Day 1 - Not sure whether frozen shoulder is a TMS

Thank you - this is tough and friends find it v hard to understand. I am exhausted and other symptoms now going berserk .

 

I know, people who don't live it can't understand. Sometimes it's not necessary to have them understand, just for them to be there for you. In here you will find others that do understand completely what you are going through, I hope you can find a sense of not being alone in this that way.

Yes, when you start unveiling these issues your body can freak out to a point where it's unbearable; there are powerful forces inside you that are trying to protect you from harm - your mind believes that whatever is kept down in your subconscious will cause you such pain that the psychical pain is preferred.

This is just Fear talking; no matter what sort of things you will have to face during your process you will be OK - you will have to walk into the center of your Fear and face it and you can do it, it's the only way to make it go away (when working with the anxiety for example).

I know some of your story and I can see that you are a strong person, you haven't given up and you are brave enough to keep going, you should be proud of that.

... also, you had a rough night, you should rest... be kind to yourself and try not to overdo it, you have to take it one step at a time not to overwhelm yourself.

 

I was watching this last night Schubiners talk resonated so much re my story, got excited then had this massive reaction



Find it hard to write today

 

I haven't watched that one yet, but I really like him - his program changed my life. It's common to have these kinds of reactions.
Don't feel pressure to write; do what you are able to - your system is overwhelmed.
What sort of things bring you joy? Any show you like watching? Try to find something to relax the mind, something simple.
I'm here when/if you want to talk. You can PM me as well.

 

Thank you so much terror coming in waves

 

I really feel for you, billie. I hope you can have someone come over and spend time with you, or talk to someone over the phone.
You are safe, nothing can happen to you. You have the power to control it deep down. It sounds cliche, but floating into the fear and telling yourself these things can work, it did for me in my most desperate times.

 

Re: "Frozen Shoulder" : I think I've had that on several occasions--the good news is it gone for now. When it reappears I don't sweat it and realize it's TMS (or whatever) and it goes away in it's due time. "Frozen shoulder" doesn't sound like too scientific a dx, It may be dx'ed as c6/c7 pinched nerve or maybe a micro tear of the rotator cuff, I don't know, I'm no white-coat, only a tennis player. If anyone's bored you can search my old posts at the TMS Help for "c6/c7 pinched nerve", or " traction". I don't let it restrict me physically, it only seems to bother me when I'm at rest. When I'm doing the ball toss for my serve or the back-stroke in the pool it's not an issue. Bottom line, the first was the worst but the more I figured out it was TMS the quicker it thawed out.

 

This has been an EXTREMELY helpful thread as my MAIN TMS is all pain and extreme muscle tension between my shoulder blades, pain in my neck, pain in my right arm. It's gotten a LOT better, but I keep doubting the diagnosis and when I do, it flares up. I've had TMS symptoms my whole life, tummy aches as a kid, "IBS" in my 20's, Anxiety and Depression in my 30's and in my 40's, PAIN. It started in 2013, after a very stressful trip to NYC. It started as headaches, moved into my jaw as 'TMJ Syndrome', then into my neck and finally settled in my right shoulder, which (of course) is the source of my income. I am a professional photographer. Interesting? Yep! I saw every chiropractor, PT, acupuncturist and other "doctor" till I finally read Sarno and found myself on every page. Finally, I saw Dr. David Schechter in Los Angeles (my home) and he diagnosed me as "full blown TMS, 107% certain of it". Despite that expert confirmation, my doubt is STILL lingering, and is my biggest block, and I think it may have a lot to do with hearing SO many stories of low back pain, carpal tunnel, etc...but not a lot of shoulder or UPPER back pain. I seem to have convinced myself that low back pain is TMS but shoulder or neck just MUST be structural. I even laughed as I typed that. It's as if my mind knows, but subconsciously, I don't believe it fully. Herbie, may I ask, where do I find the article on "Frozen Shoulder Personality Type"? Also, may I ask, since my muscles are SO tight in my upper back, what exercise do you recommend. The PT (don't see her anymore as it was worsening my symptoms) recommended postural muscle strengtheners like rowing with bands, but of course, this sets my shoulders on fire. She said my pain was 100% posture, and I still have those words haunting me as I slump in my chair. But the more I try to "fix" my posture, the more I concentrate on my upper back and neck hurting and it is a cycle of pain reinforcement. I know the drill. I want to exercise, but it hurts to do any kind of strength training. I'm not overweight, but weak and mostly sedentary, except when I shoot and I hurt for days after. Thoughts? I am journaling, read all of Sarno's books, Ozanich, Schubiner, Schechter....I know I have TMS on an INTELLECTUAL level, but I have yet to know it on a 100% gut level, and I know that is why I have not had a faster, full recovery. Dr. Schechter agrees, he tells me I must KNOW I have TMS and LIVE LIFE AGAIN. FRUSTRATED and ANGRY that this is still sitting on me, like a 1,000 pound weight on my shoulders I cannot shake loose.

 

Hi Donavanf, I was just going to write a quick reply and I noticed I'd already contributed to "frozen shoulder" in the post just before yours. I had some recommendations in it. I've had what is called "frozen shoulder" several times and COMPLETELY recovered from it. I hit about 200 serves with that once frozen shoulder for an hour and a half on Monday. That evening I swam about thirty minutes of back stroke with that once "frozen shoulder". I do this as often as time allows me, I'll be doing it later today. The once "frozen shoulder" has not one trace of ice crystals left in it. In fact I'm working on removing the last trace of a hitch in my serve to make it one continuous swing and maybe ten m.ph. faster.

I was told years ago (pre -Sarno), by a neurologist my GP referred me to that if I didn't stop playing tennis and do traction for a month he "would be seeing me for surgery". At that time he DX'ed my condition as "c6/c7 pinched nerve". I followed his advice, did the stupid traction bag and read Don Millman's great book, "THE WARRIOR ATHLETE", to keep from going completely stir while doing the stupid traction thirty minutes a day. In retrospect I'm sure the book did me a lot more good then the stupid traction bag, which you don't hear about anymore--now they go directly to surgery--the placebo effect of surgery is much quicker--as the Good Doctor said : "Surgery is our best placebo." And it doesn't hurt the pocketbooks of the surgeons either. Doing traction has become the buggy whip of snake-oyls--it's very last millenium.

So, back to you Donavanf, I wasn't going to elaborate but what the hell, I needed to warm-up the old phelanges to pop in the Keurig. I wrote some recommendations in my above or below post--whatever your preferences are set at--did you see them? Are you going to do a "SEARCH" for YOUR TMS T-spot?

Damn, I was only going to write you two sentences and look at this--I wish I would get paid by the word here, I could buy a Cobra replica. This is called a "DISTRACTON", in TMS parlance--I haven't thought about my "frozen butt" once while keyboarding away. One comment, please use paragraphs for breaks, it just makes it easier on the "frozen eyes" to focus and track better.

G'luck!
tt

p.s. This post will probably do me more good then you, but here's hoping.

p.p.s. What did you think of the Academy Awards?

 

Thank you for your brilliant response! I love your style and attitude! Great! Despite searching, I can't find your post on c6/c7 pinched nerve. Perhaps you could link it? And about the Academy Awards, I thought they were great and Chris Rock did a great job of hosting. Most of all, I loved seeing my father honored during the "In Memorium" section. It was bittersweet and a nice, touching, moment. Thank you for asking.

 

This is incredible.

 

Hi Donavan, I did a search here and at the The Help Forum, and what I wrote years ago was almost word for word what I wrote above, so nothing really new. If you need more reassurance from others, try searching "shoulder" and your other structural parts. I'm sure you'll get a week's worth of reading on what you're going through from others. Schechter told you it was "107% TMS", I've seen Schechter and he wouldn't tell you it's TMS if it wasn't, that's enough for me. TMS is about your past, present and future. Maybe you and others who are stuck need to do more then BELIEVE in TMS theory and that they have it. You may have to change your life, environment, surroundings, etc., to create the positive DISTRACTIONS it will take to replace the same old negative distractions that the sub-conscious is requiring and creating TMS symptoms as a defense mechanism for. Belief may not be enough at this ppint, actions may need to be the next step.

BTW, I did see your father in the memoriam scroll at the Academy Awards Sunday night. The presentation with the guitarist from the Foo Fighters doing "Black Bird" was beautifully done. I remember listening to your dad's records in college, he had quite a career, and didn't realize how many cartoon characters I'd watched as a kid he did the voice-overs for. Would you mind me linking to his obit? It is amazing how much he's contributed to the culture. You look amazingly like his picture!

Cheers,
tt

 

Tennis Tom, here are some obits for my dad...

http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/stan-freberg-comedian-satirist-dies-dead-1201467899/

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/a...adcap-adman-and-satirist-dies-at-88.html?_r=0

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/stan-freberg-dead-acclaimed-satirist-787007

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/apr/09/stan-freberg

Glad you're a fan, he was a marvelous dad, till he wasn't. He was brilliant. He was my hero. And always, shall he be, forever.

 

Pain in my shoulder started 6 months ago and became unbearably painful three months later when a physio told me that the diagnosis is 'frozen shoulder'. I mentioned the idea of unconscious rage during the Zoom call with her and then followed her stretching advice for a month whilst taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. 10 days ago I decided to stop taking any drugs and push through the pain which worked up to a point. There are definitely positions that are impossible to reach and in addition, some of my arm muscles feel numb when I try to sleep. My sleeping pattern is shot, I haven't managed uninterrupted sleep for 6 months. At the most, I manage three hours in a row and then wake up, walk around or lift light weights and try to go to bed again. After an X-ray I called my GP and was told that there are changes in the ACJ, the clavicle joining the shoulder and my movements will remain restricted forever. Hard to believe, especially as my sister was told the same and she came out the other end by forcing herself to move her shoulder, yet I am now in two minds, is this considered a structural change? Has someone overcome this type of issue?