Question about medication

im a little bit confused on the role of medications and tms. If something like elavil or lyrica helps does that show evidence toward tms or against it ? Or it doesn't matter ? I know that this recovery program does not suggest or agree with medications. Thanks for any feedback

 

There may be many informed opinions and experiences here about meds, but bottom line is "communicate with your physician" before stopping anything.

 

Oh no I'm not on any medication I was just curious on how that type of medication effects this condition

 

In my opinion medications do sometimes help with the symptoms of TMS. However, medications don't treat the underlying cause, while TMS therapy does. The issue of whether or not taking medication while also engaging in TMS therapy is helpful or postpones recovery is often debated on this Forum. I think each person is different in this regard.

 

I've just failed at my 3rd attempt to taper off of Cymbalta which I was taking for anxiety. I started taking it in 2006 and I guess I have been one of the lucky ones in that it never made me feel high like benzos or that I had even taken anything. It just made me feel more like myself. I just wanted to see if I could get along without it since I don't like taking drugs of any kind, I don't even like taking aspirin. But this past week I have been so ill and feeling so strange. It has really been scary.

Cymbalta is notorious for being hard to withdraw from so I am not recommending it, but in my case I'm just going to accept that I have to take it for the rest of my life. I still believe anxiety is TMS but I live alone and cannot afford to be so sick from withdrawal that I can't take care of myself. I've read that there can be a protracted withdrawal that can last years and at my age I just can't imagine living that way. Every time I've tried meditating it actually makes me more anxious, and guided imagery doesn't work for me because all the imagining of pleasant surroundings does nothing for me because I know I'm not there if that makes any sense. And some of the people who talk on the recordings make me giggle with the way they sound. God bless everyone who can be helped by these things, I think that is so wonderful and I am envious.

 

Hi, KitKatie. I'm glad you are not on any medication. Most of that does not relieve pain, or at least not for long. It's better to find the emotional reasons why the pain is there. To discover that, I suggest you start the Structured Educational Program, free in the subforum of this web site. It helped me to heal from severe back pain when I journaled in the SEProgram and realized my pain was emotional, from anger and other feelings when my parents divorced when I was seven, and from guilt when I had to give up being caretaker for my aged mother. I just had to give up after two years because she just could not be pleased and it was driving me crazy.

There are many natural remedies for pain and anxiety. Google about them and watch Youtube videos on them. Deep breathing helps a lot, and living in the present and not the past or future. What works for me better than medication for pain or anxiety is a cup of hot milk... even better than wine.

 

The thing about meditation is that you commit to sitting for a certain length of time-for instance 15 or 20 minutes. Just watch your breath during this time. Don't worry if your mind is going crazy just try to sit there for the length of time you committed to. True meditation teaches you how to meditate. I guarantee that if you commit to meditation it will teach you how to meditate. Even if you think you're not meditating after some time you will realize you feel different. As the saying goes: meditation is not what you think. Try it.

 

I get nervous and frustrated when I meditate too I'm going to keep trying

 

It doesn't matter if you get nervous and frustrated. Just the fact that you are sitting and trying is what matters. Don't judge whether it's a good or bad meditation. Just sit and watch your breath come in and go out for a short time. Don't quit and get up when you think it's not working or that you just can't get it right. You can't stop your mind from thinking all sorts of thoughts, it's too strong. But you can stay in a sitting position for a short time, your mind can't stop you from doing that. Keep it up.