Day 1

Hi everyone!

As you can tell from the prefix, I've only just started this program. I'm relatively new to TMS theory, finishing The Mindbody Prescription, ready to start on The Divided Mind, in between reading Dr Schubiner's site and this one. Absolutely certain I have TMS, (with "diagnosis" of Chronic fatigue/possible Fibromyalgia) but still confused on a couple of points. I have a rather nasty case of rosacea, which I know is at least partly caused by emotional reactions and stress, but... there is a lot of structural skin damage too, which includes my eyes, and it doesn't feel particularly "benign."

I'm sure I might eventually see some improvement with the TMS approach, but I can't help having doubts. I haven't found anything much on skin conditions and TMS, and nothing specific to rosacea. My lifestyle is severely restricted because my face reacts so badly to any heat or sun. It doesn't feel like something I'd ever be able to ride through saying "I have normal skin", because I can see the damage (and so can everyone else.) The medical opinion is that this is "progressive" and for life. (Don't you just love those doctors?) Does anyone have any experience or ideas? I have read Georgie Holbrook's book about her own cure through self love, but she also went on a strict anti-candida diet, and I think she still eats a primarily alkaline diet. I'm on a horribly restricted diet at the moment - nasty reactions when I veer from it, and everything sets off my skin - but I don't want to be on one forever if I can help it. At the moment, I am taking anti-candida supplements. I have no problem contributing some of the "candida" symptoms directly to TMS, and others to actual candida caused by TMS' effect on the immune system. My issue is whether to treat the "candida" physically as a TMS side-effect, or purely with mental processes. I spent a year on antibiotics for my skin, (they made it worse), so the idea that some of my symptoms are caused by a physical issue is very firmly rooted.

Other symptoms are very obviously TMS. I'm onto them, though they're not going anywhere yet...

I'm so glad to have found Dr Sarno and so many amazing resources on the web. Wishing you all the best success!

Queenie.

 

Queenie) .- As you can tell from the prefix, I've only just started this program. I'm relatively new to TMS theory, finishing The Mindbody Prescription, ready to start on The Divided Mind, in between reading Dr Schubiner's site and this one. Absolutely certain I have TMS, (with "diagnosis" of Chronic fatigue/possible Fibromyalgia) but still confused on a couple of points. I have a rather nasty case of rosacea, which I know is at least partly caused by emotional reactions and stress, but... there is a lot of structural skin damage too, which includes my eyes, and it doesn't feel particularly "benign."

Eric)- Stop trying to find your symptom, its there, but this is part
of the tms distraction saying your not 100% convinced.
For fibromyalgia and fatigue stories just go to
http://tmswiki.org/search/ ok and this will help you find your way.

For Rosacea read Steve Ozanichs book The Great Pain Deception p.350
Its a tms equalivent which means its tms

Go back to the mindbody prescription and read it again if you've studied it once
you have to read it like 10 times to really start to understand the book good ok.
This is mind therapy and what you think wont heal is the tms distraction-
Your thinking all structural when you have to think psychologically at all times
How long did the book take to read?

Don't study diets, study self love ok- you have to really love you
heartbreaks and all, This could be a repression, so learn to love yourself for real

Really learn to think only psychological ok.
Which means to focus on anything but the body.
Think about what emotion might be bothering you and come to peace with it.

Learn to loose any and all fears of the body symptoms.
you will only learn to fully get to doing this after learning focusing and letting go.
You cant focus on something and expect it to leave
the pain is the biggest distraction, so you have to learn to be happy again
you've lost your happiness,
Watch every comedy you can and laugh laugh laugh
Don't take life so serious anymore

The knowledge will heal you if its applied knowledge
This is why so many say loose the focus
and then you say how when it hurts
well that's when you sooth, meditation
Focusing, Facing, and letting go.

 

hi Queenie, I'm just two days ahead of you and feeling great relief with this site. I look forward to witnessing your progress!

 

Hello, thanks for replies, especially to Eric for your long, detailed, speedy and encouraging post. I now have Steve Ozanich's book in my armoury. Progress will eventually be made, I'm sure. Wish I'd come across this TMS stuff years ago, though I have done a lot of therapy work and journaling already. I recommend EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) to anyone who hasn't tried it yet. It really does shift pain, however it is manifesting itself. You just need to be persistent!

 

I love that word persistence Queenie
That is what it takes for sure, Glad you got Steves Book
He has a way of explaining Dr. Sarnos work and extending the tms knowledge you need
Don't study if you didn't get here a while back, that's ok your hear now and
You will have plenty of help to get rid of your symptoms.

I've studied Eft a lot- I really know it will shift pain too
Are you studying Craig? I've even tapped away headaches with it.

You should just relax as you learn and rest assured its the taking it easy without
trying to get it all done to soon that will really come into play as you recover

I wish you a great week ahead
Bless you

 

Queenie - I can shed some light on your Rosacea and its connection to TMS. It was actually my first experience with TMS. I actually have Seb Dermititis on my face that sometimes can get bad and spread from my nose to my cheeks. It doesn't present clinically with super crusty white patches on my cheeks so it can be hard to diagnose.

It was particularly bad back in 2009 and my GP suggested I had Rosacea. When I googled it I kinda freaked out and started searching for answers. I started drinking ACV, taking fungus pills etc.... my cheaks got bright red. My first derm tested me for lupus and was stumped. Second Derm said Seb Derm. Still I was not happy...so I went to see a Derm PA. She said Rosacea and that freaked me out.

Finally I found a top notch derm who convinced me I had only Seb Derm. Spring came and my Seb Derm got better after I believed it was my stress that had caused me to break out so badly. My derms all said your skill in super sensitive to stress.

 

Herbie's right. Try to find something to laugh about.
Even if there's nothing funny going on in your life or a movie or tv you watch,
pretend there is. You can fool your unconscious into thinking you're laughing at something going on.
It won't know you're making it up.

 

Queenie:

While I am also brand new to this site, I just wanted to share with you that I have had several unexplained skin conditions that I am now convinced are TMS issues including a terribly painful issue with Hives a few weeks after having sinus surgery. (Note that the sinus surgery was another attempt to reduce chronic migraines I had suffered with for over 12 years). I now see this as part of the symptom imperative. I had gotten some relief from the headaches from the sinus surgery then I started having both bowel and dermatological issues. Full blown hives only happened once but after that I started getting itchy dry skin patches. When I treat the patch in one location with a solution provided by my doctor, it pops up in another location on my body. I also just sort of itch all over sometime and get red splotches over much of my body. I have had lots of different allergy tests performed and while I test positive for certain molds, the results were otherwise insignificant.

 

Hi Jazzykat,

I had to back off from the TMS direct approach in the end, as doing it for over a year made me feel even worse. I got stuck in a whole lot of horrible emotional pain, and my physical symptoms really escalated. What I would now suggest about headaches, sinus problems, hives and itching is a possible histamine intolerance? Stress and tension (and of course unexpressed emotions and unhealed traumas) can cause a lot of allergy-type symptoms, but so can everyday foods that are high in histamine. Histamine intolerance won't show up with allergy tests as it's not caused by an immune system reaction but by the body having more histamine than it can break down, usually due to a lack of certain enzymes. I've read too many reports of people healing "incurable" conditions through diet to dismiss dietary modifications as a valuable part of a comprehensive treatment mode. I haven't personally found a way to talk myself out of those sorts of physical reactions by telling myself it's just a trick of the brain. But I have read some remarkable EFT stories about people curing lifelong allergies in a few sessions of that, and Nick Ortner's thetappingsolution.com website references Dr Sarno's work.

Currently, I'm using EFT and Eriksonian hypnosis amongst other things, working on the subconscious in that way. I think the TMS writing exercises backfired on me because I'm simply too emotionally exhausted and overwhelmed for the "really feel your emotions and express that inner rage" strategy. All that did was rewire me for even more stress. I think Dr Sarno's methods are generally bang on, but that some of us need all the help we can get, and that might include massage/bodywork/dietary changes/acupuncture or whatever, to calm our bodies and nervous systems down enough to be able to process the emotional stuff properly. But then, I'm speaking as someone with a really severe case of TMS...

 

Thanks for the info. I have actually tried EFT in the past as well, something I forgot about when writing my Day 1 post - so many things tried!

 

Hi. How are you now? Do your seb derm gone with the TMS work? Thanks you

 

Hey Amina - My seb derm is 95% gone. Stress was a huge factor and when I was able to refocus my thoughts it went down a bunch. The extra reduction was due to some lifestyle changes like exercise and reduction in processed foods.

 

Ohh thank you for your answer it is really appreciable and super nice. Did you also have it on your eyebrows (causing hair loss) or with associated eye symptoms (blepharitis)?
Sorry again for my questions and thank you again for your answer