| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Suz |
Posted - 08/22/2006 : 13:19:06
Anne,
I have been trying to make headway with my TMS equivalent - food allergies and have hit a terrible wall. Unfortunately, after a breakthrough last week where I realized that all the allergies are nonsense (I really believe this now) - I started by reintroducing wheat. I ate it every day and the gas/acne was coming less and less. At the same time, though, I had a terrible flare up of sciatica - I mean I forgot how excruciating it is. I have had it for 2 days now and it is slowly subsiding. My skin has also broken out quite badly. I have eased off eating the foods and my back is getting much much better. Did this happen with you? Did you experience an increase in pain when you started to tackle the foods?
I would rather restrict my diet than have this pain again or do I just have to be really brave. The diet is not that awful really. (I am chickening out dealing with them) |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Suz |
Posted - 08/29/2006 : 11:17:19
Thank you - Miehnesor. I really did start to feel alot of those terrible hidden emotions when I was with the psychologist a year ago so I really hope to get back into them again. She was very good at accessing them for me and I think there is some unfinished stuff there. It was a very uncomfortable time but effective.
On another note, I am REALLY enjoying Dr. Brady's book 'Pain Free for life" - recommended by twoscoops. It supports Sarno's theory but it just seems more readable somehow. |
| miehnesor |
Posted - 08/28/2006 : 20:37:55
Suz- If you suspect that you need to address childhood issues then listen to your gut and go for it in therapy. I doubt you will be disappointed in the results so long as you can get into your feelings.
Also fight against the guilty feelings that usually come up with this work. You have a right to feel your feelings and you are not dishonoring anybody by doing that. I say that because I know you are religious and that is one of the things that gets driven in at a young age. It can hinder access to feelings IMO.
Good luck and let us know how it goes. |
| Suz |
Posted - 08/28/2006 : 13:27:54
Miehnesor,
Great to hear what you are doing with the foods. It does seem that it is a matter of building up courage little by little and conquering the fear. When I hear your progress, it gives me more faith that this really works. I seem to attach all carbs/sugars to my skin breaking out. The connection really makes no sense at all. My biggest no no is coffee which I have convinced myself I am allergic to. Food is sucha big part of life and is a very effective distraciton for the brain. After all - one has to make decisions about what to eat at least 3 times a day. Acne is also very good at distracting me.
I am debating going back to the psychologist after my recent back flare up last week. I had not had a flare for a year adn I am convinced I have some unfinished business from my childhood that needs to resolved. I have also noticed many insecurities that have arisen since I started dating someone new - has to come from low self esteem from my parent's divorce. I stopped very abruptly last year when I broke off my engagment as my pain went away immediately. The psychologist did not want me to stop but I was determined.
I may be one of the people who needs to express the anger more. I tend to intellectualize everything and forget to actually feel. I am a queen of repression. I am sure these equivalents will go eventually if I start addressing the anger |
| miehnesor |
Posted - 08/28/2006 : 12:19:14
Much thanks to the contributors of this thread. Very enlightening.
I am in the midst of challenging my food allergies that i've had most of my life and am quite excited about the prospects of turning this around. I've been able to eat fresh uncooked fruits for the first time many with no reaction at all. When I get a reaction it is the classic allergy response- itchy throat, sneezing, and esophagal(sp) tightening. I've always believed these reactions could not be improved but now am realizing that is a false belief. Just the other day I was faced with the challenge of eating some cherries. Now in the past cherries have caused some pretty violent reactions but i decided to check it out anyway and eat 3 cherries. After about 5-10 minutes I did have the itchy throat and nasal congestion but it wasn't as bad as I remembered. So I guess the idea is to keep trying to eat them slowly ramping up the quantity and telling myself that there is nothing to fear.
Also i've had acne problems big time that got considerably better when I had the accutane (pills) treatment in my early 20's. I still have mild acne problems even today and i'm 45. Pretty rediculous. If I know now what I knew then I would have traded the dermatologist for the psychotherapist and see what happens. |
| art |
Posted - 08/27/2006 : 07:16:13
Thanks Hilary,
I've probably said it before, but I consider my recovery a minor miracle...Sounds like most of you have relatively minor symptoms which should help..I think in those cases, a purist approach will definitely work...
In my situation, I had become so sick that I don't believe I could have found my way back without more drastic measures..Now that I am better, I treat all symptoms as strictly TMS...
I just want to add for anyone who's really sick out there (miche for one, I know you suffer), you absolutely can recover. The human body's capacity to first endure, then heal, is nothing short of amazing.. |
| HilaryN |
Posted - 08/26/2006 : 10:01:34
Suz,
Sorry to hear about the recurrence of sciatica as a result of tackling the food intolerance. I agree with the others that a gradual approach is wise, and not to try and tackle all at once: just what you feel you can deal with.
As I've mentioned a few times before, I've got rid of my milk and fruit intolerance. I still get slight reactions (e.g. itchy skin), but nothing I can't deal with.
art, it's good to read of your success with food problems.
Mary Anne, good luck with the hayfever. I'm sure you'll be successful.
quote:
Sarno says that diets are very powerful placebos. I am not sure why.
I think our minds will seize any excuse.
Hilary N |
| miche |
Posted - 08/25/2006 : 10:25:41
Suz, I am not sure what type of O, all I know is that her blood type is very rare also. She is presently fifty two. I have A positive, yet I seem to feel better on Atkins ????
My son was convinced that dairy gave him acne, he is twenty six, he never consumes it yet still breaks out when he is under stress...new relationship? new stress....maybe?
My girlfriend had terrible acne problems, I remember when we were younger where she would be sure to break out before a date, she would tell me how this would probably happen and sure enough it did.
I think that hormones have a lot to do with acne, stress certainly can disrupt hormones....if one is conditionned to expect a break out after consuming certain foods, then the thought of such would bring on stress also would it not? Conditionning would equal stress would equal acne???? Just guessing!
 |
| Suz |
Posted - 08/25/2006 : 10:02:38
Miche,
How old is your sister? I am 36 now and this is ridiculous. I link the whole thing to food which means it must be conditioning. I know that Sarno says that skin problems can be an equivalent. I assume that I just have to ignore it all and let my skin break out - grin and bear it. I just hate the acne especially since my skin is clear when I avoid all those foods. With a new boyfriend, I would love to have clear skin!!
I am an O blood type but the doctor told me that I am an O negative non-secretor - the non-secretor is rare apparently. I would really love to think this was total nonsense but a part of me still believes it - probably why I still have the symptoms. I am much less convinced than I used to be though - especially from hearing everyone's stories |
| miche |
Posted - 08/25/2006 : 09:36:15
Suz, I seem to remember you stating that you are a type O, my sister is a type O , she suffered from acne as a teenager and as a young woman and was on antibiotics for years, however she has not been for the last twenty years or so and her skin is fine despite the fact that she eats everything and anything. she has done Atkins a few times in order to lose weight, but diet changes has never affected her skin . Hope this helps, Miche |
| Suz |
Posted - 08/25/2006 : 07:21:00
Wow - this is absolutely amazing. I cannot thank everyone enough for the amazing advice. I actually think it might be possible to kick these food problems. I have had the food sensitivities for 14 years - that is a very long time. My reactions are quite mild now - I get a little constipated - although that seems to be going. I get mild gas, feel tired and my skin breaks out. I was diagnosed multiple times by so many doctors to have food problems. The worst damage from a conditioning perspective was when I started the blood type diet. The doctor told me I have a rare blood type and cannot tolerate sugars or carbs - I had chronic Fatigue at the time and it totally went away when I changed my diet - this had to be a placebo. Sarno says that diets are very powerful placebos. I am not sure why.
I just have to be brave enough to eat these foods. I mostly hate the acne as I am a bit vain about it. I am 36 and I find it quite embarressing really. When I eat sugar, it gets really bad. How ridiculous is that??!! How on earth can sugar cause that. I don't even mean candy or cookies - fruit and complex healthy carbs. I have a very healthy diet and exercise routine. |
| miche |
Posted - 08/24/2006 : 22:51:25
you need time to reprogram your ingrained conditioning that the foods you eat are harmful. It's not that your body can't tolerate the food, it's that you're conditioned to react to it (subtle, eh?).
Mary Ann, thank you ,this really makes sense to me, when you put it this way it seems achievable, it reminded me of the studies that were done when people would react not only to cats or roses but to the pictures of a cat and roses, these people were conditionned to react also.
|
| Mary Ann |
Posted - 08/24/2006 : 17:09:59
quote:
Originally posted by art
quote:
Originally posted by Mary Ann
quote:
Originally posted by Fox
Mary Ann - can you give us any practical details of how you got rid of PF? I got rid of it by Sarno's ideas after about 6 weeks, but my brother, who now accepts Sarno (to a limited degree), is still having PF problems despite my advice.
I missed another point I wanted to make. Fox, there are no "practical details" that will work for your brother if he doesn't fully accept Sarno. He has to take the leap of faith that has worked for us and if he doens't he will continue to have trouble. (It also took me 6 weeks to "undo" the shoulder problems; food sensitivities took around the same time too).
Mary ann, I'm wondering how long you had the allergies...6 weeks is phenomenal...It's taken me well over a year..Of course, as I've mentioned already to perhaps the point of being tiresome (I hope not) I was extremely ill..I'd eat the wrong thing and be too sick to function...Even when I ddin't eat the wrong thing I was often too sick to function..I consider my recovery a minor miracle...
I don't think I really had food sensitivities for more than 2.5 years. A friend (who was very sick from food problems herself) convinced me I would lose weight if I followed an elimination diet/cleansing program. Then I got "tested" and found out I couldn't eat just about everything. But I got results from following the restricted list of foods: I had lost 40 lbs. I had been suspicious that food reactions were TMS, but I convinced myself it was "hereditary" because other family members also suffer similar reactions (now I just think conditioning is contagious!).
Anyway, I never had debilitating reactions, just mild to mostly annoying ones. So I think, given my reduced reactions and the shorter conditioning period, it wasn't that hard for me to put up with the pain as I just toughed it out. I can sympathize fully that it's much harder when your reactions floor you. I'm happy to hear that you finally got through it.
Mary Ann |
| art |
Posted - 08/24/2006 : 16:33:11
quote:
Originally posted by Mary Ann
quote:
Originally posted by Fox
Mary Ann - can you give us any practical details of how you got rid of PF? I got rid of it by Sarno's ideas after about 6 weeks, but my brother, who now accepts Sarno (to a limited degree), is still having PF problems despite my advice.
I missed another point I wanted to make. Fox, there are no "practical details" that will work for your brother if he doesn't fully accept Sarno. He has to take the leap of faith that has worked for us and if he doens't he will continue to have trouble. (It also took me 6 weeks to "undo" the shoulder problems; food sensitivities took around the same time too).
Mary ann, I'm wondering how long you had the allergies...6 weeks is phenomenal...It's taken me well over a year..Of course, as I've mentioned already to perhaps the point of being tiresome (I hope not) I was extremely ill..I'd eat the wrong thing and be too sick to function...Even when I ddin't eat the wrong thing I was often too sick to function..I consider my recovery a minor miracle... |
| Mary Ann |
Posted - 08/24/2006 : 16:06:50
quote:
Originally posted by Fox
Mary Ann - can you give us any practical details of how you got rid of PF? I got rid of it by Sarno's ideas after about 6 weeks, but my brother, who now accepts Sarno (to a limited degree), is still having PF problems despite my advice.
I missed another point I wanted to make. Fox, there are no "practical details" that will work for your brother if he doesn't fully accept Sarno. He has to take the leap of faith that has worked for us and if he doens't he will continue to have trouble. (It also took me 6 weeks to "undo" the shoulder problems; food sensitivities took around the same time too). |
| Mary Ann |
Posted - 08/24/2006 : 16:03:12
quote:
Originally posted by Fox
Mary Ann - can you give us any practical details of how you got rid of PF? I got rid of it by Sarno's ideas after about 6 weeks, but my brother, who now accepts Sarno (to a limited degree), is still having PF problems despite my advice.
Actually the PF never really "took". I got it almost immediately after my shoulders were cured and I recognized it as a symptom transfer and it too, went away. I only had it, at most, a week.
There's nothing special about any particular symptom. I think what varies is the degree of conditioning you experience about something. I had been conditioned to think that swimming (especially my poor technique) was causing my shoulder troubles. Then it was posture and "bad setup" of my computer workstation and "over use". Those took a while to unprogram (and may be the equivalent of what Art calls "healing"). I never experienced PF before, nor had I "done anything" to cause it so there wasn't a lot of conditioning to undo. I just recognized it as a transfer and it immediately went away.
So maybe this particular insight can help Suz too: you need time to reprogram your ingrained conditioning that the foods you eat are harmful. It's not that your body can't tolerate the food, it's that you're conditioned to react to it (subtle, eh?). Maybe your internal messages to yourself can be tailored to that aspect of it along the lines of "this is just conditioning, it can't really hurt me, I demand a new condition that I can eat it with no problems."
I'm going to try this with my hayfever (that is if I can ever put up with the symptoms long enough to stop the allergy meds).
Mary Ann |
| Suz |
Posted - 08/24/2006 : 15:48:19
I have discovered that at the root of all anger is fear - I am pretty convinced of that. If you think back to the times when people or situations make you angry, one can always find a fearful insecurity at the root of it. Something to think about |
| art |
Posted - 08/24/2006 : 15:13:06
quote:
My therapist (whom I have seen for about 18 months) always tells me that anger is a secondary emotion. The anger is covering up what is REALLY the emotion. When I get angry, I stop myself and try to dig further to find what is really going on. Knowing this has helped me alot. Hope it helps you too!
I think this is a very helpful insight. Now that I think about it, when I get really angry it's often because I'm feeling threatened in some way...I guess viewed this way, our anger has much to teach us..
|
| Fox |
Posted - 08/24/2006 : 15:01:58
Mary Ann - can you give us any practical details of how you got rid of PF? I got rid of it by Sarno's ideas after about 6 weeks, but my brother, who now accepts Sarno (to a limited degree), is still having PF problems despite my advice. |
| Michele |
Posted - 08/24/2006 : 12:11:28
quote:
Originally posted by Scottydog
Now that seems to be gone but I get furiously angry over things (unreasonably so) - usually when I feel forced into something or obliged to do something I dont want to - but I think it's really a response to things from my past.
My therapist (whom I have seen for about 18 months) always tells me that anger is a secondary emotion. The anger is covering up what is REALLY the emotion. When I get angry, I stop myself and try to dig further to find what is really going on. Knowing this has helped me alot. Hope it helps you too! |
| Scottydog |
Posted - 08/23/2006 : 22:58:47
Miche,
Yes, I am pleased in a weird way that this is happening - it shows I'm getting through to the underlying problems - just isn't too good for those around me!
Probably also means I might be "cured" in, say, another few months.
Anne |
