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Agata
USA
27 Posts |
 Posted - 08/30/2004 : 11:50:48
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Dear Members!
I was trying to contact Dr. Sarno to ask for referral in Virginia and my e-mails bounced. Maybe he retired. Do you know any TMS doctors in Virginia?
And, just to introduce myself I enclosed the letter I wrote to Dr. Sarno.
Dear Dr. Sarno!
I found your name and information about TMS on Dr. Weil’s website when I searched for the cure for my back pain.
My story started in around 1985 when I hurt my back doing spring house cleaning. Since then I have back pain from the incapacitated to just stiffness. I was twice completely paralyzed for two weeks each time. I couldn’t make any moves. I couldn’t go to the bathroom, even sponge baths were painful. My husband cut my long hair because he couldn’t wash it. The spasms didn’t allow me to sleep. Strong pain pills didn’t help much, and orthopedist wanted to perform surgery because his diagnosis of erupted disc, which was putting to much pressure on spinal nerve. His claim also was that without surgery I am damaging the nerve even more. I must thank here my friend chiropractor who saved me from surgery by prescribing rest, cold compresses, and chiropractic adjustments. He recommended life style adjustments that, as I know now were contributing to my problem. I got new chair, new desk, and lumber support pillows for car seat. I learned to move with caution. No lifting of heavy objects, not seating for log time, often stretching.
Since that episode I was treated by different physicians and used alternative medicine. Acupuncture had amazing results but just for few hours. It was such a break from constant pain and discomfort. For few hours I was without pain and flexible like a young child. Every therapy helped little for short time. Through all those years I never stopped being active. I walked regularly, swimming, gardening but always with some pain or discomfort. Last December I started feeling worse. I was planning trip to Australia and I was very concern about over 30 hour flight. I survived the trip and was actually surprised how well. After coming home I started my internet research because life with this pain was not worth living.
That’s what brought me to your door. Not exactly, to your website. My public library had your book the “Healing Back Pain”. I read the book and all my problems started to make sense. I never connected my other health problems with my back pain. I had gastrointestinal problems since my children were born in 1975. At 35 I developed Rosacea skin condition. Found help in the wheat germ oil after taking a lot of antibiotics and steroids. I had stomach problems for last 10 years. I was tested for everything under the sun and finally doctors prescribed Pepcid and send me home with recommendation to learn to live with it. Avoiding acidy food didn’t help my stomach. I used Chinese diet for while. I felt good but my stomach was still hurting.
Two years ago “golf elbow” was added to my TMS list. Other little abnormalities include waking up exactly at 4am when something was going on in my unconscious. I would just ask myself then what am I angry about and would go back to sleep with no problems. The anxiety irregular hearth beats are another little problem. That one developed recently, after my divorce. All tested by physicians and no diseases or other health problem detected.
Your book “The Mindbody Prescription” helps me a lot because talks broadly about TMS in different forms and shapes. I read portions of that book every morning on my “wakeup walks”. You are repeating in your books not to use them for diagnosis, but I did. I couldn’t find in my area any doctors who would know anything about TMS and I don’t have resources to make appointment with you in New York. Another thing, how can I hurt myself by making self diagnosis when doctors concluded physically nothing is wrong with me?
Your books already helped me more than any other representatives of the western medicine. The insurance companies paid a lot of money in my case for all the testing. I am also paying dearly for that. Recently I had to switch from group to self-insurance and I was rated in higher health risk level and the premium is very high.
I am writing you to seek your advice. I am doing very well but I am not cured. I still have back discomfort specially in the morning and my stomach gives me discomfort from time to time but only at night. I have squeezing sensation in my stomach, not any ordinary pain. My elbow often is sensitive.
I had many personal problems through the years to cause me to repress emotions. I didn’t have any childhood dramas except my father’s alcoholism but my upbringing definitely thought me to repress my emotions. It wasn’t acceptable in my family to show emotions in any form. Marriage was the same way and ended in the divorce. But, I think my personality is the biggest problem. I am perfectionist and I analyze everything in my life. Or, I should say I have analyzed everything. I changed my behavior. Since my divorce I am getting better with letting things go but financial worries keep me still stressed. Are there any group therapies like yours in Virginia? Do you know any psychologies in the same area that help TMS patients?
Please contact me if my case can help your research.
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Laura
USA
655 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2004 : 14:30:20
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Agata,
No, not to worry, Dr. Sarno has not retired. I think he's been on vacation from what I hear. I originally wrote him a couple of months ago with a letter similar to yours. My problem is dizziness, which started a little over two years ago on a trip to Mexico (if you read my post regarding dizziness you will see what I'm talking about). I had read Sarno's book a few years ago after reading about him in Andrew Weil's book, Spontaneous Healing (my bible). Anyway, when I first read it I saw myself all over the book -- perfectionist, driven, highly responsible for everything and everyone, etc., etc. I thought my dizziness was something called Mal de Debarquement because, like you, the doctors could find nothing wrong with me. Also, because MDD is prescribed to people when doctors can find nothing wrong and they don't know what to tell you. I picked up the Mindbody Prescription again and re-read it and decided that MDD was actually TMS--I'd had so many other mindbody disorders and this was just another one. I wrote Dr. Sarno and desperately pleaded with him to just give me a confirmation that "Yes" it was "possible" that my problem could be TMS. Unforunately, he was not able to do that for me. I then found Dr. David Schechter through a website called www.mindbodymedicine.com. He is in Beverly Hills, just a 45 minute drive for me, and he is awesome. He confirmed that I indeed had TMS and that the dizziness was a manifestation of it. He can also give a referral to a psychotherapist when needed, and I defintely wanted the referral. I was molested as a child and had a very abusive home and Dr. Schechter felt my anger/repression/rage was a couple of layers deep -- the old stuff from childhood plus the every day bulls--- stuff. The good news for you is that you can order Dr. Schechter's CD's and workbook on that website. I have found them to be extremely helpful. I think you may even be able to find a doctor close to your area on that website or on the Tension Myositis website. Good luck to you!
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res
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2004 : 18:18:54
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| I went to a doctor in Washington, D.c. Her name is Dr. Segal. She was very good and I was able to get rid of sciatica. Look on the tarpit yoga website and I think that she is listed there. |
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Allan
USA
226 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2004 : 19:33:58
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There are no TMS physicians listed in Virginia. Dr. Segal's address is:
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Andrea Leonard-Segal, MD
George Washington University Center for Integrative Medicine
Suite 200
908 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037
(202) 833-5055
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Agata
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2004 : 09:07:00
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| Thank you Everybody for help. I'll try Dr. Segal. |
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menvert
Australia
133 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2004 : 21:50:24
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I come from Australia and wondering if anybody knows of TMS practitioner from Australia?
Otherwise am trying to find out what I should ask potential psychologist/psychotherapist, if I want them to be beneficial...(assuming I can't find anyone close by, who is actually read Sarno books)
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looking for TMS specialyst
