Still Exasperated, Trying Not To Be . . . and Getting Nowhere

Hi Billiewells, first of all I really hope you are feeling better with all the support you are having from this wonderful site. I am replying to you because in your first post you mentioned you would love to hear from someone British. Well I am, I live in the South of England. I am afraid I cannot offer you much advice as I am still suffering myself (myofascial pain) but I will tell you that I have done a structured program with the help of a therapist for the past six months and I still have pain. However, after reading about the positive feed back and results that Somatic Experience can bring I decided to give it a go and am now currently having therapy via Skype with a lovely lady in London. I embarked upon this route as it was trauma which resulted in tension fear, anxiety and plus my TMS personality traits that fired up the pain as there is nothing else wrong with me (MRI scans, full body scans etc) all showing NAD.
I know how TMS symptoms can make you a prisoner in your own home (I am very fortunate that I have a wonderful husband who supports me in every way) and it is so distressing because despite my age I have always been such an active healthy person, loving activity of every kind, hiking, cycling, dancing and travelling, even virtually demolished the inside of our bungalow ready for renovation not long before this trauma happened.So please believe me, we all understand how you feel and fully empathise with you.
I have decided to start attending yoga as it will help me to go out into society again, as for the past 2 and half years all I do with a degree of confidence is two walks a day around familiar streets and coast nearby. I am going to start off with chair yoga (I know it sounds as if it is for old ladies!) but it is a start. What I am trying to say is perhaps you could do something like this where you can sit and join in the gentle stretching and exercise and meet other people. Also I am hoping to start "laughing yoga" . The only problem with this is that it is held at 7pm and this is sometimes when my pain is at its highest and I need to lie down. I will see. Try anything to enable you to be amongs other people and laugh as much as you can even if you don't feel like it as it gives the message to your nervous system that everything is ok.
I wish you all the very best and sincerely hope you will find your way forward very soon.

 

Ellen is spot on Billiewells.

I too found journaling cathartic and very illuminating. As Churchill said "if you're going through hell keep going"... It's at our lowest moments that enlightenment can take place, if we let it in.

One powerful tool I have is to sit somewhere quiet and talk to the pain, as if it's your best friend. It's trying to protect you, so ask it what's it trying to protect you from. Hold the hand of the child in you and tell her she will be okay. Treat the pain as your friend and go with it; don't recoil from it. Sounds barking, but believe me I found this helps settle the nervous system down... and healing happens when we allow our bodies to surrender and relax. There's a youtube meditation called 'heal yourself" which I found really powerful too.

Andy B's suggestion is great too - if you feel you need that extra support. I tried EFT once and found it wonderful and soothing. The woman I saw does Skype sessions too. Her name is Jenny Johnston (she's in Melbourne Australia). She's not cheap but one or two sessions might get you back on track. Google her if you're interested or seek out an EFT therapist near you.

Also - I highly recommend you read Steve Ozanich's book: The Great Pain Deception. He was in a similar place to you, and came through the other side. He too had dropfoot. His book (and Sarno) gave me my life back.

 

Colly, I know your post was meant for Billiewells but it came to me (Abbo). I was really interested in what you said regarding talking to your pain. I have started Somatic Experiencing sessions with a thrapist. I have had four sessions now but to be truthful I am more and more aware of my pain than I was before and this frightens me and makes me anxious. My therapist did say to feel an increase in the pain is natural as before I was ignoring it and doing what Steve Ozanich, just walking two and half miles without thinking about it. However, even that statergy didn't work! i will retread you post over and over and try to look on my pain like you did. Thanks for that even though you didn't intend it for me! By the way I also tried EFT initially but that didn't help either! Sometimes I feel like a lost cause!

 

Thank you all so much for your input, for some reason your replies didn't flag up on my system , so I wasn't ignoring them just unaware. I will read them all carefully and digest them. Thank you all for making me feel less alone in this otherwise isolated place xxx

 

Colly can I ask you the video heal yourself by who

 

Nobody is a lost cause.

 

Hi Moody007, your post to Colly came to me! I am not sure how to redirect your question to Colly, I was wondering about the YouTube meditation also as there are several on "heal yourself.
I try not to feel like I am a lost cause but after trying so many different therapies and six months with a TMS therapist I do get down and really fed up! Still I will soldier on, one day I will find the right approach.

 

Abbo, you may be 'watching this thread' which means you'll receive an email alert when a new reply is posted. You can change it if you like but don't worry about it not reaching the right recipient. Everyone who is active on the thread gets an alert. Hope that helps.

 

Many thanks plum. I have found sometimes that a reply to me has not flagged up and I then just stumble upon it. I hope Colly responds at some stage. As both mooby007 and myself are interested in the video clip she recommends.

 

Why isn't the TMS therapist working?

 

I've been experiencing a similar thing. It's been all or nothing in my inbox. And then I found out that you stop getting notifications if previous ones are unread. Or something like that

 

Thank you, I have found Oznich's book v helpful but not sure how he ran with his dropfoot, that is confusing.

 

Tennis tom, I am not sure why the TMS therapy is not working. I went that route because I felt havinga one to one re the traumas in my life would be important. However, that has not happened and it has involved more discussion of the therapeutic process than working through stuff or givig me some tools to work with. A very nice person, but all a bit ineffectual

 

sounds like we are on a similar journey, the more I try to exercise the worse everything gets and then I get distressed because I want to be fit and well.

 

Abbo. could you message me who the lady in London that you skyped with was please?

 

Hi Billie, I've heard some great things about Louise Levy who is situated in London.

She has a whole host of credentials, plus she's qualified as a SIRPA practitioner. Anyone who has been given Georgie Oldfields seal of approval should know their stuff. I like how she's qualified in so many modalities.

http://www.louiselevy.co.uk/about_louise_2.html (About Louise)

 

Will check this out thanks

 

Hi Billiewells. The Somantic Experience practitioner that I was having therapy with is really excellent but I have decided to travel to the north of Hampshire (one and quarter hours) to have face to face and "touch" therapy as I didn't feel really connected when talking by Skype. I originally didn't think I could make the trip, but on talking to her she said she would treat me when I am lying down so that would work really well for me. Is there a therapist nearer to you within travelling distance? Or perhaps as it is your foot you are having problems with you cannot drive. I must warn you that Christine is rather expensive, she works from Harley Street and charges £80-00 per session (1 hour). Have you read all about Somatic Experience and are you sure it would be the right therapy for you? Her name is Christine Jenson and you can read all about her on her website plus contact details. An excellent therapist in TMS is Georgie Oldfield and she is the founder of SIRPA(TMS) she lives in Huddersfield and I know she does sessions via Skype. You can look her up also. Let me know what you decide or if I can be of any further help. Good luck in whatever you decide to do. Don't give up hope hang in there We all get down on times but we have to have faith and hope.

 

Many Thanks