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n/a
560 Posts |
 Posted - 12/05/2005 : 13:34:28
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"And I must resume all normal physical activity." - Number 8 in Dr. Sarno's 12 daily reminders
In the last couple of weeks I have been walking up the 18 floors in my apartment building to my apartment, and walking as much as possible for lengthy distances. All this has been done with considerable physical pain, but still I persist. One of the most important keys to recovery, according to Dr. Sarno, is to "resume all normal physical activity" and thus sending a signal to my brain that the pian is not due to a physical cause, but to inner repressed tension.
Given this reality, I am serving my brain public notice that beginning tommorrow morning I am hitting the gym with a vengence and going to give myself a strenuous workout several days a week. I will do this in order to send a message to my brain that I am convinced that the pain is not due to a structural problem and that the physical movements that I make are not the cause of my pain. In fact, this is conditioning which I must break. And I will break it. My brain and I are now at war and I am going to let it know who is the boss. You have lied to me long enough and I am calling you on your bluff. You lose and I win.
In the words of Dr. Sarno again: "One has to confront TMS, fight it, or the symptoms will continue."
To borrow the words from Winston Churchill's June 4, 1940 "We shall fight on the beaches" speech to the British House of Commons: "We shall not flag nor fail. We shall go on to the end.....we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength....We shall never surrender....." |
Edited by - n/a on 12/08/2005 07:22:55 |
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Suz
559 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2005 : 16:06:08
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Good for you, Peter. You are right - this is one more step on the road to recovery. Just an observation - maybe don't describe the work out as "brutal" - unless you are implying that it will be strenuous - and not that it will be painful.
There is no reason for you to experience pain. You don't have a problem. |
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verdammt
Canada
97 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2005 : 16:35:28
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I admire your fighting spirit, Peter, but there's nothing "normal" about walking up 18 floors to your apartment or "hitting the gym with a vengeance" and giving yourself "a strenuous workout several days a week."
Sounds like you're fixating on the physical, which is no way to get over TMS. Forget the physical. Focus on something higher, like music, art or literature. |
Edited by - verdammt on 12/05/2005 16:40:00 |
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n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2005 : 20:12:23
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If I listen to you verdammt I will be back on my back like before, unable to even move at all. I have to challenge the pain head on. I also do the pyschological work every single day through extensive journaling and meditation. Over 5 oo pages of journaling in fact. Every single person I have read about who has recovered had to confront the pain head on via physical activity and send a very strong message to their brain that the pain not of a structural origin. Only going head on with even more than normal physical activity will be the answer. In fact, however, I walked much more than this before TMS so I am still not at my pre-TMS level. In his book Fred Amir actually recommends that if something causes pain then do it more.
What works for you is great, but I have done the 9 months of extensive work on myself and I know what I must do. Besides, I need to get into better shape also as I gained some weight in the past few months. |
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JohnD
USA
371 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2005 : 21:17:53
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as the old guy from karate kid once said:
first learn stand
then learn fly |
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Suz
559 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2005 : 08:34:05
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Peter,
I love doing a combination of Sarno and Amir. I think Amir has some very good suggestions regarding exercise. I really like the idea about setting goals - baby steps initially. Have you tried this? It sort of builds confidence each day. I find his work very supportive and has really made me more courageous in the battle with my unconscious. Today, I have far less pain than a few days ago - simply because the fear has gone. I don't care about the pain and actually ended up laughing at it last night. This seems to have triggered a change. I tried Amir's visualization - imagining myself strong - much bigger and stronger than my unconscious - Wow! what a shift I have had in just a few days in applying his principles! |
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redskater
USA
81 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2005 : 08:58:15
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I agree, I did all the journaling and felt like I was rehashing the same old same old over and over again in my journal. I too had to just challenge the pain by getting physical and for me it worked. I got a lot out of Fred's book. I really liked his approch.
Cheers,
Gaye |
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Suz
559 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2005 : 09:18:06
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Gaye,
Are you pain free or close to it? Did you find that Amir's work created the shift you needed?
I seem to be experiencing a shift - FINALLY. I think I had a great deal of fear built up. I had the sciatic pain for 12 years and that is a long time. I seemed to need more than Sarno's book. I did his work day in, day out for a year and a half and I also went to one of his psychologists. I improved - alot. However, my brain has not given up its strategy. I am sure this is because of the fear. I have never faced running. Every time I started, I would stop because of the pain and get fearful again. Amir suggests a plan of how to overcome this. Sarno points out that the fear of exercise and the conditioning can impede one from fully recovering. He is absolutely right. The fear is the most effective way to keep one prisoner. I realize, finally, that I never overcame it. |
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n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2005 : 10:34:18
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I had one solid hour of workout this morning. Split betten walking machine and stationary bicycle. I was in pain but I felt good and was not afraid. Yes, my goal is to do a bit more each day and become more strenous. I will keep you posted.
I am now reading "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine Aron. It is not a TMS book, but this is one book that people with TMS will be able to relate to and it will help the reader flesh out some personality characteristics which contribute to TMS. Here is her website: http://www.hsperson.com/
You can do a self test to see if you are a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) at: http://www.hsperson.com/pages/test.htm
I would love to see how people score on this test. I suspect a good many of us fit this profile. |
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Star
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2005 : 10:59:27
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I tested, 21 for myself and 19 for my child. So what does that mean? Everything that I answered true on also got me diagnosed as ADD.
New label, same message, contributing nothing so far...  |
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Fox
USA
496 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2005 : 12:02:35
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| Peter -- I think your plan to challenge your brain is great. Keep us informed of your progress. |
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Fox
USA
496 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2005 : 12:17:50
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| I think your plan to defy and challenge your brain is great. I can understand your wanting to return to at least your pre-TMS level of physical activity (and even beyond that). I have a lot of respect for Fred Amir and his challenge/visualization approach. I agree that a strenuous workout - at least several times a week - should be the norm for everyone - according to the recent recommendations regarding exerice that the feds have come out with - to keep yourself healthy, attractive, and mentally calm and uplifted.... Keep us informed on a regular basis regarding your progress with the fight against your conditioning. |
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Star
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2005 : 12:23:58
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I agree with the earlier comments about not calling your workouts "brutal" to yourself or others. Using terms such as "vigorous", or "invigorating" can get a positive view of such workouts.
What works best for me is to spend about 45min to an hour each work day working out 1 bodypart and getting a little cardio (typically walking treadmill) in. Then I take the weekend off. I find that it can be a great stress reliever.  |
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n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2005 : 15:58:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Star
I tested, 21 for myself and 19 for my child. So what does that mean? Everything that I answered true on also got me diagnosed as ADD.
New label, same message, contributing nothing so far...
Think about is in a more positive way. Remember that one thing that contributes to TMS is personality traits which generates anger and anxiety. Now that you recognize this about yourself this is yet another stop on the road to recovery. |
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redskater
USA
81 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2005 : 09:10:03
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Suz, I started with mid back pain about 10 yrs. ago. 5 years later the low back pain started. Then in 2004 it got so bad I had to stop everything I once did. I was very athletic and all through the mid and low back pain I continued to work out. But when it got severe I quit everything and restricted all my movements. Only thing I continued to do was walk. Then a year ago, I got tennis elbow from doing the excercises the physical therapist recommended. Then in June I got tailbone pain. Late August I read Sarno and started to improve. I tried playing some golf and never made it past 9 holes cause it hurt some. I sort of plateaued for a couple of months and then read Amir's book. I decided to just resume everything I'd been doing before. I played golf and when I started to hurt after the 9 holes I got mad and decided just to finish 18 even if it killed me. I was pretty sore but then by the end I started having less pain. That's when I realized that the only way I was going to break my plateau was to resume all my sports whether it hurt or not.
after about 2 weeks of doing that and some of the other things that Fred recommends my pain is 99% gone from lower back. about 80% gone from upper and mid back although my ribs have been giving me some pain. 85% gone from elbow and tailbone pain. I will experiance some discomfort after excercising but it is so much better than not doing anything. Especially for my mental outlook.
I feel like I've conqured the activites part. My last problem seems to be sleeping. I always wake up so stiff, it goes away pretty quick now but my mind is still acting up when I'm asleep. So, I'm working on Fred's tips to talk to my brain just before sleep, it seems to be helping. So to make a long story short, yes, I got more improvement after reading his book.
I realize everyone is different. That's just my experiance.
Cheers,
Gaye |
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n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2005 : 10:37:24
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This is an encouraging story. The take home lesson is to resume all normal physical activity. It is essential to recovery.
I had another excellent workout this morning and even pushed myself harder than the day before. |
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n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2005 : 07:22:18
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whew! whew! pant, pant pant!!!!!! Just got done my 3rd day of working out in the gym. One hour of intense gym activity then walked up 18 floors to my apartment.
The pain is due to TMS!!!!!
The pain is due to TMS!!!!!!!!
DAMN IT, THE PAIN IS DUE TO TMS, AND I WILL RESUME ALL NORMAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND I WILL NOT BE CONCERNED OR INTIMIDATED BY THE PAIN!!!!! |
Edited by - n/a on 12/08/2005 07:23:29 |
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Suz
559 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2005 : 08:06:02
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Peter,
Good for you - keep on at it. Something I have observed as well is that the technique of ignoring and taking a nonchalant attitude towards the pain works very very well. When the pain twinges - and today it is - due to over work and lack of sleep, dysfunctional talk with ex fiance who is driving me freaking crazy - I just say "oh - it's you. Give me a break - you have no affect on me and I can't be bothered to pay you any attention" - then I just laugh, shrug shoulders and get on with my day. I believe the recovery comes down to - whether you are in fear or not.
I really don't have any fear related to this. I don't care if I am in pain or not - because there is nothing wrong with me. This kind of "laisser faire" attitude is very very effective. The unconscious has no power any more.
So - I think what I am trying to say, Peter, is ; relax also during this process. Amir suggests that one enjoys it - and I agree. It is interesting to watch one fight and beat the pain. Just let it all go - because you know there is nothing wrong at all with you. It is humorous - basically ridiculous! |
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n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 12/11/2005 : 09:55:40
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This morning biked over 5 km and speed walked on tread mill for almost 40 minutes. Also some time on ski machine and light weights and then bolted up 18 flight of stairs to my apartment. You might say so what? Well, a few months ago I could barely walk.
TMS sucks................. |
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Star
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2005 : 13:23:40
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Wow, Peter! You're doing GREAT!!!  |
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n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2005 : 15:25:35
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Update on myself. On 12/06/2005 I started a rigorous work-out program with the view to challenging my pain. This was per Fred Amir's advice and, of course, Dr. Sarno's also.
Every single day since then, except Christmas day because the gym was closed, I have worked out one full hour and pushing myself a little extra harder. I spend a full 30 min on the treadmill, 5 km on the bicycle, ten minutes on the step machine (trust me 10 min is a lot on this machine), some light weights and stretches and then walk up 18 floors to my apartment. I am also getting out every single day.
One would think that if I had structural problem that I would hurt myself further but, in fact, I actually feel better after the workout. The number one thing that every person must do is resume all normal physical activity. In Dr Sarno's words: "Perhaps the most important (but most difficult) thing that patients must do is to resume all physical activity, including the most vigorous." (HBP page 79)
On page 81 in HBP Dr. Sarno further says: "One has to confront TMS, fight it, or the symptoms will continue. Losing one's fear and resuming normal physical activity is possibly the most important part of the therapeutic process." [/b] |
Edited by - n/a on 12/27/2005 18:33:50 |
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Serving my brain public notice
