Doubt following visit to Tms dr

yesterday I had a Long awaited appointment with a doctor recommended on the wiki. However when I told him I've been working on the Tms approach for about a year and a half and done the online program as well as The one in Howard Schubiners book he said that he didn't think it's the right approach for me and I should basically give up on the Tms approach. I was quite upset because I hoped he would confirm the diagnosis but did the opposite. He did however refer me for autogenic training as he said that maybe my autonomous nervous system has come out of balance. Come to think of it isn't that what happens in Tms anyway? Autogenic training there is for reducing the stress response, aiding relaxation so maybe this is one approach to combating TMS after all? I'm not sure I'm quite confused any thoughts on this would be appreciated thank you very much

 

ellie,

I've written a lot on this subject. It will probably suffice to say that the confusion rests on differences between pure TMS and more expansive, more recent neuroscientific approaches. Classic, pure TMS sees the cause of pain as repressed emotions with concomitant oxygen deprivation. The neuropsychological approaches are wider embracing and at their heart agree that sympathetic dominance is also a key factor. Pure TMS theory does not make this distinction and does not acknowledge the role of the branches of the nervous system as being integral to the genesis of pain.

The fact is emotions are the mediating factors in the nervous system (which means both emotions and the nervous system interplay with one another) so essentially if your TMS doctor has suggested you give up on the TMS approach, he is telling you to stop going down the emotional route. It simply doesn't work for everyone. Many people, myself included are recovering because we are healing our nervous system by bringing the parasympathetic back into its natural state of dominance. Our bodies are designed to be predominantly in a state of rest and digest, not agitation and vigilance.

I'm happy with the expansive view. It is corroborated by science and experience. It embraces stress and other causes of chronic pain. In no way does it undermine Sarno's work, it simply adds to it and means more people heal. That can only be a very good thing.

 

Thanks Plum that's very helpful and reassuring. What are your techniques for recovering your nervous system and bringing the parasympathetic back to its natural state of dominance?
Do you think it's still worth doing affirmations and visualisations of myself doing things such as sitting at a computer without pain and trying to slowly build up my tolerance for doing things by doing a little more each time?
Also forgot to mention that the doctor I saw was trying to blame my pain on hyper-mobility as well and saying that I needed to do strength training I tried this technique for About a year and a half with no reduction in pain before I found out about Tms

 

What have doctors and other experts recommended for accomplishing this goal? I am having more and more good days now and I am able to see the light at the end of the tunnel more and more. However on many days I still have TMS pain and it can really ruin the entire day. Today, I woke up with a horrible pain and the headache has bee annoying me for most of the day. Then I have a depressed/anxious mood for thirty minutes to an hour and then I will go back to having a headache.

My pupil are often times dilated and I feel like my fight or flight response probably kicks in more than it should.

What techniques exist besides journaling and besides further integrating the knowledge that the pain and depression is a mask for unconscious feelings of rage?

 

ellie, yes it is worth continuing with affirmations and visualisations. They are great techniques. I'm going to be with my family over the next couple of days (mum hasn't been well) so I'll post something here as soon as possible. Take care and relax! Everything will be alright.

Plum x

 

I'll pen something over the next few days my dear. Congratulations of all you've achieved so far. I'm always delighted to see people recovering

 

Thanks for the encouraging words! It's always a pleasure to read your thoughtful posts.

Just to clarify: My main issue these days is my mood. Most of the time I feel normal. However, I probably feel depressed 3/16 of the time. When depression and anxiety come on, whatever pain I am feeling will drop in proportion to how bad my mood is. There is a direct correlation between the pain and emotions 9/10 of the times.

 

When I was a kid my friend noticed that my pupils are dilated most of the time. She was joking that I could get high and nobody would know since it's something I always have. I haven't even thought about it until now, less that it could be caused by flight or fight.

I experienced something similar the other day - my headache and stomach ache went away but I was feeling horrible emotionally. Guided meditation and deep breathing are helping me.

And Plum, I'm sorry to hear that your mom isn't well. I'm looking forward to your response, you always give such great advice.

 

Ellie, to plum's point (and she is one of the wisest people on this site), my impression is that there are no two identical cases of TMS. It is not a trivial cold or flu to run the course same way through most of the bodies. I can see how people are trying various things and keep what works for them. Some find journaling the best, others work with therapists, many meditate, others just start working their muscles while ignoring pain - you name it. Try everything and find what works for you - you are unique and what works for others may not exactly work for you. I found this site very helpful:

https://www.dharmaocean.org (Dharma Ocean)

Reggie Ray's book Touching Enlightenment is my daily read now. Although it is not same as Sarno's targeted TMS approach, it gives understanding of Tibetan Buddhist somatic psychology which is extremely mindbody-oriented. Best of luck to you!

 

Jan, this is an excellent post, it resonates with me very much! I firmly believe that depression and anxiety are TMS. Count in insomnia, which results from over-excited nervous system. I have been reading a lot on Tibetan Buddhist psychology and somatic psychology (which seems to be rooted in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition).

Tarthang Tulku, one of the Tibetan lamas who established Tibetan studies in the US, says that the biggest problem with our ability to handle negative emotions is that we don't give them enough time - sounds like a paradox at the first glance. He teaches that negative emotions are natural bodily responses and there is nothing wrong with them, but that we need to meet, greet and transform the emotions as they come into our system. If we don't handle them properly, they will store in our bodies and minds and impact our health. Sounds like TMS theory to me, but coming from a thousand year old tradition of studies! Tarthang Tulku also recognizes attachment (aka obsession) as a negative emotion of a kind, which TMS doctors also are able to treat by the same approach.

You were able to meet your wave of depression, greet it and recognize as such and transform it in a positive fashion. As a result, it did not take the hold in your mindbody, it just washed over you, in full accordance with what the dearest Claire Weekes is teaching us to do. When I fall into despair, I listen to her distinctive, reassuring and moving voice which tells me: if you wish to recover, you will!

 

Yep. It is only from this guy I am now learning how to meditate. As a matter of fact, he is making a strong point about disembodiment of the modern people and the rise of chronic pain and neurological disorders as a result of it.

https://www.dharmaocean.org/ (Dharma Ocean)

 

Jan, don't get me started on this - but since you did, here it goes:

One of my symptoms besides pain is that fingers just tensed mightily, curled in and would not straighten out or bend any further.

The director of pain management clinic at Kaiser told me that:
1. He had a problem with Sarno because Sarno was going too far
2. You (meaning me) are doing better, right? - when I asked if he had anything to offer beyond epidural injection

The funny thing is that he complained to me that his finger was getting bent and stuck in that position at times so he was curious what to do about it. I thought for myself that he should be getting injection straight into his brain :=).

 

Thank you Avy. Mum is slowly getting better so hopefully I'll have chance to write my reply here very soon. Much love to you my dear x

 

TG, I adore Reggie Ray. I first encountered him on a Sounds True podcast where he spoke about dark retreats. These are seriously hardcore practices which involve total isolation with no sensory stimulus at all for days on end. I'm aware such things exist within shamanic traditions too but his description was so raw and human it made a huge impression on me. Dharma Ocean is a great oasis of wisdom. There is something utterly sublime about the Tibatan tradition. I don't know it well but I very much appreciate my trysts with it.

I also adore your presence on the forum my dear. You a possess a refreshing and fierce compassion that cuts to the core of the issue in a clean, precise manner. Little wonder you enjoy Reggie Ray so much. His path is absolutely not for the feint of heart.