I'm new - where do I start?

Hi. I think I have TMS, as over the years I have had OCD (still have), an eating disorder (still have), anxiety (still have), back pain, TMJ, burning mouth syndrome (still have a little), a strange right side pain that may be from adhesions and I've had for many years (still have), tension headaches, a non stop migraine headache that went away after 3 months, panic attacks, gastritis. I recently tapered off PPI medication (drugs similar to Nexium and Prevacid) and had horrific rebound acid pain for many months that really traumatized me and developed into GERD, which I'm now dealing with and gives me daily pain and fear (heartburn and chest pain/sternum pain). I am obsessed with the gerd and the pain and spend hours online daily trying to figure out how to get rid of and fearful of it. I can barely eat as I"m scared food will hurt and am severely underweight, as I'm eating a keto diet to help manage this and that sort of food plan causes weight loss. My life revolves around this condition and the pain and the fear. How do I get started on this program and has anyone else been helped with GERD? Thanks very much.

 

Hi Shosh, and Welcome!

The first thing to do is read, and re-read any of Dr. Sarno's books, until you know it completely, and it answers your questions and doubts. Re-read, and see how it applies to you!

I went to the Wiki tab, upper left, and at the Wiki page punched GERD into the search feature. Here is the result.
http://www.tmswiki.org/w/index.php?search=GERD&title=Special%3ASearch&go=Go (Search)

I next went to the search feature at the upper right of all Forum pages and searched for GERD. Found this
http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/search/1137001/?q=GERD&o=date&c (Search Results for Query: GERD | TMS Forum (The Mindbody Syndrome))[node]=27

open the tab which says

• Results from our forum only

So these are some ways you can begin to get support.

Many people engage the programs, which are free over at the Wiki. The general advice is to do the shorter TMS Recovery Program first, then the Structured Education Program second. As you do these, you can post your reflections to the Forum and get feedback/response, if you like.

You can always start a thread about something you have a question about.

I would suggest that reading your description of yourself, you are likely suffering from TMS. I am sorry for the suffering, and I am happy you have found this supportive place for help.

About GERD, this is one of the symptoms which Dr. Sarno, I believe, clearly sees as a TMS equivalent. So you're on very safe ground, theory-wise, to use Dr. Sarno's approach with this.

Importantly, you may read anyone's success story, and there is a whole subforum of these, and substitute your symptoms/condition for what the person is describing. It is all the same, when it comes to the cause, and the treatment!

Andy B

 

Shosh - Andy B's advice is dead on. Start by reading and re-reading Dr. Sarno, possibly the "Mind-Body Prescription". There are other good books too.

The obsession you describe above is exactly what causes the problem. We have to stop thinking of ourselves as ill, injured, or as if there is something physically wrong with us. Focus on the psychological and not the physical. Best of luck to you!!

 

Thank you both! I read that journaling is important. What do you suggest I journal about, and how often (when ) should I journal?

 

I have suffered from physical anxiety/TMS symptoms for years but it took quite a while for it finally to manifest as IBS and GERD.

I had the most shocking GERD start about 18 months or so ago and felt like i would never get a handle on it...all the GP would really do is chuck various types of PPI's and the like at me in the hope it would go away, none of these seemed to help.

I finally got an endoscopy done and was convinced I would have some pretty major gastritis going on but my report was pretty much clear as a daisy. This opened up my eyes to it somewhat and made me realise it could only be psychosomatic so I binned off the PPI's and went back to eating what I wanted when I wanted and the GERD improved massively. I do still have some IBS symptoms (namely an overactive gurgling stomach) but I'm 95% better than I was 6 months or so ago. For me knocking the PPI's on the head and just losing the fear and obsession over the symptom was the key.

 

Wow Huckleberry that is so helpful and encouraging! I don't plan on getting another endoscopy as I think it will just irritate my body. But I think losing my fear and obsession is key here. And not "babying" my GERD....I'm so paranoid over what to eat and not eat that I'm barely eating (and very underweight). I'm afraid of even eating a sweet potato thanks to reading "The Fast Tract Diet" for GERD/SIBO and getting all paranoid over that, as I fear (from what I read) the carbs will ferment bad bacteria and drive up gas causing reflux. I think eating what I want (healthy food though) and not treating myself like a patient is so important. And this is probably classic TMS -- when my chest isn't hurting, the right side of my abdomen is, or my tongue starts to burn. It's like my mind always wants a body part to be in pain. Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm very excited to learn more about TMS and how to work the program.

 

I could have said pretty much the same thing myself. Ooh, I did.

http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/first-post-for-a-long-time-thoughts-and-opinions-please-guys.10663/ (First post for a long time...thoughts and opinions please guys.)

 

Thank you both! I read that journaling is important. What do you suggest I journal about, and how often (when ) should I journal?

Here is detailed summary of Dr. Sarno's guidance on how to work with his information. Put together by Forest, who administers this site.

http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/section-1-introduction.4628/#post-28646 (Official Thread - Section 1 Introduction)

 

thank you

 

Your many symptoms sound like a public service announcement for TMS with many TMS red flags waving in the air. Each is a hallmark. You're mentally strained, take good care of yourself, forgive yourself, let go of worry, soothe yourself, laugh, find meaning in your life, and allow love again. If you do all of these things and skip studying about TMS you will heal. I guarantee you or I'll give you your money back for answering this question.

But make sure you get accurate information on cause and effect. Don't drown in the minutiae of irrelevancy.

SteveO
You can't stay on the wrong path and get to the right destination.

 

Thanks Steve. I actually have your book but haven't had a chance yet to read it. Being the perfectionist I am I ordered a multitude of TMS books to attack this like I do everything -- with perfection! Sounds like I need to back off a bit. I do have an upcoming appointment with Dr Schechter and a TMS therapist. I so appreciate your wise and gentle advice and will print it out to remind myself to lighten up a bit. PS-- what do you mean about getting accurate info on cause and effect?

 

Hey Shosh.......on the GERD issue, I've struggled with GERD/acid reflux since I can remember; I'm 35 now. There will be times where I'll go for months without having a single episode, but then there'll be episodes for weeks on end. Mine is mostly anxiety induced. I always keep a bottle of Pepcid Complete chewables at the ready to pounce on the issue. I've tried all of the over-the-counter stuff with little help, and have never felt the problem was significant enough to warrant a doctors visit.

The chewables are the only thing I've found that has kept the problem at bay all these years. I think it's a combination of stress and diet. If I know I'm going to indulge myself in pizza and beer, quite possibly the worst combination for acid reflux, I'll pop 2 tablets later on when I feel the pain coming.

You kind of have to look at the acid reflux thing like a headache: it's just something people get. Just FYI, while GERD sounds like some terrible affliction, it's really nothing to be too concerned with. It's a normal process. If you're going to eat, wait at least an hour before laying down. That kind of weight on ANYBODY'S esophageal sphincter is going to cause them to leak stomach acid back into the throat. If I eat a big meal and know I'll probably fall asleep, I pop some tablets and when it does come back up, there's no burn from the acid. Obviously this doesn't really help with the whole digestion process.

I'd personally kick the keto diet in favor of a low carb(<300g of carb) unless you're a big fan of halitosis breath from ketosis.

I feel your pain........literally.

 

Thanks Richie. I think mine is from the rebound of getting off those horrible PPIs, plus definitely anxiety/TMS as my fear/focus on it makes it much worse. I won't use acid blockers any more (even Pepcid) so that option is out for me (too many side effects for my body). Good to hear it's nothing to be too concerned with. I hate the keto diet. It's boring and causes too much weight loss. My fear is that if I eat too many carbs (ie even healthy ones like yams), it will ferment and push up reflux. I think that's all part of my TMS fear around this though. I hope therapy helps. I need to expand my food list without the fear. Thanks again. Excited to know I'm a TMS gal. It explains a lot and helps me calm down.

 

The proper cause and effects are that the symptoms aren't coming from a failing body. And more often that the healing modality you just used did not do anything for you, it was most likely a placebo and not real healing, among many other spurious causes and effects.

As far as expanding your list of foods listen to what Ana says here:

 

So helpful. Thank you!

 

You should watch Billy's video as well, he mentioned GERD and how he no longer takes medication since he healed.

 

Where can I find Billy's video? Thank you!

 

On the "TMS healing wall of victory" on UTube. The stories of people who healed from TMS.

 

I see lots of names but none are Billy. Could it be under another name? I checked your website too...no Billy.

 

Couldn't find it? I just tried it several ways and he comes up in the search every time, my point about him is that he said he used ant-acids for a long time and no longer needs them. He was a tough case but we kept at it and he prevailed and is now helping people. I skyped him last week and he was smiling the whole time, it was fun to see him that way. The first day I saw him a couple years back he was visibly in poor shape. I'm currently working with a couple others like Billy and they're doing much better. Healing is not easy, it takes courage, and of course the desire to heal which few people have.