| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| caligirl |
Posted - 09/13/2011 : 12:31:00
Has anyone else experienced problems with recurring infections? It has been almost two years since I read Sarno and while I have made significant progress, it seems I have been regressing in the past few months. It started with a bladder infection in June which was in the midst of a very stressful trip to the East Coast. Since then I have had two yeast infections and I am simply going mad. I know I shouldn’t but I started scouring the internet for the cause of the infections thinking they are due to a hormone imbalance, etc. Also, around the same time I started getting the infections and having real bad hormone swings, I had started to eat wheat again on a daily basis.
I began seeing a therapist a little over a month ago who believes strongly in the mind body connection…and it is still too early to tell. She informed me that I have super high anxiety (catastrophic thinking), and what she calls "my inner reptile" is resisting. I am constantly worried about money and I am extremely bored with my job. She is trying to convince me that I can be happy with both of these things if I change the way I think.
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| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| golden_girl |
Posted - 09/14/2011 : 15:45:44
Hey Caligirl,
Personally I think all IBS is TMS. Not all irritable bowel problems are TMS, but IBS is. Sure, if gluten makes you TMS-y, and not having it means you're fine, give up the gluten and free yourself of the TMS! However, I gave up wheat for a year when I "had" TMS, and it went away, only to be replaced with more anxiety, and the other 'IBS' with B for bladder - even worse! As you said, your husband now has back pain...
Abigail Steidley, of http://www.thehealthylifecoach.com/, discusses bladder and hormonal TMS in her blog - she's fantastic. Since dealing with her TMS, she's noticed vast improvements with her own PMS (so many acronyms!) - I think my IB(ladder)S  was "brought" on by hormonal contraception. In fact, I think if I didn't have hormones, I wouldn't have TMS - although that wouldn't exactly work, not like gluten and IBS!
I too have been in the pattern of wanting to be someone I'm not - since the age of 9 - never happened. I also have spent too long on trying to work out why I got TMS and friends of mine who have had far worse things happen to them (death, abuse, crime) don't have TMS and live (seemingly) normal lives - doesn't help.
In the end, we have to accept our lot, and make the best of it that we can, in the best way possible 
"F.E.A.R.
Forgive Everyone And Remember
For Everything A Reason"
Ian Brown |
| caligirl |
Posted - 09/14/2011 : 13:10:34
I know stress is impacting my system. I have been to a dozen natural doctors that taught me about the fight or flight response and corisol, etc. What really gets me is that I really have no reason to be stressed out. Yes, I worry about money and I don't love my job. But I only work 3 days a week, and I have a beautiful family. Yes, I may want to travel more and not live pay check to pay check...but overall things aren't that bad. It seems that I just keep thinking if only I had a different house, a different job, and on and on, I would somehow be happier. In essence, I want to be someone I am not. I suppose that is what the therapist is helping me through. Changing my way of thinking with CBT. Sarno's method of just focusing on my anger doesn't seem to be working so well anymore. Not long-term anyway.
I hadn't had a bladder infection in over 10 years when I got the one in June and I wasn't surprised by it given that I was flying with over 100 8th grader's to DC and NY. Not to mention I am terrified of flying. It came on when I was on the flight there...go figure. I really didn't have time to stop and get probitics to replenish my system during that week. Not to mention I was eating a crappy diet.
I am surprised by the mentions of gluten though. I thought IBS was all TMS? I have been on a restricted diet for about five years now. I certainly feel better when I do not eat meat, dairy, or gluten...however I do feel deprived as well. Maybe my inner reptile is so angry is stomping it's feet like a five year old saying "Why can't I eat what I want". My husband had ulcerative colitis back in 2000 and when we moved away from our town and his old job all his symptoms of uc disappeared. Although now he seems to get a lot of back pain :). Haven't had any success getting him to read the book, but he did make the connection with his uc and stress, which is a good step. |
| Javizy |
Posted - 09/14/2011 : 07:30:41
Like Balto said, stress heavily impacts your immune system, and you probably do have hormone imbalances, because every time you feel anxiety you're pumping stress hormones around your body and throwing everything else out of whack! The stress mechanism evolved for life-threatening situations, not vexing about finances or past traumas, so imagine what it can do to your body long-term.
Bryan is right about the gluten, though. Something like 1 in 3 people unknowingly have a gluten sensitivity, and it can affect the function of your colon, which can lead to all sorts of problems, including yeast infections. Colon health determines how well you remove toxins and absorb nutrients, so any problems can cause widespread effects throughout your body. It certainly can't hurt getting checked out, if only to put your mind at rest, but you should take good care of your diet in any case. |
| Joy_I_Am |
Posted - 09/14/2011 : 03:03:49
Hi Callgirl
Bladder things are stubborn, aren't they? Hard to ignore. I always get sensitive bladder when I'm stressed, but for years I always assumed it was an infection - do make sure you get tested instead of just taking the antibiotics (and of course, they will give you a yeast infection - I take one Fluconazole tablet after I've been on them). But mostly I can say to myself now 'Ah, sensitive bladder - I know I'm stressed - you don't have to tell me, Bladder, thanks but you can stand down now. I'm just going to get as much sleep as I can and take care of myself, and I promise myself a little down-time and relaxation when this phase is over'. It helps.
And I do think stress can lower our immune system. Just for a bit of extra insurance, take the multivits and the vitamin C and zinc and the cranberry pills, if it helps. Glad to hear your therapist is 'on message' about the mind0body connection, because it sounds like a big factor for you. Catastrophizing is really depleting, I know!
Good luck, Joy |
| bryan3000 |
Posted - 09/13/2011 : 17:38:27
Inner reptile. I like it. :) I wonder what that stems from... just that anxiety stems from an ancient mechanism?
I'm glad you made progress with Sarno. Sounds to me like you should continue on that path and possibly check out work by other doctors in the field.
If you're working on changing through process, I would also recommend an audio series by a guy named Gary Van Warmerdam. He's on iTunes. There is a ton of free stuff, and he's got a course for like 100 bucks. I think it's worth it. It sounds to me like a lot of what you're talking about is not just physical symptoms and TMS, but pure thought process issues, which I think GVD's programs are good for. It's all audio, so that makes it a little easier to get through in a busy day, imo. (At the gym, or on a walk, whatever.)
I also do buy into the notion that while TMS causes many things, our bodies do react to some things. I believe I read that it's only in the last couple thousand years that we've really harvested and eaten wheat, regularly. Apparently our bodies take much longer than that to adapt to new food groups. So, the gluten thing does hold some credence, imo.
You've got a few ways you can go to get help, and that's often what it takes. (Multiple methods.) Relaxation, exercise, mental work, TMS work, anxiety acceptance are all things I'm trying to implement into my daily life. I wish you luck.
_____________________________
-1/2010 - Developed chronic sinus problems. ENTs/Docs can't find anything
-5/29/2010 - Doc gives cocktail of allergy meds which induces first ever panic attack/anxiety.
-7/16/2010 - Anxiety stays/worsens - put on Xanax
2/1/2011 - Began Xanax taper - Withdrawal starts - full body chaos
-6/11/2011 - Last dose of Xanax. Physical/emotional chaos continues for several months.
-Now: Taking it day by day, looking for real answers and ways to heal myself without medical poison. |
| balto |
Posted - 09/13/2011 : 17:17:16
When we are under stress our immune system do not function properly or not at its optimum so it is no surprise our body are more prone to infections, cold, flu, fever... I notice that I have more colds and flus when I'm under stress and they seem to linger much longer than compare to when I am not stressed out. Also, we tend to forget to take good care of our body when under stress. We forgot to eat at the right time. We don't get enought sleep, we may drink alcohol... all the things that would stress out our body and mind, so infections have an easier time to invade our body more often and stay a little longer than normal. |
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