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Screensize: 640 x 480 800 x 600 1024 x 768 1280 x 1024 UserName: Password: Format Mode: Basic  Help  Prompt  Format: Font Andale Mono Arial Arial Black Book Antiqua Century Gothic Comic Sans MS Courier New Georgia Impact Lucida Console Script MT Bold Stencil Tahoma Times New Roman Trebuchet MS Verdana   Size 1 2 3 4 5 6   Color Black Red Yellow Pink Green Orange Purple Blue Beige Brown Teal Navy Maroon LimeGreen Message: * HTML is OFF * Forum Code is ON Smilies [quote][i]Originally posted by rjm[/i] [br]I've been reading through the postings here the last few days and am so glad to have found this board so I can share with others going through what I am going through. When I tell others about this normally they say things like "stress is part of life and you've been stressed lots of times withot this happening". They just don't get it. I discovered about Dr. Sarno about three months ago when my Dad sent me "Healing Nack Pain". At the time my back was not bothering me, it was my right leg's outer calf that kept locking up and cramping (although I had a back issue last Fall). The so-called Doctors told me that they couldn't find anything physical and didn't know what to do with me. They wanted me to have a back MRI but I refused after reading Sarno as I didn't want to give them any ammo--I only agreed to a leg one, just to ensure there was nothing medically wrong. There was nothing. I agreed to read the book and really saw myself in it like so many, and am pretty sure I can identify two triggering events that started the leg pain. I am very open to mindbody stuff after my first exposure to Dr. Andrew Weil, and I had no trouble accepting the TMS diagnosis at first. I read all of Sarno's other books and again saw myself in the books, but the reading alone wasn't making it better. Suddenly, a few weeks later, my husband was sick and I had to run out to the store and get some meds for him and as I was driving back, my calf was starting to do the old cramping/locking up thing and at that point I had enough so I literally yelled at my leg saying "I am sick of you--enough of this s---!" and that's the first time self-talk worked. I was hungry for more specific resources on using Sarno's theories, so I found Dr. Schecter's workbook and DVD/ausio CD's that also helped. I could swear that as I write I feel my leg loosen up as if it knows I am talking about it! About two months ago I felt that I was operating at about 80%--a huge stride and then suddenly I woke up one morning with the calf cramping/locking up in the left leg where I never had any problem. Then I made the mistake of feeling that perhaps the mind body approach had only gotten me so far, but there must be something physical that is affecting the other 20%. I stopped journaling in Dr Schecter's workbook and off I went on an alternative approach junket--I was in my local Wild Oats natural market every few days trying to supplement more magnesium, thinking my electrolytes were low, trying various homepathic remedies, experimenting with tonic water (for quinine supposed to help leg cramps), going in the hot tub, new strecthing exercises, massage therapy (two sessions left me worse than before) and I even tried Flexiril muscle relaxant (which made me feel horrible and actaully made my legs hurt more--no surprise I hate taking meds and I am sure my mind rebelled against it). In trying to see what could get rid of the other 20%, I now had cramping/tightness leg pains in both calves, and I was in agony waking up every morning with this as well as whenever I sat for too long. Now I was operating at 50% or less some days--genius move. I also reminded myself that I was better off before using the mind body approach, and the fact that since reading Sarno's stuff initially months ago, I was doing lots of physical activity long-distance walking, and I started working with a personal trainer to get back into weight training and kickboxing (although not high kicks just yet) even when I didn't feel my greatest--how bad physically could my body be? So I dusted off my mindbody workbook (I love to write anyway as you can see) and started self-talk again, and I feel that I am headed back in the right direction and am trying to be patient with myself to heal as I see from experiences others have that it often takes people a long time. I have had the calf issues now for nearly 8 months, but I believe I can eventually get through this. I am now going to read Fred Amir's stuff and some other Dr. Weil stuff for further mind body approach support. So that's my two cents for what its worth--hope it helps some of you out there like reading your posts has helped me. [/quote]   Check here to include your profile signature.