric issues of all kinds.
Have you educated yourself on how TMS symptoms occur in the brain? This pain education is the first and most important step in understanding how TMS operates physically and how it affects your nervous system. Next question: have you read a book by Dr. Sarno like The Divided Mind which will explain the emotional and personality interplay typically found in people with TMS/chronic symptoms?
I as this because your post focuses almost fully on the physical symptoms -and the symptoms.. however, you seem to understand there is more to it since you are trying meditation and somatic tracking. Those are great for trying to turn your nervous system “down” but the key aspect to your own treatment is to “think psychological” -Dr. Sarno that means living life but also learning how your emotion esp. inner rage and all emotions (even joy) are pushed down and not fully experienced in your body and how your personality and beliefs about yourself and the world influence this.
If you haven’t yet, read the Sarno book, read it carefully and take it to heart. There are two free programs here at this Wiki that lead you through various ways to do the internal work suggested by Sarno and his associates which can be found at tmswiki.org and scroll down. I suggest you do the Structured Educational Program. Go slowly, a bit every day. As you do this work begin to recognize the inner self-pressure you create: self talk, striving, perfectionism and when you don’t treat yourself as you might treat others: with kindness and compassion. Notice also the focus, fear and obsession with symptoms - just watch it without any pressure, just internal curiosity.

 

Yes I know all that as I said long time listener I have read over 1000 posts on here I have all sarno work Alan Gordon’s book steve o did the education program twice have journaled have done somatic tracking everyday I check in with myself I know my emotions play into this I’ve always been anxious and stressed I clearly have an over reactive nervous system any sensation sends it crazy I get all that. I get nothing is physically wrong but I also pragmatically have to live and it’s unbearable at times and yet I press on.

I went to a therapist for over a year unpacking emotions childhood issues tendencies obsessions feelings actions precipitated by feelings et cetera.


I know what to do I just experience all that even while doing it, if that makes sense. I know not everyone on hee are medically qualified so it will be the same advice but of all 1000 or so posts I’ve read no one spoke of not being able to belch the constant gas just stuck and growing and literally 32 years of daily stomach distress

I can’t think of or write everything in that initial post so I understand your questions. Thanks for responding, God bless you and yours.

 

You are not the only one, one of my main symptoms is pain caused by bloatness. I also, well... fart a lot. But those farts are like consistent 99% of pure air, and don't even stink. It makes me feel better for a second or two, and then they comes again.
Dunno what to say, I only know that I've been diagnosed with different things like dyspepsia or SIBO. Nothing really 'dangerous' and visible like cancer or ulcers or Crohn or anything like that(I have this and other symptoms since 2011 so I've had all the available tests). Probiotics and stuff like that never did anything, changing diets etc. So I'm convinced it's TMS but I don't really know what to do, to recover.

 

Well thanks for all the responses I guess it’s same old info no real answers

 

Maybe your stomach is not in the right place, it happens sometimes. An experienced chiropractor can make a few adjustments and put your stomach back in the right position. You might want to try this, see how you feel.

Good luck!

 

Thanks, I know about dr Hanscom for a long time, but lately I've been interested more in his and dr Schubiner work. I quess we all have to find our own way, for example Nicole Sachs is great, but her teachings and her way of journaling is something completely not for me as I discovered after struggling with it for a long time. Dr Hanscom work on the other hand I find useful even for people without any crippling chronic issues.
P.S I hope that experienced users don't think I'm a downer or that I'm spreading hopelesness. I still think I can archieve better life. It's just that I still just... can't do it. But this forum is great, so full of hope and great stories. Recently I've reread few first pages of Dorado success story. It's just so wonderful that person with so many issues(some of them, real physical) could archieve not only physical but mental and emocional wellbeing.