| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| im2bob |
Posted - 02/21/2012 : 13:04:22
I had a year-long bout with back pain about 5 years ago. I went the usual route of x-ray, MRI, PT and finally cortisone injections. The first two injections didn't work but on the third, the doc said he was trying a different site and he said "I promise I will take care of your pain". That stopped it cold. I am convinced it was the power of suggestion and not the shot. At that same time, I gave Sarno's HBP a quick read but mostly dismissed it.
Flash forward 5 years. I was camping and carrying some firewood. I thought to myself, "boy I should be careful of my back". Sure enough, I get home and I have sciatic pain. It got worse and worse over about 3 months. I went straight to the pain doc for cortisone. After two rounds, the pain was worse.
I just re-read Sarno's book and am working hard to get the right mindset, think psychological and not physical, etc... Here's the thing. I am training for my first full marathon which is in New Orleans on March 4th. I ran 20 miles last Saturday. Sound crazy? Well, in fact, running is one of the only times I do NOT have pain. It hurts for about a mile and then I am home free. But it always comes back.
Well, last week my Dad, who has Stage 4 non-hodgkins, had a setback. I was the only sibling in a position to go help out Mom as he was in the hospital. So I drove 10 hours, helped get him out of the hospital and am still here about 5 days later. I took my blood pressure using my Dad's monitor and it read 165/114. What? I usually have BP in the 120/75 range. I went to the drug store to use their machine to make sure...same thing. So I went this morning to the ER, had EKG, blood work and chest x-ray. Everything was fine and they said it was proably stress. As you can imagine, the BP reading had me thinking my pain was related to kidneys, etc... so it got worse. Today, upon being home, it is already feeling better as I chat with my brain and continue to think psychological.
A couple questions:
1. Could the TMS have manifested in the shape of increasing my BP?
2. I have been taking Hydrocodone 7.5x500 about 3 times per day to ease the pain for the short periods that it works. Should I stop this? In other words, should it be considered among Sarno's things to stop doing to help the back?
Thanks all, I know this is a bit rambling. |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| balto |
Posted - 02/23/2012 : 15:42:41
you answered my question. Thank you Steve. |
| balto |
Posted - 02/22/2012 : 10:46:00
quote:
Originally posted by im2bob
Well, last week my Dad, who has Stage 4 non-hodgkins, had a setback. I was the only sibling in a position to go help out Mom as he was in the hospital. So I drove 10 hours, helped get him out of the hospital and am still here about 5 days later.
With all that stress who wouldn't have symptoms of tms/anxiety? It is your body's normal respond to the situation. I would be very suprise if someone in your situation don't have tms/anxiety symptoms. Resentful to the situation, worry for your dad, inconvience to your schedule... If those things disappear, I bet you will feel better in no time. Try to accept the situation, try to go with the flow and do the best you can. The calmer you are dealing with the event, the better you will feel. |
| lynnl |
Posted - 02/22/2012 : 10:32:31
Well here are my thoughts, for whatever they may be worth:
quote:
Originally posted by im2bob
...he said "I promise I will take care of your pain". That stopped it cold. I am convinced it was the power of suggestion and not the shot. At that same time, I gave Sarno's HBP a quick read but mostly dismissed it.
I'm not convinced that it was purely the power of suggestion. Those steroid shots can very well terminate the pain temporarily. And with that termination, the cycle of fear, anxiety, and other emotional churning can also be broken, which can end the pain long term. That does not preclude at some later time other circumstance causing the TMS to resurface.
quote:
Originally posted by im2bob
...
I was camping and carrying some firewood. I thought to myself, "boy I should be careful of my back". Sure enough, I get home and I have sciatic pain. It got worse and worse over about 3 months. I went straight to the pain doc for cortisone. After two rounds, the pain was worse.
Sounds like your fear and anxiety started with your thought "boy, I should be careful of my back." I've done the exact same thing numerous times. That's something we need to aggressively avoid!
quote:
Originally posted by im2bob
...
I am training for my first full marathon which is in New Orleans on March 4th. I ran 20 miles last Saturday. Sound crazy? Well, in fact, running is one of the only times I do NOT have pain. It hurts for about a mile and then I am home free. But it always comes back.
I'll bet you're at your happiest when you're running. Am I right?
Also, those natural endorphins work wonders.
quote:
Originally posted by im2bob
...
I took my blood pressure using my Dad's monitor and it read 165/114. What? I usually have BP in the 120/75 range. I went to the drug store to use their machine to make sure...same thing. So I went this morning to the ER, had EKG, blood work and chest x-ray. Everything was fine and they said it was proably stress. As you can imagine, the BP reading had me thinking my pain was related to kidneys, etc... so it got worse. Today, upon being home, it is already feeling better as I chat with my brain and continue to think psychological.
Sounds like you, like many, are overly focused on your body. Leave it alone and let it take care of itself. Eons of evolution have prepared it to do so naturally, without excessive external intervention.
Lynn |
| balto |
Posted - 02/22/2012 : 07:37:15
quote:
Originally posted by SteveO
Also remember what Dr. Sarno said, that the fear of the attack is more powerful as a distractionary mechanism than the pain itself, so you MUST reduce your fear of the attacks. When you prepare for attacks you unconsciously bring them to you.
SteveO
Hi Steve, do you remember in which book he said that? Thanks. |
| rbart4506 |
Posted - 02/21/2012 : 15:45:27
Here's an example of how varied 'TMS' can be. After my first marriage ended I moved into a basement apartment in a single family home. I was renting from a woman about 10 years older then me. About a year or so after moving in I began dating a woman. About 4 months later we decided to move in together and figured my place was the best option. It was big and the location was good. The lady I was renting from was a bit apprehensive at first because she was worried about the increased noise and such. I assured her that everything would be ok and it was. After a few months though, the two lady's started rubbing each other the wrong way. There's no need to go into details, but suffice it to say they did not like each other.
Shortly after the tension started rising in the household, between everyone, I started suffering through insomnia. I wouldn't have problems falling asleep, but staying asleep would be difficult. I would also have to urinate numerous times once I would wake up in the middle of the night.
I was getting frustrated and concerned. My girlfriend and I decided maybe moving out would be good so we started looking at places. Most of the apartments were terrible so we looked at buying. We looked at a place, put in offer, they countered, we accepted...
We were the proud owners a townhome! Talk about a stressful night going back and forth with the real estate agent...
After I got off the phone the last time it was after midnight. We were so happy! We went to bed and slept....The whole night! First time in 4 weeks...
After that I rarely, if ever, get insomnia and if I do it is definitely stress/emotionally related. At least now I will have better tools to deal with it...
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| Artgal5986 |
Posted - 02/21/2012 : 15:04:44
quote:
Originally posted by SteveO
HiM2Bob, Sorry to hear about your father, this is a main reason for increased tension and TMS--ill loved-ones. To answer your questions: Yes, TMS can manifest in any way, system or form, and very commonly in increased BP. While writing my book I ran into a guy whose systolic blood pressure rose to 190 during divorce. Within three days after his divorce it had dropped 60 points to 130. If you read Sam Mann's, MD, story in The Divided Mind you will see how the process works elegantly and covertly. Dr. Mann believes that at least 25% of BP problems are the direct result of TMS.
Question 2: Yes, stop the cortizone, you got it right the first time when you understood it was the power of suggestion that caused it to work (that doc was pretty sly when he promised you it would work, he knew the power of his authority,) now you are conditioned to believe it works every time, and so it does. But it can also prolong the pain because it is body-focused therapy, that also can have an association pain-response. I've seen several people's pain immediately cease as soon as they stopped pain pills and cortizone. As long as you are taking the meds, or injections, the brain keeps responding by associating pain to the modality, like Pavlov's puppy. Plus, where is the inflammation that requires cortizone? TMS results primarily from reduction in bloodflow, although it on occasion can cause swelling, this is rare.
Yes to question one, and yes to question 2. And maybe to your next question.
Steve Ozanich
PainDeception.com
I have made two appointments for cortisol injections and have cancelled them because I am afraid they will not provide any relief because I know I have TMS. But I am so desperate for some kind of pain relief I want to try any quick fix. I am trying the free structured education program for TMS on wiki website in order to cure my TMS. I think my biggest obstacle is the fear like you were talking about. I am so afraid of another spasm or attack of pain because it is debilitating. I tried to get an appointment with DR. Sarno, but he costs 1,000.00. Do you think I can overcome this without him? I feel so helpless sometimes.
Thanks!
Erica |
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