Longer recovery times?

I have been having a terrible relapse these last couple days. Not gonna go in details as to not entertain the idea that it is so awful and scary. So I went to check some TMS success stories on the internet. But most of them are so fast. I am not even talking about book cures, but mostly people mention couple weeks to month after years of pain. I have been on this for 6 months now and still get symptoms daily and these terrible flare-ups for days. I think the fact that it has been for this long is what might start shaking my faith.. Anyone with longer recovery time and complete cure? Or perhaps there are some statistics published somewhere with how long it takes?

 

Oh, I just noticed I have put this in success stories, rather than support forum part. Sorry!

 

It took me about a year, but I completely recovered from fibromyalgia and migraines. You can read my success story on my profile.

 

Hello Elina,

Did you try taking a break from constantly working on healing your pain? What I mean is that you might have become so obsessed with healing, that trying only makes it worse. Also, one of the worst things you could do is comparing yourself to others... everyone is different, and sometimes reading about others' success while you're still struggling very hard might work against you.
I suggest taking a break (a holiday would be nice if you can afford to), and just focus on your surroundings, the things around you, rather than your symptoms. Try to ignore your symptoms like you would try to ignore an annoying relative ;-). The more bothered you get, the worse it gets. Each time you feel pain, notice it and try to shift your attention to something else, it's difficult but I found it works a lot for me.

Good luck!

 

hello ! your last sentence is where im confused, if you feel pain, do you gradually progress (sitting for example) like first time you sit for 5 min and try to progress to 7 min? or do you shift your mind to something else and it goes away?

 

I used pacing with sitting initially because it helped me to build up confidence and to not put too much pressure on myself. Once I got it up to about 30 minutes I stopped taking notice as I did not want it to become a new preoccupation. I had not been able to sit at all without severe pain in my back for 15 years. Those first few minutes were agony but I held onto my newly found belief (after reading Healing Back Pain) that the pain was being caused by my mind, not my back. Very quickly I was able to calm myself with this belief and the pacing.

I had to change my beliefs and feelings about sitting. It is harmless. I had been told over and over by physiotherapists that it would cause more bulging of my discs in my back. They were wrong. I now sit comfortably.

It has taken me about 15 months to recover but I had a lot of conditioning and emotional trauma to work through after 15 years. I am still expanding my life everyday with great excitement and enthusiasm as this way of life (tms therapy) has changed me in so many ways for the better.

 

Hi @Elina,

I am 15 months into TMS healing.

My hand pain, knee pain and hip pain have improved.

I still have anxiety and insomnia but the severity is much less.

I think it takes longer than a few weeks or a month for many, if not most people.

Most of us have a lifetime of maladaptive habits / patterns that we need to change / recondition.

-AC45

 

thanks a bunch for this info! i really appreciate the help! last question. i ask this because my english is not perfect and im trying my best to understand.

when it comes to physical activity if you try something new like jogging and it hurts around 10 during running, you stop and then experience agonizing pain for the rest of the day. do you try it again next day even if theres a bit of pain or do you continue when you have no pain at all? even if it takes a week of rest? (this is an example it can be doing squats and progress)

 

I'm sorry to hear you were having a tough time. I was too! The friend who gave me HBP used it to cure her asthma and migraines. Cured completely of both. It took her 3 years. She did not do anything other than read the book and apply the principles in her daily life. I am about 18 months in. I have done EVERYTHING TMS related (be careful of that, it can be your "new" preoccupation) and I am a ton better. But not "cured" But I am different, that's for sure. Different from before I started and completely different from before I had pain. This will forever change you, but in the best way possible, even on our "worst days" It is so hard not to compare your recovery with others, I do it constantly myself. But we need to stop as it's not helping! If it makes you believe success is possible, keep reading the success stories. If it makes you jealous, stop. Sometimes I get so jealous. I guess my point is although we are all the same in that we all suffer, our recoveries are all going to look totally different. As much as I hate this most of the time, I would rather have TMS that I know I can cure rather than real structural damage of which there really is no cure. At least we have a chance.

 

There really is no right or wrong way because remember the symptoms are caused by your mind and some mild oxygen deprivation. So when you are mentally ready to face this challenge then go for it! It is a good idea to go back and practise the activities that have set off a trigger in you. Doing it again mindfully and calmly will show your mind that this is not dangerous.

Of course if you are engaging in some new physical activities there can be normal muscle soreness for a day or two and then it is up to you when you feel like exercising those muscles again. But you do not need to fear this. Hope that helps.

 

The knowledge that your symptoms are caused by your brain and not your body is the cure. You have achieved that. The rest is breaking conditioning by calmly practising and going on an inward emotional journey of healing in the form of self care. Celebrate that you are cured. This will empower you to go out there and get what you want for your life!

 

Thanks to all of you for your posts. I, too, have become discouraged after applying the TMS techniques to a painful hip for 7 months with no progress. I do remember SteveO in The Great Pain Deception saying that it was well over a year before he saw any progress. I admire the bravery of those who just stick with it rather than become depressed which, I'm embarrassed to say, often happens to me.

 

Hi Elina
I too lose my courage by reading all these succes stories where people are cured in a few weeks. I have been working with my TMS for severel months now with no progress in my symptoms. I will keep working but reading about people who have been suffereing for years, then read a book and then are cured instantly and is now running the maraton is really not helping my spirit. Its doing the opposite. I would appreciate some less amazing succes stories.

 

I am on the same boat. Reading success stories over and over and over. It’s been a year 1/2 and my pelvic pain still there. I am overwhelmed and scared when reading success stories cured in weeks or months.
I had long periods when my depression was low and the pain was much bearable.
I want to thanks to all people who support me during this period and apologies to those who didn’t reply me. I understand that when you have been traumatised for a long period you don’t want to get in contact with people who are doing bad just because they drag you down.