Back to square one...

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum. I discovered Dr. Sarno’s TMS books about 10 years ago, after back pain that eluded every practitioner I turned to—and like many people here, I had tried them all—and, like so many people say, those books were like a godsend. I’ve been mostly pain-free for all of this time, with only occasional flare-ups that I’ve been able to get under control pretty quickly.

So I absolutely KNOW it works-- that’s why I’m here. But right now I’m having an episode with back spasms and bad pain that has been going on now for about a week, and I feel like I’m suddenly back at square one. I feel annoyed that I have to work through this stuff yet again, and impatient that it doesn’t seem to be working for me as quickly as it has in the past. It's hard to be willing to take the time to go through this process again, after doing it so many times in the past, and this time I feel I’m really having trouble getting to the root of it. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

Hi Stellamay,

Take heart, you're not at square one. You already understand TMS and have had success overcoming it with Sarno's techniques. That puts you way ahead in terms of knowledge and confidence.

I know you're frustrated, but keep at it. Did something change recently in your life that's triggering an episode? It could be a recent event, or something from long ago that's surfacing now for some reason. Be patient, try journaling if that helps, and give yourself some TLC because you're hurting right now. Don't put pressure on yourself to solve it immediately. The answer will come to you.

David.

 

Have you looked at the R-H for causes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale

 

Thanks for the pep talk, David88. I won't give up. It's just hard to study what's happening emotionally when the pain is so acute right now--it's all I can do just to keep from reaching for the Vicodin! Hopefully, it will start to calm down soon and I can focus better. And thanks, Tom, I appreciate your link to that stress scale--it helps me to begin stepping back to look at the bigger picture.

 

Hi Stellamay

I'm sorry to hear of your flare-up. I found with my flare-ups that when I got frustrated it only heightened my tension and anxiety levels and prolonged my recovery (keeping me wound up). It sounds counter-intuitive but you really need to find a quiet place to be with your pain and just accept it. Talk to your pain: ask it what it is trying to protect you from feeling. What unwanted feelings and emotions are you not feeling right now? Tune into what's really bothering you and feel the emotions of whatever it is your pain is trying to distract you from. And don't be afraid to feel those feelings. Express any anguish you might be feeling. As my Mam would say "I love a good bawl - really clears the cobwebs".

Try to change your perception of and approach to your pain. Accept it, don't resist it. It will fade. You've been there before so try to tune into what worked last time.

 

This is really true. As a guy I don't like to admit it, but...

 

Hi, Stellamay. It happens to most of us, a recurrence of TMS pain.
We are confronted by old and new emotional stresses every day. Some may trigger
issues we dealt with in the past. TMS helped you before and it will again.

I'll see if I can find a Youtube video I like involving tapping our worries away.
I'll post it next here, if I can find it.

 

This is it: Louise Hay sits down with Tapping Solutions' Nick Ortner.

 

Thanks, all. Today is better. I hurt about as much, but I'm not beating myself up as much about needing to figure this out ASAP. Like Colly suggests, I'm just hanging out with the pain today and not feeling as resentful.

It's wonderful to have found this forum. You're all so generous with your time and ideas! So much love here.

 

Tom, thanks for posting this. I had forgotten about it. I can now see that some recent events, which don't seem particularly stressful in themselves, have added up and may explain why TMS has reared its ugly head again. In particular, getting promoted, my car having a flat tire, increased working hours, etc.

Stellamay, am in much the same situation as you. Let's try and be positive!

 

A big TMS YOU'RE WELCOME to you, and hope it helps! I've recommended the R/H 'til I'm blue in the face here and at the o ther TMS site and can count on one hand the number of folks who have followed through to look at it. The Good Doctor's theory is poo-poo'ed as not being "scientific" but to me the R/H list of stressors IS a major evidence of the science for TMS/psychosomatic dis-ease.

Although some of the life events on it may have changed with the advent of the tech age, like the stress from losing a TMS forum post that you've worked long and hard on, most of the other life events haven't, like birth, relationships, death and taxes.

Whenever I get a TMS symptom, I refer to the events on the R/H Scale to see what's been goin' on in my life. After awhile you just know--it's only TMS creating the symptom in your sub-c background. Some sufferers need their TMS structural (or affective) symptom for PROTECTION. As Dr. Sarno postulates, it's a psychological defense mechanism. They maybe aren't ready yet to deal head-on with the emotional fall-out from the life event situations that may ensue.

G'luck!
tt

 

Oh, I've been laid low from this one. Took me days to recover They are never as good when you try to re-create them.

 

I am so glad we can get support here.This is just the best place!!

I too am having a setback, hip pain for no physical reason. I do know the cause though, a wedding where I will see a "person with whom I have conflict" this weekend.

I have been listening to the Claire Weekes audio that Herbie posted and was bumped up a couple of times. It has really helped me to think psychological. So my hip is better. I have told my brain we are going to go, and have a good time too!

Tom, the R/H scale is a big help!

 

TMS gold!

 

Stellamay,

wanted to post my recurrence of LBP today and chance upon your post.
Your case is pretty much same as mine, so take heart. In fact, you had it pretty good, painfree for 10 years. Wow!
I discovered TMS last year, and been good since then, until today. A full blown attack.

Prior to this, I had mild signs of recurrence which I manage to 'talk' it down. But today, my LBP came full force.
Is it even possible to talk it away when the attack is a full scale? Like you, I am disheartened as I get the feeling I am back to square one. But then, I realise I have to stand up to this.

Exactly how, I don't know yet but minimally is to have faith that it is just....TMS.

 

Steve Ozanich writes in his wonderful TMS healing book, THE GREAT PAIN DECEPTION,
that he played golf despite the pain and it helped heal him. But it took total 100 percent belief that
his pains were psychological, from TMS. Read his book and it will help heal you.
Few people had as much psychological trouble in their lives as he, and he healed, so you can, too.

 

Yes Walt, sometimes you have to play through this TMS shit. There's a spot in SteveO's book where he had his wife, before they divorced, hit him in his TMS, with a base-ball bat, to show the gremlin whothe boss was. Hmm, I just bought a Johnny Bench "Hit King" autographed bat at a golf tournament charity auction--maybe I'll have my gf hit me in the butt a few times with the Louisville-Slugger--It's in the hall.

 

Yes, yes, yes, it is familiar. Recently I rediscovered The Mind Body Prescription that I did not implement 4yrs ago, after I had a spinal cord stimulator put in surgically. I wasn't in a place to identify with Pscyo-Somatic Stuff, oops (TMS). I picked the book up, or it pulled me in during one of my early morning rages with massive Lt. thigh cramps due to a nerve impingement (TMS.) So two days of reading, I was in an altered reality.... I felt good, not a good/bad day, but good? Weeks went by and I read it daily ( 30 min in the a.m.- 30 min in p.m.) with great relief. Several days I went without reading HBP (Healing Back Pain) and I was doing alright. I then had a speech to prepare and present, and my demon of procrastination popped up. Two nights and early mornings of sickening pain and spasms and I thought..... Psycological not physical! I canceled my speech got back to the "Book," and the pain.... Gone
Moral of the Story, keep up the patience, Hope and read and re-read the book. See if your luck will change. This is my very first post, and I'm a believer. Best of Luck, B Well. Michael

 

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH