Stick with it....

I am not quite a 100% success story, but I am about 80% there. After almost two years of lower back pain that seemed to get worse and worse, I took a leave of absence from my job as driving (one hour commute both ways) had become so painful that I would often be in tears by the time I arrived home. Though I could stand, walk, sometimes sleep with about a 3 on the pain scale, sitting for more than 15 minutes had me in sharp unbearable pain. It seemed that nothing really worked and though surgery was an option, I am a fit young person and really felt as if my life was partly over. I couldn't dance, hike, or travel. An MRI showed a 6mm protrusion in the lower back, so I got the epidural, adjustments, physical therapy and meanwhile I was also listening to Sarno's "healing back pain" audio version. I did get some relief from all of this, but once I went back to work I began getting pain in my neck, upper back and I the previously "unaffected" side of my lower back in addition to the "affected" side. This let me know it had to be TMS. The only times I'd gotten almost complete relief was when I did the journaling and listened to the recordings of sessions on this site. Knowing that I had to change everything, I started talk therapy, journaled, am not driving much, and began READING rather than listening to Sarno's book. After reading just a couple of chapters, I felt better. I still have stiffness when sitting and have pain when getting out of bed in the morning, but stretching usually gets that under control. So, the key for me has been taking the information in visually, stopping all physical treatments (except stretching), journaling, and a lot of self talk ("your back is healthy, it's just tension that is causing you pain. What is bothering you?") . When I do physical activity, I make sure to not favor or try to protect my back. I hope that I can report even more improvement soon, but wanted to give some details from the other side of the pain. When I was on the other side, I looked far and wide for someone who had my exact problems so that I could have faith. Hopefully, this entry will find someone and help them have a little hope.

 

Hi Mimi,

Thank you for your wonderful success story. You have made remarkable progress, and refined your approach to fit who you are.

Yes!! How nice it is to express this.

I think this is a great condensation of techniques.

I might suggest you gently lesson the amount of stretching, and see how this works! It seems you may have a conditioned response to this: that it takes the stretching in order to feel better.

Andy B

 

Mimi I have had similar success but like you haven't completely jumped the hurdle. I was nearly useless in January and couldn't walk ten steps without my right leg going completely numb and burning like a torch was held to it. I now walk for miles, sometimes jog, do push ups and actually play volleyball. My pain however, is at it's worst after sleeping or sitting for long stretches of time. I repeat to myself similar thoughts "your back is healthy." If I fear something physical I tell myself what Steve O says, "set yourself free." I'm excited and anxious about getting to the finish line and sometimes get down if I have a bad day. I use the wiki to help restore my confidence in the process. I wish you the best of luck and hopefully we can both type a success story for others to read.