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hsb
149 Posts |
 Posted - 07/08/2005 : 09:01:15
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carol-
i had sports hernia - athletic pubalgia surgery. i think the surgeon calls it pelvic reconstructive surgery. the doc says he fixed evyerhting that needed to be fixed, but i certainly am in pain 24/7 now. you can read my previous posts - much fear and anxiety about where to proceed. |
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Carol
91 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2005 : 10:34:36
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I believe that you said they did not find anything "wrong", or did I misread your posts? Did they just assume from the symptoms that you had a hernia, or did they find an actual hernia that they could repair?
If you are still in pain, and worse than before, I would assume that the diagnosis was wrong, and not the cause of the pain in the first place. Unless there are adhesions, surgery should not make the pain worse. If that were so all the terribly invasive procedures that people with extensive surgery have should result in lots of prolonged post-op pain, but they usually don't. My husband had part of his liver and a big chunk of his small intestine removed. He has a huge scar, but no pain. He recovered in about six weeks. In fact he climbed a mountain after 8 weeks, and he is 67 yrs. old. That is the way recovery from major surgery should be.
Have you gone back to the doctor(s) who performed the surgery? Have the possibilities of something being left behind, or adhesions, been ruled out? What do they say to the fact that you now have worse pain?
If they have no explanation, I would assume that the diagnosis was wrong, and TMS has found a very convenient place to take root and keep you focused.
I feel for your fear and confusion. I have succeeded in getting rid of many TMS manifestations, but the one for which I was given a "physical" diagnosis, my back pain, persists despite all my best efforts. I read Back Sense, which was highly recommended, and somewhere in the book he mentions that people with stenosis or bone spurs might have "real" back pain. I wish I had never read that book, because that one line reinforced my pain and I just can't get rid of it. I have just started Fred Amir's Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain, and I have hope again. He has helped people in very much worse shape than I am, so maybe there is hope.
Carol |
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hsb
149 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2005 : 13:03:33
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Carol
Very very quick synoposis. I am a marathon runner. Had groin pain in October. Went through PT, meds, stopped running. had mri and xray which were negative. Went to the surgeon who developed a procedure for sports hernia, athletic pubalgia. He has done this procedure on tons of professional athletes. The sports hernia and AP don’t show on xrays and mris. Surgeon said I had AP and he performed his pelvic reconstruction surgery 3/9. supposed to be out running in 8 weeks as have all his athletes have done. Well it is now 4 months and I have worse pain. I went back to the surgeon twice – first time he put me on indocin saying I had osteitis pubis (inflammation of pubic bone) caused by the surgery. He said it would knock out the inflammation in 2 weeks. 7 weeks later still in pain. Went back to him and got a cortisone shot in the pubic bone – supposed to work miracles. Well my friend, I am still in tons and tons of pain. I tried to go back to walking and swimming.
I wonder if it could be adhesions or as you say, the tms has found a very convenient place. It was there before the surgery and I still have the pain and worse.
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Carol
91 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2005 : 09:50:47
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At this point I think you must start treating the pain as TMS and see what happens. If you haven't already read Amir's book I would highly recommend it. I am seeing some real results after less than a week, and I have had back pain for more than 5 yrs now.
Because I am a real believer that there is nothing wrong physically, except for maybe those pesky bone spurs, I have never stopped my physical activity. Sonetimes I have an increase in pain that scares me, and I have some heavy duty conditioning issues, but I do keep doing all my physical things. I climb, hike, kayak, mountain bike, and cross country ski. The only one of those things that I have any problem with is mountain biking. I have developed a fear of falling, which makes me somewhat timid, not a good thing when riding a trail.
I am getting off track here. My point is that you need to begin to treat the pain as TMS and reclaim your life! When you find yourself fearful just grab your brain and tell it to "knock it off"! You have ruled out all the physical stuff, and now should be able to convince yourself that the pain has taken over and whatever diagnosis you were given is no longer relevant, if it every was! Best of luck to you.
Carol |
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Bazz
Netherlands
34 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2005 : 05:43:17
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Dear Vikki,
In one of your replies you talked about "a list of 12 steps for treatment" that you've got from dr. Schechter. I saw that it has been asked before, but can you write this list in a reply. (or can you possibly send this list by email)
Thank you in advance.
Best regards,
Barry |
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alinnyc
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2005 : 10:49:51
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Vikki
Read this post and your original question and it struck a cord with me. I am still working on my tms. I have seen significant improvement and I am learn to lose the fear and obsession about my tms pain. I am learning to become physically active again. It is hard. I identify with your anger and the cycle of frustration with the process. That said I am a believer and fully believe that letting going of the obsession about the pain (because it does us no good, it just makes us miserable) is a key to recovery. I am a perfectionist type. I am impatient and a worrier. I read about these miracle cures and felt angry and frustrated that it wasn't happening for me. What was I doing wrong. Then the fear kicked in. Maybe it wasn't TMS maybe it was a real problem. Then the anger. God damned it here I am tearing myself apart emotionally and why. What if the TMS diagnosis is wrong. I am just making myself miserable and not getting better. I got mad at Dr. Sarno for not helping me understand how to get better. What if he was wrong.
What I believe now is that the way I react to my TMS is a mirror of the way I have learned to react to many things in my life. I am a perfectionist (trying to portray myself as strong and control my enviornment--denying the vulnerable part of myself that makes mistakes and can be hurt). All this does is make me perpetually anxious and worried. I can't control the world, **** happens, I can't be perfect and control the way people react to me. The burden that comes with trying to control my environnment is unbearably heavy.
It sucks. It makes me miserable and unhappy. I realize that when I am caught up in this frentic cycle of extreme effort, worry, anxiousness (trying my hardest, worried whether it will be recognized and appreciated, reading faces for reactions, imagining reactions that may or may not exist, fearing things I can't control)that all I am doing is abusing myself. I am not making anything better. I am not taking responsibility for my happiness. I am just living in a state of worry and anxiety. I can't be myself in that state. All I am doing is making myself angry. In a weird way I am creating the environment of chaos I experienced as a kid.
I know this is rambling, but the realization that the way I was reacting to TMS seemed to fit the pattern of the way I was living my life came to me as an epiphany. I realize that to obsess about it is impeding my recovery. My unconscious brain is doing its thing. It is terrified by the rage. I can't control how quickly it chooses to let go of this. All I can do is remind myself that I can't control it. That there is nothing physically wrong with me. That I can't hurt myself. That that is great news and I have my life back.
Focus on what I need to focus on. Why am I so hard on myself. What part of myself am I trying to deny. I find that it helps me to try to do this in a persistent yet gentle way. I have faith that if I give up what I can't control and focus on what I can and take responsiblity for my happiness that I will win this race. It is an important race. It has to do with more than just physical pain. By the way, I have gone to a forum that Sarno organized with patients who have recovered. Everyone's experience is different. Most did not have "miracle cures". Some of the folks on the panel talked about surrendering to the tms and reminding yourself that it cannot hurt you--is not dangerous. Learning to forgive yourself and understanding that we are all complex with many different sides to ourselves and our personalities.
Best of luck in your recovery
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Darko
Australia
387 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2006 : 23:34:12
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Hi Crk,
I found your post excellent and and I've taken heaps away from it. However I'd like to ask you. I KNOW I have tms and I've had treatment to help me with my past issues, but i still have pain, not so bad I must admit, but it's still there, it moves around and keeps me awake at times. The perfectionism and focusing on the psychological is where I need to really focus. How do I go about this? Do I think about how someone pissed me off today, if I do that then I could get more pissed off about it. Can you please provide me with more guidance here? Also, the over achievement stuff¡K¡K.let me tell you about me. I¡¦m studying hard at the moment to pass some hard technical exams. I don¡¦t feel I want to stay in my career for much longer as I hate the fact I have to study for it ( IT industry) I'm starting up as a property developer, I feel fear about this as it¡¦s risky, and I¡¦m still learning. I really really really want to be successful, I want to prove to my mother in particular and everyone else that I not a deadbeat (far from it, don¡¦t want to sound up myself- narcissistic part of me coming out there  ) Seriously, I want to take care of my mother, my woman, and help or change the world in some way. These things are all normal right??? I inherited some money and now I'm pushing to grow that money and become a self made man. I get frustrated and always need to be moving forward. Wow, this is therapy on it's own. So, what are your thoughts? Does this mean I have to change who I am, to free myself of the pain. Or do I just need to focus on these thoughts, and if so how? How do I focus on them exactly. I'm closer now to beating this than I ever have, but I really need a hand from someone who is experienced and understands where I¡¦m at. Please feel free to say whatever you need to, I really want to beat this and will do anything. Please help?
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Edited by - Darko on 07/04/2006 23:36:02 |
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chicago
85 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2006 : 13:35:54
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I know that the question has been asked previously, but I would also like to know the 12 steps that Dr. Schechter mentions in the treatemnt of TMS. If someone knows a response would be appreciated.
Thanks! |
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Singer_Artist
USA
1516 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2006 : 14:30:18
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| After reading this whole thread I must say I feel less alone w/ my frustration..I am not one of the book cures either...And my MRI's showed herniated discs years ago...I guess that would be called a positive MRI..However...Sarno's books and videolecture both say that herniated discs are NOT the cause of the symptoms..They are merely grey hairs of the spine..To quote Dr. Sarno himself...I got a little scared just reading someone on here saying their MRI was normal, etc..and they have TMS..Well one can also have abnormal tests and have TMS as well...Because the body does heal and heal well...So as you can see i am still struggling w/ completely accepting the TMS DX...and that it isn't structural...That really is step one..I am journaling, reading, seeing a TMS therapist as well...Just covering all bases because I cannot take being like this anymore...I would love to see what the 12 steps of Dr. Schechter are as well...Can whoever has them please write them out for the several of us who have asked...Thanx... |
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Kimakim
17 Posts |
Posted - 08/21/2006 : 09:40:32
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[quote]Originally posted by alinnyc
What I believe now is that the way I react to my TMS is a mirror of the way I have learned to react to many things in my life. I am a perfectionist (trying to portray myself as strong and control my enviornment--denying the vulnerable part of myself that makes mistakes and can be hurt). All this does is make me perpetually anxious and worried. I can't control the world, **** happens, I can't be perfect and control the way people react to me. The burden that comes with trying to control my environnment is unbearably heavy. [quote]
Awesome revelation! I've printed it off to read again...makes a lot of sense. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Kim |
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What does it take to recover?
