Day 1 Ready to move past the pain

I downloaded Dr. Sarno's Healing Back Pain on Thursday and am blown away by his theories. By Saturday I was 3/4 through the book and was already starting to see changes in my discomfort. I have had butt, leg and foot pain since April but I have had back pain, vertigo, vestibular migraines, ocular migraines, hip and GERD on and off for years. I frequently think, "does everyone live with some pain every day?" I don't remember the last time I was pain-free. Mostly I don't need medication. The pain, burning and muscle soreness is tolerable but annoying. Recently I've been unable to sit at work. I was given a sit to stand desk and since April have been standing at work. This seemed to cause pain in my left foot which has a lot of hardware in it from a fracture. I've been going to a chiropractor regularly since April (switched doctors a couple months ago) and I don't seem to be getting anywhere. I borrowed an inversion table from a friend and he mentioned Dr. Sarno. So, I I read his first book and today I sat most of the day at work with very little discomfort. I really feel that TMS is my problem but I have a hard time not focusing on the pain. I hope this program can get me past it.

 

Welcome! I have a sit-stand desk too. And I am currently struggling with foot pain. It really started to get better quickly after I stumbled upon Alan Gordon's post on outcome independence (http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/a-word-about-outcome-independence.562/ (A word about outcome independence)) as I was very, very, very focused on the pain. His post is short and may help you to stop focusing on the pain, which might prove to be a major turning point in your recovery. It certainly was for me (after missing the entire summer because I literally couldn't walk).

I'm on Day 3 of this program and already doing short hikes again--so do stick with the program and Sarno's books because, based on your post, it does sound like you have TMS. As soon as I realized my feet were TMS, not plantar fasciitis (which I am starting to think is the latest trend in chronic pain), I stopped going to physio therapy and stopped doing my physio exercises and that's when things started to turn around (along with the idea of outcome independence). I gradually started going for walks again (despite my fear of injuring myself), and then small hikes, and now I even forget about my feet for hours at a time.

Good luck and stay strong!