Success Story without Repressed Emotions

That is the most relevant experience to me with TMS I have read to date. I have discovered I had TMS only three weeks ago after numerous 'treatments' that did nothing for me in long term. My pain seems almost identical and the phrase 'flare ups' really resonates with me. My pain levels have dropped and have started very light HIIT training again and playing golf. Although the stiffness at times hinders my swing. The only difference is that I have suppressed emotions and also think I internalise day to day stresses although I appear the calmest person in the world. I will download the book you recommend. Thanks for sharing this mate.

 

Great story bikebum
A real inspiration

 

What a great success story with so much thoughtful detail. Thank you for sharing and congrats on your 100 mile ride! I learn every time I come to this forum.

 

Thanks for sharing your story, bikebum. It's good to know that different things work for different people. For me as well, I stopped seeing gains from journaling and make more progress when I focus on fear and anxiety in the moment. I don't regret the journaling that I did in the slightest, but the most helpful thing for me is to look at where my energy is going in the moment. A huge amount of my energy goes to fear and anxiety, and I know that that is no good.

 

Hi bikebum,
I'm grateful for your tips and am happy to say that I recovered from SI pain (in the past, whenever I sat down, it used to feel like I was sitting on a nail)! It was very interesting, my SI still goes out of alignment sometimes, but like in your situation, it doesn't hurt anymore, and if I "pop" it back that doesn't hurt either. This is a tricky symptom because it's not "purely psychological," the joint literally moves and makes a loud popping sound if I push it back.
Thanks for your help!

 

Hey man, thanks for sharing your story. Really inspiring. I hurt my lower back almost 5 years ago deadlifting. I've been in chronic lower back pain/sciatica ever since and even had a surgery (microdiscectomy), which didn't relieve me of my pain. I'm about 1 month into learning about TMS and doing my journaling, haven't noticed any difference but again inspiring to see how long your recovery process was as well. I wish you the best.

 

Hi bikebum. Thank you so much for posting your story, as you can see, it has meant so much to so many people for so many years now! Amazing. I am starting out on the TMS journey myself, having had low back pain for over 20 years. One thing I think we can all relate to, regardless of our philosophies of TMS, repressed emotions, etc, is that when you live in chronic pain, you are obsessed with it, to the point where the obsession is as bad as the physical pain itself. This obsession is where the fear and anxiety lives. I have been learning a lot about TMS for the past few months, and the concept of experiencing pain without fear or anxiety is a new concept to me. It makes a lot of sense from the standpoint of breaking the obsession.

I think the most valuable gift of TMS is that it shows how the human race is really one big community. We learn from each other and contribute different and valuable things to the cause. Although Dr. Sarno started the modern movement as we know it, so many other brilliant and brave people have added crucial elements to it that make it more compelling and effective every day. And as sufferers past or present, we can give each other the invaluable gift of hope and companionship on the journey. There would be nothing more abysmal than dealing with this condition on our own! Your recounting of crying in the car after one of your appointments really hit home with me. I felt that way so many times, and the feeling is just horrifically depressing.

Thank you for the gift of your story.

 

Thanks so much for sharing this. Even though I'm quite a bit older than you, your story fits mine ALMOST EXACTLY. The only difference being my MRI showed some slight herniations, normal for my age. I am going through a relapse right now and looking for inspiration...which you helped give me. Thanks.

 

Hi ricecakes

I'm not expert on the forum and have only been working my TMS for about a month-but maybe my thinking on the subject may be of interest. I too was "haunted" by so many practitioners (e.g. PT, Chiropractor, Accupuncturist) telling me "your SI Joint is out of alignment". I became convinced that it was the cause of my pain and was googling SI Joint fusion like crazy. What really bugged me is that the orthopedic doctors all said very contradictory things, telling me the SI Joint really can't be significantly out of joint unless you have been in a horrible accident or directly post partum and that the SI Joint cannot be the source of pain. The contradiction played out in real life: I've had times when I had no pain and heard "Oh, your SI Joint is way out" and times when I had horrible pain and heard "nope, everything looks pretty good". My take: they just don't know. After all my Sarno research I'm convinced its TMS. Sarno doesn't seem to address misalignment that much but on page 58 of Mindbody he says "Lumbar muscle involvement may tilt the trunk to one side". (I would love to hear other examples of SI Joint misalignment in Sarno literature). To me, that is evidence that oxygen deprivation in the muscle can spasm it or tighten it, and thus pull bones one way or the other. Since knowledge/understanding is the path to pain free live, this "understanding" for me has helped me emotionally deal with mental images of a "twisted sacrum".

 

Congratulations! Your story is so nice. I admire your strength.

 

I really like the story the more you read it. It honestly made me cry.