| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| iyusaf |
Posted - 09/11/2004 : 21:47:45
It was nine years ago that I discovered my own TMS after reading 'Healing Back Pain' and instantly becoming pain free. It was a dramatic transformation.
I had an office visit with Dr. Sarno, attended the required lectures and a few optional lectures. I went on to study and internalize the diagnosis of TMS and worked diligently with a therapist for many years.
Sarno's thesis has helped me to leapfrog the conventional treatments and manage my physical pain. I have not been sucked into the vortex of medical procedures, pharmaceuticals and recurring physical therapy appointments. Instead, I have been sucked into the vortex of feeling, journaling, talking to my brain and repudiating the physical.
I prefer the latter since I feel like I have control of my life and it costs less time and money. I feel healthier than I have ever been despite regular flare-ups. The longest I've been pain free is nine months. The longest flare-up has been twelve months and counting.
For the most part, the pain does not prevent me from living my life the way I envision it. There are high and low periods and some plateaus. Over time the pain-free plateaus have gotten a bit longer and the painful low periods somewhat less frequent. I see the low periods as an opportunity to listen to the poetry of my body.
As I compare the last nine years with my life before discovering TMS, I realize the frequency and duration of pain symptoms has not changed. In fact, the variety of pain symptoms has actually increased. Only my relationship to the pain and perception of the pain intensity has changed. Now I go about my life, in some cases enduring significant discomfort during flare-ups.
The current flare-up (butt and leg pain) has persisted for twelve months and has gotten so severe that walking several blocks is an enormous task. I am exhausted from practicing the anti-TMS techniques and at a loss.
The battle between the conscious and unconscious is a fine strategy until you find yourself fighting it for nine years. I don't have a better answer. I'm just looking for a temporary cease fire.
Would be interested in hearing from others who have had long-term experience with TMS. |
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| Carol1247 |
Posted - 09/18/2004 : 23:35:03
quote:
Originally posted by iyusaf
Thanks for the replies, everyone. I went for a swim today which helped more than anything else in the past several weeks.
Carol, thanks for sharing the Sedona link. After reading the material on the Sedona web site as well as the material from Lester Levenson's web site I have to admit that it's unclear what this 'method' involves.
Can you help me understand the technique? Is it guided imagery, relaxation exercises, tracing emotional memories? Something completely different, perhaps?
I think the free demo tape will answer all your questions. As I recall, it gives a very good explanation of the Method. I think there may be a small shipping charge, but probably not more than a few dollars. Hale's book can be ordered used from Amazon for under $10 and it contains virtually everything about the Method. Until you can get one or both of these items, let me just say that the Method is not guided imagery in the traditional way. You do bring up and focus on issues, but then you run through a series of steps to release the feelings related to that issue. It is relaxing because you are releasing first your resistance to the issue and then the feelings about the issue. I hope this is helpful to you.
Take care,
CAROL |
| iyusaf |
Posted - 09/17/2004 : 17:48:24
Thanks for the replies, everyone. I went for a swim today which helped more than anything else in the past several weeks.
Carol, thanks for sharing the Sedona link. After reading the material on the Sedona web site as well as the material from Lester Levenson's web site I have to admit that it's unclear what this 'method' involves.
Can you help me understand the technique? Is it guided imagery, relaxation exercises, tracing emotional memories? Something completely different, perhaps? |
| Carol1247 |
Posted - 09/17/2004 : 13:30:52
quote:
Originally posted by iyusaf
I am exhausted from practicing the anti-TMS techniques and at a loss.
The battle between the conscious and unconscious is a fine strategy until you find yourself fighting it for nine years. I don't have a better answer. I'm just looking for a temporary cease fire.
Hi Iyusaf,
I think from what you describe, you may be trying too hard to practice techniques and fighting too long. The technique I have been practicing lately (The Sedona Method) has been very effective for pain. I used it after my root canal and the pain lightened up and my resistance to the pain went away. For TMS, Sarno suggests shifting attention to emotional issues and thinking psychological, but he doesn't really say specifically how to do that. I think the Sedona Method could fill in a lot of spaces for those wanting more tools to release emotions and in releasing resistance to pain which could be the key for you. If this makes sense to you, check out www.sedona.com and see if it interests you. When I've worked with my current tape series a little longer, I'll write more about this.
CAROL |
| Agata |
Posted - 09/17/2004 : 08:52:30
Dear Iyusaf!
I can sympathize with you. I don’t have all the answers yet, but I can share with you one method I am using.
My TMS has many forms. Back, elbow, anxiety attacks, gastrointestinal, stomach, and skin problems. I am not cured and since I followed Dr. Sarno’s recommendations, my TMS moves from one symptom to the other. The intensity of the symptoms is lesser. One thing I learned recently is to express my emotions as they come. Of course I don’t shout at people whenever I feel like it. I’ll give you example. Watching movies or TV programs that would touch the live issues I was dealing with in the past like children problems, no love between my ex-husband and I, etc., would bring tears and in old days I would try to repress it. Now, I cry my eyes out. It’s such a cleansing feeling and I know I satisfied my inner child and will not start acting up. Bottom line, don’t repress your emotions. Accept them. I don’t think you have to deal with them in order to stop the TMS symptoms. That works for me and we all are different.
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| miehnesor |
Posted - 09/14/2004 : 16:19:56
I've had the first signs of TMS 30 years ago and have had severe chronic problems for the last 13 years. I've been working on the problem in a men's group now for about 1 1/2 years and have recently learned a lot about the emotions that are causing the symptoms.
It appears that I am deathly fearful of being angry at parents and when I simulate anger in therapy i'm gripped with intense fear, like shaking, energy, shortness of breath etc. Actually I don't even have to be angry, all I need to do is talk about it and the fear mechanism kicks in. While i'm feeling the fear the symptoms ease greatly- only to come back again once the emotion passes. So i've got to keep at it so the inner kid see's that nothing really bad will actually happen.
I have to actually experience the emotion to see modulation of symptoms. |
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