Something I’m confused about TMS

When do we listen to our body?

I know we need to listen to our emotions, but lets say for example, if you have pain, tireness or whatever

and you feel like wanting to take a nap, or it hurts somewhere and wants to sit down.

If the body screams to close your eyes or sit down. Should we listen?

 

@stevow7
This is my question, too!

 

I’m not sure I’m following.

It’s your brain’s job to send you signals, so for example, you don’t keep walking on a twisted ankle. Your brain is telling you, “Hey! Stop walking on it before it gets worse! Let it heal.”

But with TMS they can become false signals long after the specified healing time.

 

@stevow7
Lately I’ve been pushing my body a little harder than usual and I think it’s helping. So even if I have pain, I do things. Even if I’m tired, I do things.

 

The approach I personally took was to kind of 'push the envelope' a little bit before 'giving in' and lying down to rest. My TMSing brain created and caused me lower back pain and pelvic girdle pain (amongst numerous other symptoms)... And, for instance, if I was in the kitchen standing to peel and chop carrots, the pain, particularly in my pelvic girdle muscles, would start to really scream at me to stop and lie down, but I wouldn't immediately lie down, I'd peel and chop another carrot or two and then lie down. Over time, my brain allowed me to peel and chop more carrots (eventually all the carrots I needed for the family meal I was preparing) and I gradually worked my way up to being able add chopping up some bell peppers and then some mushrooms and so on. I did fear that my brain would retaliate by screaming louder and sooner in response to my doing this approach and stop me standing altogether, but it didn't... Over time I have been able to build up to standing for longer and longer periods (albeit I still have a limit to how long I can tolerate standing, but the progress I've made is profound). I did this gradual approach because when I tried to push all the way through to finish a task, my muscles would spasm, torque and twist my pelvis out of line, and then set like concrete, which caused me excruciating pain, and made me unable to weight-bear and to be bed bound (sometimes for many months). I'm not saying that pushing through pain and fatigue to perform and finish tasks hasn't worked for some TMSers to secure their full recovery, but for me I've had to take the slow but persistent approach to improve my lot.

I had chronic fatigue too - the fatigue was often totally overwhelming and otherwise was generally profoundly debilitating. With that I gave in to it, especially when it became overwhelming, and slept or rested. However, the CF very slowly dissipated - as a kind of background bonus - with me very slowly generally increasing the activities I did during the day (as described in the paragraph above).

 

I see you guys make progress!

 

I pushed myself until I had hit my limit when I was going through my pain journey. Not all the time but at some point in the day.

 

I've been pushing myself a little bit. Not too much or my nervous system will freak out and think there is a threat. But baby steps have been working for me!