Day 27 Allergies and Insomnia

Tonight I'm frustrated by the low level headaches that never seem to go away. Fred Amir says to envision blasting the pain away, as a tank would take out an invader. Claire Weekes says to float on past the pain. Two very different approaches, and yet I can't say I've had relief from either one!

 

It's frustrating, Gigi, there's no doubts about that. The trouble is that as long as the headaches have your attention enough to keep you frustrated, they're still working as a distraction. I also tried both of those approaches and I found I had more success with Weekes' approach than the imagery of destruction (somehow that just increased my rage), however neither were completely effective in eliminating symptoms. I found that is was when I started really focusing on changing my reaction to my symptoms that they began to change too. Whenever I would find myself going the direction of frustration about the symptoms, I would remind myself that although I completely disagreed consciously, somehow my subconscious truly, honestly, believed it was doing me a favor and protecting me with these symptoms. As difficult as it is to feel any level of gratitude towards something perceived as unpleasant, it was when I started showing compassion and gratitude for the hard work my subconscious was doing to protect me that it finally started lessening the symptoms. Sometimes I wonder if it partially just wants recognition for all of it's hard work? I know that is an issue for me personally (and my own symptoms are increasing as I write this so I must be on to something), I've felt unnoticed, unappreciated, and taken for granted in many areas of my life for a very long time. I guess it's not really not too surprising that my subconscious would feel that way too.

 

Yes, I've made some progress in how I react--or don't. Claire Weekes convinced me of the feedback loop I was creating if I got caught up in the pain. Now I just proceed with whatever I'm doing, but I'm mystified as to why these are so pervasive, when Sarno alone helped me get rid of so many other symptoms!

 

These are so pervasive because they are still an effective distraction. As long as some part of your consciousness is experiencing them as unpleasant and unwanted they are accomplishing exactly what their job is. Be patient and kind to yourself. Try consciously breaking the feedback loop that accompanies the low level headaches. When you recognize one make a very conscious effort to allow only positive thoughts about it and to correct any negative thoughts you might find creep up automatically. It won't work overnight but in time you will likely find progress.

 

I thought I'd "kick up" this thread from a year ago on allergies in case anyone else is experiencing this TMS equivalent as I am now. I know my sudden onset of pollen allergy symptoms is TMS and has psychological causes. There is a good discussion in this thread of the immune system's over reaction and some good advice on how to address the symptoms.

I intend to start talking to my immune system as I have had success with this simple technique in eliminating TMS pain.

 

When I get a headache or anxiety I try to tough it out without an aspirin or Advil and I usually manage the distress.
But when it's really bad, I say go ahead and take something, just so you ride out the storm. Thinking TMS helps a lot.

 

Returning to this thread after a long hiatus is interesting because I had an attack of allergies this week that seemed to start as TMS and then turned to upper respiratory allergies. But why I know my attack was TMS-related was because the first symptoms I experienced (even before the post nasal drip) was pain in my interior neck muscles, the very same muscles that would sometimes get tight and painful with a TMS attack. However, when the pain went away in my neck, it was then that the membranes in my throat started to get irritated and sore from post nasal drip. IOWs: TMS muscle tension and allergic sinusitis were occurring in the same general anatomical areas of my throat. In fact, they were what you might call equivalent symptoms. TMS started to flare up and then was followed with allergies. I also had a succession of stressful events all in a row leading up to the outbreak of the TMS followed immediately thereafter by allergies. Bingo! There has to be a connection. I also realize that the soreness in the back of my throat that progressed from tension in my neck muscles to post nasal drip started when I had my teeth cleaned last week. Was the cleaning a physical "trigger" that initiated the progression from sore neck muscles to allergic rhinitis? Seems to me that the whole sequence of events was inter-related. I always wondered too whether cleaning the plaque off your teeth also released bacteria into your mouth that would serve to irritate your nose, ears, mouth and gums? Way too complicated to set up a scientifically verifiable double blind-experiment I fear! It is very interesting, though, how allergies can serve the same purpose as TMS symptoms as a way of distracting you from facing underlying unpleasant emotions like anger (read 'rage').

 

Hello everyone, very interesting thread! my hay fever started (mildly) around my 17th. I am sure it is related to the stress I had at the time. I felt very unhappy about my home-situation. There was so much tension in my family. And I remember always wanting to have something physical (probably because of my dad's chronic back pain aka TMS). I think this was around the same time my kneepain and my binge eating disorder started. These were the first physical things that popped up in my life. I was sort of happy with it at the time (though not with the food issues), because it felt like this would be taken seriously (unlike my strong emotions which didn't get the attention they/I deserved)...

I developed severe fibromyalgia, I could hardly move at all for years, but since 2,5 years, thanks to Dr. Sarno and others I'm basically painfree. But every spring my pollen allergy bothers me like crazy. I need my voice professionaly, so it makes sense that my subconscious makes sure the allergy is bothering my voice. I am convinced now that it is TMS. I started immuno-therapy but stopped after I found out about TMS. Last year I took double medication (Nose spray and pills) and I had no complaints at all. This year I did the same, but I got a cold at the beginning of the season and it transformed into irritation of my throat cavity that increasingly bothers my professional use of the voice. I am taking less medication now that I am convinced that the double meds last year were a placebo. Whenever I do take meds I tell myself: it's a placebo.

I hope my subconscious will soon back off... I have a very important and prestigious event in June where I need my healthy voice. Which is no coincidence of course...

 

I continue to learn and be reinforced about how powerful the mind is in creating pain and disease in the body.

I also am reinforced on how powerful Journaling is in reinforcing in the mind what we want to believe.

My phone reminds to journal every evening at 7:30. I write " I am sleeping through the entire night". I write it again and again believing what i write. I believe my sleep is better and find I can more often fall back to sleep after waking.

I use the Journaling to write affirmations for things I want to improve and reinforce.

 

I like that Stella, I will pick up on it again for my pollen-TMS

 

Severe pollen allergies is the form my TMS is taking right now, despite my daily use of an antihistamine and nasal steroidal spray. But the symptom imperative means that my previous TMS symptom of insomnia is not a problem now. I'm somewhat relieved as I can deal with the allergies better than insomnia. Still, I need to get back to the basics of TMS treatment to get rid of this symptom.

 

Interesting, Ellen... I notice the symptom imperative too; it was my upper-back "revisited" before my throat started to bug me...

 

This is a wonderful exchange of posts on allergies and TMS.
I've also thought I got spring allergies from grass, pollen, mold.
I now believe my stuffy heard and sinuses are from TMS,
and a conditioned reflex of thinking nature causes my symptoms.
It doesn't. They're because I think they do.

I never had spring allergies until I was 21. Why did I then start sneezing,
having burning eyes? I was about to go into the army to fulfill my 2-year
obligation back then, in the mid 1950s. I now believe that stressed me out.

You folks have begun thinking your allergies are from TMS and are discovering
that your symptoms are lessening or going away.

Hooray for TMS! Hooray for Springtime!

 

I'm so glad someone revive this thread!
While I can usually get fairly quick relief from TMS symptoms these days, my migraines, which only occur for about three weeks/year, don't respond well to my TMS strategies. I had convinced myself that they were a response to a mold allergy-- because of the timing-- but I wish I knew for sure! Late April is usually a really happy time for me, so I' baffled.

 

Thank you Walt en Gigi!

I have great news! After my post here my symptoms became worse. But I often notice that this happens. Steve O. writes about it as well. And maybe Sarno too? Anyway, after one day of a weak voice and soar throat yesterday I was studying new repertoire for 2 intensive hours with my pianist. High and vocally demanding. Afterwards I had a pre-general rehearsal of a show with quite demanding repertoire (of which I though the week before it was too hard for me to sing on stage with my allergy). In the breaks I talked a lot, and I had no trouble whatsoever!

Every time I was outside I felt this fear about the windy weather, all the beautiful blossoms. But I corrected myself every time, breathing in deeply, convincing myself that it is safe to breath in pollen deeply, because they are not the cause of my symptoms.

Also, I journaled, as one of you suggested. I did some more digging in what is going on emotionally.

Last night I woke up with my nose a bit stuck. My first impulse was to take some meds ("better be safe than sorry"). But then I thought, NO! This is the symptom imperative. It is not allergy, it's TMS.

Please keep us posted about how it's going with all of you. Don't give up until you've beaten it!!!

 

Way to go, Anna! Congrats on your success!

 

Ever since my last post I have been symptom and medication free!!! I quit all my medication. After years and years of pills and nose sprays. My god! It was TMS all along. I might have to take a cat now -> how exciting! Hurrah for our incredibly powerful minds.

Now I am basically symptom free, if it was not for the symptom imperative that took on my reviewing an old post about hair loss to get to my hair again. I know it's TMS. And I will treat it like that... No worries. No new shampoo's...

 

Thx for sharing this.... I'm currently dealing with symptom imperative (throat/nasal allergies) that came on after I got rid of my back pain last year.... I went through the merry go round since the allergies set in last year of different natural treatments and the doctors found no issues. I began thinking it was TMS and so far I've seen improvement by journaling again and reading TMS literature.

 

I am laughing out loud here. I am so inspired by my own story and all your replies. It's 4 years later now, and I am in a very stressful situation. The pollen allergie is hitting me like crazy. And of COURSE it's TMS. I have been panicking. But now I'm relieved....