Day 4 Just begining

I am a 50 year old male. Although significantly less since reading most of Dr Sarno's Healing Back Pain (35 pages to go and I started Christmas Day) but I still have back pain with a dull ache radiating into my right hip and right knee.

Here are bullet points of my condition and current concerns (I am a bullet point type person)

1- I have NOT had long standing chronic back pain over my life and never radiating like now. I have had isolated incidents of lower back pain usually I could tie it into an accident or sports related.
2- I have had other symptoms that I am just now starting to consider as TMS. I had a frozen shoulder for about a year (I blamed on Yoga) that I notice vanished on the same day I recently hurt my back (playing football)
3- I suffered mysterious foot pain that went away just as the shoulder pain began. I was told I needed orthotics. I gave credit to its disappearance to a recent weight loss.
4- Have been suffering left knee pain since I had my first surgery 30 years ago - (4 surgeries with the last about 8 years ago) but I am just now starting to think that all my my left knee pain might have been related to TMS? Still not sure.(right now Left knee has never felt better by the way)
5- Have suffer from tennis elbow- (I always related to excessive typing)
6- Alway get facial eczema and have had in on my elbows for many years (now not there for the first time in YEARS). There has never been a cure for this. I use hydrocortisone.
7- My current back with radiating pain is the most severe i have had since my first left knee injury.
8- Sleepng cause much pain and I can not find comfortable positions and some hurt more than others.
9- I have not had an MRI and doubt I will- I have been to the doctor three times in last three weeks. He said it looks like a pinched nerve and back spasm and I need rest. Rx of Napersin and steroids did not work.

I accept the diagnosis but I fear I have doubt in the back of my mind and that I will never get rid of the pain- is this normal? Is it this lingering doubt that is preventing my recovery and how do I make this doubt go away? I have been reading non stop and I am on day 4 of this program and following to a tee?

I would be willing to resume physical activities (like football/ basketball) but do I wait for the pain to stop first? I am scared because of the pain and is this causing more doubt in the diagnosis and leading to the pain not going away? I would do back immediately but for the current pain. its hard to walk, let alone run?

I have doubt that my back pain has not been around long enough and that I do not qualify as having TMS (not good enough-ha)?

I guess I need reassurance and time frames? Looking for feedback and thanks!

 

Welcome, Jona.
You do have to believe 100 percent that your pain is due to TMS and not to anything physical or structural.
And you have to stop any medication. I can't advise about the exercise, but many who are in pain go ahead
and go to the gym or play sports, despite any pain. Do continue to engage in regular activities. It also is
impossible to tell how long it takes to be pain free... days, weeks, months. I was about 50 percent pain free in
about two months and now am about 90 percent. I believe I would have healed faster but I kept thinking part
of the pain was from aging and back deterioration. I've been healing better since believing it's 100 percent from TMS.
Good luck and keep at the Sarno program.

 

I have stopped all medications. I must tell myself 100 times during the days, that its all TMS- BUT How do you stop human doubt? Especially with continued pain. I won't quit. I will see this through. Thanks!

 

It's not easy but you will eventually get yourself and your subconscious to believe it is 100 percent TMS.
Dr. Sarno's book HEALING BACK PAIN is the best start, but I also find great help from Dr. Scott Brady's book
PAIN FREE FOR LIFE about how to implement TMS healing. Brady encourages journaling and I do too...
you write down each day what thoughts you have (past and present) about TMS causes (anger, rage, fear, guilt, etc. )
Later today I will be posting a new entry called IT WOIKS. Hope you will read it on TMSWiki.

 

Hi Jona,

I think doubt is normal--TMS is a new idea for most of us and it takes time to integrate.

Time frames for recovery really vary. Think of it like this: you're getting better every day. Whether it takes you a few weeks or months, you are healing. The TMS personality that generated the pain in the first place can be a real slave driver about recovery too (what if I'm not healing fast enough? what if it's not really TMS, etc.)

As far as exercise goes, maybe ease back into it and do something you really enjoy doing.

Welcome to the forum :

 

Hi Jona, and welcome to the forum. There are some great suggestions above. One more I might add is to get a TMS diagnosis from a TMS physician. There is a good list on the main wiki page. They are trained to sort out the structural from the psychological, which can give you added confidence that you are on the right track.

 

At some point I may have to try this. Thanks.

 

I accept the diagnosis but I fear I have doubt in the back of my mind and that I will never get rid of the pain- is this normal? Is it this lingering doubt that is preventing my recovery and how do I make this doubt go away? I have been reading non stop and I am on day 4 of this program and following to a tee?

Welcome Jona, your recovery and wellness is on the way, but as Walt has said, you need to believe 100 % that it is TMS and not structural / physical. Remember Sarno and other TMS practitioners have said, that once the injury has healed there is no more reason for it to hurt. Our brain (id, ego, and super ego) are very crafty at diverting our attention from the real issues.

 

Thank you all for the great advise and encouragement. Journaling is helping. Every day has been a little better. Love that my pain is an emotional barometer and meditation seems like acupuncture for my mind. I am going to give hot yoga a try tonight to get back in the saddle again. Touch Football on Sunday.

 

Yoga- Check , Football- Check, A really good night of sleep- Check. Onto skiing this next weekend.

 

Jona, this is wonderful. Your posts from pain to skiing are so inspirational.

 

Wow ! You dont fool around ! Have fun ! And as Walt said, your'e so inspirational to all of us

 

So funny- not at all. Played football today but my back is stiff now- not a lot of pain, but stiff. I keep telling myself that its the TMS and that my mind is tricking me and that I need to think psychologically. I am hopeful (but a little stressed). Skiing is next weekend. I dont want to get ahead of myself- but I can do this!!!

 

I have been reading Dr. David Clarke's book They Can't Find Anything Wrong. It has been very insightful inaddition to Sarno's books. Reading has helped to continue to reinforce Sarno' beliefs. I bought Clarke's book on Amazon for 6 bucks including shipping.

Reading, jounaling and participating on the wiki has kept me moving forward.

I still have stiffness which I just ignore or yell at it to get out of my body.

Jona, you are on your way. You can do it. Sandy

 

Thanks Sandy! The stiffness had me upset - a set back. Like waiting for the other shoe to drop. The eureka moment I had from my dreams last night was that I need to journal more when I am feeling the like this. I avoided it all day.