T O P I C R E V I E W |
Shary |
Posted - 04/15/2007 : 11:04:24 Hi all, I'm new to this site but not new to TMS. I've had pain off and on in my back, neck, shoulders, hips and knees for a long time. This latest flareup has been the most debilitating, lasting over a year now.
I've read Dr. Sarno's book and am convinced I have TMS. I fit the profile to a tee. To say that my emotional plate is overflowing, and has been for years, would be putting it mildly. Let me first say that the doctors I've seen have been a waste of time and money and have possibly contributed to making me worse with prescription drugs that only mask the symptoms, thereby allowing me to stupidly overwork my tight, oxygen-deprived muscles.
In addition to Dr. Sarno's book and other reading I've done, my homeopath has helped me the most. He encouraged me to address all things mental and emotional, going all the way back into my childhood as far as I can remember. I wrote all this stuff down, pages and pages of it, as it surfaced from my subconscious--stuff that causes anxiety, fear, guilt, anger, etc.--the whole bit. I have eliminated some of the stressors, but some are permanent (I have a handicapped child). I have also been medication-free for over a month now, including muscle relaxants and the OTC stuff such as Advil.
I AM getting better, both mentally and physically. I can do some easy exercises now and take short walks, which would have been out of the question a couple of months ago. But I still hurt, and recovery is so slow. Has anyone out there gone through this and completely recovered from it? If so, how long did it take?
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4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
Shary |
Posted - 04/15/2007 : 21:37:13 Thanks for the good advice. Skizzik, you make an excellent point. I think my biggest problem is that throughout all this I also developed a frozen shoulder, which has affected not only my left shoulder but also just about all the muscles on the left side of my spine. I've read that this too will clear up all on its own, even if I do nothing. I've lost mobility in that arm, but I know it's because the muscles are so tight all the way up the side of my neck and down into my shoulder blade that it restricts movement. When that lets up, I think the mobility will return. I gave up on PT because it was one step forward and two steps backward, to say nothing of being expensive. Meanwhile I try to do whatever exercises I can comfortably manage.
Keep those suggestions coming! It's great to find people who have actually heard of TMS, which is more than I can say for my doctor. He didn't have a clue. |
skizzik |
Posted - 04/15/2007 : 18:02:57 slow recovery is recovery. If you set a goal to perhaps get 1% better every day, you'll be over 50% better in 8 weeks. |
tennis tom |
Posted - 04/15/2007 : 11:51:28 quote: Originally posted by Shary
Has anyone out there gone through this and completely recovered from it?
YES !
Check out the "SuccessStory" thread.
some of my favorite excerpts from 'TDM' : http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2605
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art |
Posted - 04/15/2007 : 11:25:06 Welcome Shary,
You're doing great. You can feel rightly proud for having the courage to take responsibility for your own recovery. Sounds like you're doing all the right things, though I'd lose the homeopathics if you're still taking any...
I know it's hard, but best not to put yourself on any kind of schedule of recovery. It varys for everyone and constantly measuring your progress, though that's very natural and understandable, can sometimes be counter-productive by introducing another source of stress...
Probably better to focus on how far you've come, which from the sound of it is a long, long way...
I'm sure others will weigh in with tips and encouragement as well...
All the best, A.
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