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kdw
20 Posts |
 Posted - 11/25/2005 : 10:38:50
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Hi everyone. I need some advice from all you athletes out there who have recovered from TMS and have resumed your workouts. I am not sure how much I should push through this, because while I know physical activity isn't "causing" me any pain, the fact is that the pain occurs several hours after a workout if it includes lower body movement of any kind.
I want you to know I have gotten SO much better after finally "getting" the whole TMS concept. I stopped all medication, icing, etc., and soon after started lifting weights (upper body only) again about a month ago. At first it was painful, but the pain subsided with each workout (only two per week). However, I have avoided doing anything with my lower body or abdominals because every time I try to walk on a treadmill (in hopes of someday running again) or bike - even for only five minutes - I go through a cycle of pain that can take days to resolve. It is quite difficult to talk myself into doing it because of this, but I absolutely will if it will get me to where I need to be. I don't know if I should tell myself, OK, a person who is not injured ought to be able to do X, Y and Z and force myself to follow that plan, or if I am being perfectionistic and compulsive by expecting too much of myself too soon.
So how do I do this? I would love it if you would share your personal experiences with this issue and the specifics of how you did it. I know Dr. Sarno says to "gradually" resume normal activity, including the most vigerous. It seems to me the "gradual" just indicates that muscles need to be reconditioned and strength needs to be regained before old levels of activity are resumed.
I'm reminded of when I tried to "wean" myself off the meds, which only seemed to prolong the pain process, but after stopping "cold turkey," the pain was virtually gone in four days (with no workouts). That makes me wonder if I need to bite the bullet with exercise as well instead of avoiding all the things that trigger the pain.
Please help! |
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altherunner
Canada
511 Posts |
Posted - 11/25/2005 : 17:56:55
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| I was off running for 7 months because of tms in the hip,neck and back. When I felt better, after therapy, I started running on the treadmill, walking when neccessary, but I would continue for a half hour at least, to get a sweat going. Once my body was warmed up, the pain seemed to be much less. Maybe, the brain gave up, after I didn't quit. I had one relapse, when it took me 5 minutes to get out of bed, and a half hour to drag myself to the pain killers in the medicine cabinet. Once I could walk, I went straight to the gym, got on the treadmill, and in 10 minutes it was totally gone! Sarno says to start off slowly. I hope you are back running soon! |
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wrldtrv
666 Posts |
Posted - 11/25/2005 : 22:02:49
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KDW, you don't give details of lower body pain. If you are taking meds you must have been diagnosed with something. How long have you had the problem? Have you had the same thing in the past?
I have no idea what could be going on in your case, but I can relay my own experience. This just one example (there are many more). Recently, I came down with varying and moving pain (sometimes shoulder, sometimes leg, hand...), stiffness, weakness, and a shaky sensation. Because the same thing happened about four years ago (MS suspected) I did all the tests again (EMG, brain MRI, blood tests), and of course, there was nothing. And because I fully recovered each time (no characteristic MS deficit) MS seems highly unlikely. Now, what's different this episode from the one four years ago is that I continued to workout, albeit at a lower level. I didn't want to get into the invalid mindset. But, like you, forcing myself to exercise when all my emotions were saying "Don't! You'll make it worse" was not easy. Ironically, this episode of whatever I had was much shorter than the one four years ago. One difference is that four years ago I treated myself like an invalid--no exercise, extreme caution with certain movements...
I don't know if this helps, but you might find something useful here. |
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redskater
USA
81 Posts |
Posted - 11/26/2005 : 08:40:03
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Hi, I had started to get back to working out but I too would feel the pain start up again and back off. After I read Fred Amir's book I decided to just bite the bullet and go back to doing things that I'd been avoiding for so long. So I went and played 18 holes of golf. At about the 9th hole I started having quite a bit of pain, so I stopped for 2 holes then I sat in the cart and got mad that I was letting my brain get away with it and playing right into what it wanted. So I just resumed playing and after another 2 holes the pain started to subside and by the end of the round I was playing better than before. I was pretty sore after but I felt like I'd won a competition or something. I was so excited that I'd finally done it.
The next day I was fine! So then I started on weights and excercise tapes the next day and guess what, I'm ok! I think you just have to do it until the pain stops, at least that seems to be what works for me.
cheers.
Gaye |
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kdw
20 Posts |
Posted - 11/26/2005 : 09:08:34
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Altherunner: Thanks for your response. It sounds like for you, getting back to exercise as quickly as possible was the best thing you could do. I'm curious what you mean when you say "after therapy." Do you mean phychotherapy or applying Dr. Sarno's theory? How long was it between therapy and the time you started working out again? Did you work up to 30 minutes on the treadmill or is that what you started with? Also, I'm curious if you run on pavement now and how far, and, if so, how you worked up to that.
Wrldtrv: My pain is in my butt and legs. It started in March 2005. The diagnosis was a herniated disk at L4-5, which was the same diagnosis I received in 1998, which was the first and only time (besides this bout) I've had this problem. I got better after the first "injury" and did anything I wanted until March.
I certainly don't treat myself as an invalid, but I guess I'm a little confused about how to treat myself as though there's nothing wrong with me and yet return to my normal activity "slowly." There seems to be a fine line between the two. If I were to act as though there's nothing wrong with me, I would just go run, lift some weights, do some yoga. It seems as though "gradually" working up to this makes me feel like there's something wrong with me, which may be what's causing the pain, now that I think of it. After all, a "normal" person would not be in pain for three days after walking for five minutes on a treadmill! The fact is that the pain exists, and it lasts for days depending on what I do. I don't know whether to "bull it through" or not. What I know is that I have spent 10 months, trying, hurting, backing off - repeating that cycle over and over - and I'm no closer to running or riding a bicycle, let alone doing yoga, than I was when this started.
I feel like saying here that while this post is focused on the body, I spend most of my time working on psychological issues, identifying my feelings and working through them, etc. That is my priority and has been since I really started working Dr. Sarno's ideas. I have gotten better. Most of the time, I have no pain. However, I need to and am ready to use my body again, which I need to do not only for my sanity but to really be "cured" of TMS.
Thanks everyone for your help. |
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altherunner
Canada
511 Posts |
Posted - 11/26/2005 : 09:40:55
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| I originally got better by reading Sarno's book, a few years ago. Then, i had a relapse, and suffered for 7 months. I had psychotherapy with Don Dubin for a short period 4 sessions, and I have been better since, for about a year. I have had a few very minor problems, nothing like before. I worked up on the treadmill gradually to 1/2 hour. I now mostly run on pavement. |
Edited by - altherunner on 11/26/2005 09:41:57 |
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gioux
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2005 : 14:23:48
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Like altherunner, I made serious progress after reading the sarno book. I have been dealing with TMS for a long time and have been back into exercise (cycling, triathlon, swimming) for the last 4 or so years. A recent relapse a few months ago in the wake of some serious cycling took me off the bike and out of the pool for a few months. That's when I found this forum and started to take my practice and emotional awareness to the next level. Getting back into exercise has been absolutey essential, as has been reading Monte Hueftle's book and really getting more into my emotional state and finally figuring what people are always talking about when they say you need to "be present." Monte's stuff is really helpful with that.
Do I still have some pain? Yes. Actually, getting my knee and shoulder better led to back pain (a perfect example of TMS). The low back pain still persists, but as folks in this forum have advised me, the fear and resentment from not doing things is worse than the pain itself. So I keep doing things. Knees hurt yesterday on a 50 mile ride. The key is not letting that get under my skin - it's hard. But guess what? My back didn't hurt when my knees did! TMS all the way. I am learning to actually appreciate the pain (how sick is that?) as a signal to go inside and figure out what's happening to cause the pain - what's happening emotionally, that is. So, I hope that helps a bit. |
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kdw
20 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2005 : 19:45:40
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| I appreciate the feedback; I'm more convinced now that I'm on the right track in continuing the workouts despite the pain. Gioux, if you can push yourself through a 50 mile bike ride, I ought to be able to walk for five minutes! Actually, I've wondered if I should have started with trying to bike again rather than walk. I just figured the walking would lead to running sooner, and given a choice between the two, I'd rather run. I know it doesn't matter, that it's emotional stuff that's triggering the pain. And I'm working really, really hard on that. I'm just trying to figure out what I can get my brain to accept so I can start moving again. I wonder if anyone here has found that some things easier than others ... Thanks to you all for the advice. |
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ralphyde
USA
307 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2005 : 21:28:26
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Fred Amir (another Sarno disciple) in his book, Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain, offers a different approach to getting back to normal. He advocates setting daily goals, then rewarding your unconscious self for achieving them, with small treats, like an ice cream cone or other treat. He says to treat the unconscious like you would a child, with goals (both short term and long term) and rewards. He was able to recover from near disability to normal in ten days or so using this program, if I recall correctly (I read it nearly two years ago).
Ralph |
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gioux
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2005 : 23:20:04
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| Just two more cents from me...I have a hard time believing all the stories - even Sarno's - of people being totally healed or pain-free in days or even weeks. It has taken me years to get where I am and I am not pain free. I am WAY better in almost every way and even think I have become a better person because of TMS. But I do not think most people get over all of their pain in a very short time - why would this forum have so many long-term users? Anyway, don't let 10 day cures make you feel bad if you don't get them...I think most of us don't and that's completely fine. |
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Need Advice re: exercise
