Day 1 First Post

Hey guys,
I've just finished reading Dr. Sarno's book, The Mindbody Prescription over this last weekend. Lets just say, the ideas he put forth I found very interesting.
So, having checked out the info here, I'm on Day one, and this is my story (it's a long one :
I'm 31, and have dealt with chronic pain for sometime. Mostly lower back problems, and sciatica. It started in my twenties, when I was maybe 22 if I remember correctly. I had driven cross country for 3 days, after having dropped out of school. It was a very emotional time and a bit of a let down. Since then I've slowly felt more and more issues with my sciatica when driving, and lower back pain. I've had as of recent, back pain bad enough to prevent me from walking, standing up straight, or getting out of bed. But...the back pain, as bad as it was, was surprisingly something I felt I could deal with as long as I restrained myself from driving to much (talk about a limiting and claustrophobic solution to a problem). Also, at least I could still do the things I loved, like ride my bike, and my work.
I returned to school, having just graduated a year ago from uni, during which I started experiencing back of the head headaches, and neck problems, which I associated with computer use, RSI. After I graduated, having no job and a big debt, my neck problems and RSI grew more intense. One morning I woke up and had severe pain in the back of my skull, and had to be taken to ER and given muscle relaxers, and vicodin. After 6 hours of being in a head turned left position, with exhausted shoulders, feeling like I couldn't hold my head up but if I didn't the intense pain would spike again, they finally gave me a narcotic (I had never even taken as much as a single vicodin in my entire life prior to this). This slowly allowed me to turn my head once more, and alas, the pain subsided. If anyone has ever heard of people with bad neck spasms..they're often times attributed as being worse than a broken bone, and I can attest to that.
So, as one can imagine, I've become a bit afraid of pain since then. The ER trip happened last October, and I've been on a mission to heal, become stronger, and educate myself at the same time. I've tried several ergonomic adjustments with the computer, seen two eye doctors, have dealt with bad vertigo, ear aches, on and on. I saw a regular Dr. about my neck who prescribed 600 mg of IBProfen and muscle relaxers, and told me "come back in 3 months and we'll see if that helps". She also suggested I have a CT scan done, blood test and all. I had already seen a specialist about my back last summer, so felt that that road was not for me. I want to get to the bottom of what's going on, the root cause. Not guess and check by subjecting myself to what Dr's think "might" be the problem. Oh, I've also seen an Egoscue specialist, tried trigger point therapy, and plenty of Tiger's Balm.
What's worked the best for me thus far is the trigger point therapy, taking about 50% of the pain away..but I've only been doing it for about a month.

Reading Sarno's book was very inspiring..shocking, and actually made me a little upset, thinking I could be the one causing all of my own pain. But, since I believe anxiety (other experience altogether) is often something we create ourselves and have full responsibility for, why not TMS?
I'm definitely intrigued by Sarno's theory and will like to give this a serious go. It can't hurt right?

So, with that, there are a few things that are of concern, or that I have questions about.
The thing that gets me stuck the most I think is what I've read with Egoscue's Pain Free books. The idea that we're designed a certain way, and function the best when our bodies are in alignment. He brings up the idea of holding a bowling ball above your head. Imagine yourself being in alignment, with the ball straight above your head. Now imagine slowly moving the ball forward, in front of you so that it's out and above. Much harder to hold for a long period of time, and this can be likened to the C spinal position, head forward while using the computer. So, I can relate to the idea of overdoing things out of alignment, like using the computer, or driving, and how over time these could become unhealthy. But at the same time, I can see emotional ties to all of my physical chronic pain. I'm just wondering if this really has any negative effect in over the long haul?

I guess with all that being said, maybe it's just a matter of giving this new mentality a serious try. It's most definitely exciting, and I've been inspired watching videos and reading people's success stories.

Thanks,
Jesse

 

Hey Jesse. I just did my first post today. I read your blog and started thinking about when i was prescribed Methodone. My pain was gone, my emotions were gone, my gi tract was at a stand still. And then the Rx ran out and I had to start over which is when I came across Dr Sarno's book. I ask myself what would my life be like had I not discovered this. Peace. Let's hang in there together.

 

The value of incalcuble role playing in private, the scenes from your past of great anguish, and letting the person know every last feeling from your heart. Hold nothing back.

You are taking an amazing journey.

Welcome