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Singer_Artist
USA
1516 Posts |
 Posted - 06/15/2006 : 09:35:30
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| It's Karen in Vegas again, I am new to this forgot to metion a few things...I was diagnosed several years back with C5-6 and C6-7 herniated discs and one of them is herniated centrally...I seem to be conditioned that I feel better in the morning which only serves to make me believe more that it is a disc that is causing all of my symptoms..The logic being that the weight of my head has been off my neck and shoulders overnight...I can move it more in the morning and the longer i am up or typing on the computer the tighter everything becomes again..I must decide about the Alaska trip by Saturday (see my other post) Hope someone can help..Thanks! God bless... |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 06/15/2006 : 10:07:41
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| Buy and start reading Sarno's books. Go on the cruise to Alaska--TMS gets better or completely goes away on vacations. Read more of Sarno's books while having a wonderful time on a beautiful cruise. |
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ralphyde
USA
307 Posts |
Posted - 06/15/2006 : 11:49:52
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Tennis Tom:
Your understanding of the "vacation syndrome" is the opposite of mine and what I got from Dr. Sarno's section in Healing Back Pain, pp 18-19, "The Weekend-Vacation Syndrome"; i.e., that pain tends to get worse on vacations, perhaps because there is more free time available when not focused on work or other things, and TMS needs to work harder to keep the unpleasant emotions repressed by distracting you with pain.
This was my experience when my wife and I went for a vacation in Hawaii in 2004 in an attempt to reconcile, and her back pain got worse for the whole time we were there.
The key of course for someone who accepts TMS (which my wife didn't) is to practice the TMS treatment plan, and to shift one's focus to the psychological from the physical.quote:
Dr. Sarno says, "Not uncommonly people will report that they almost always have an attack of pain when they are on vacation, or if they already have pain that it gets worse on weekends." HBP p. 18.
But I agree that Karen should read the book on vacation, try to overcome the doubts (believing that the discs are causing her symptoms rather than TMS), and overcome her fear.
Ralph |
Edited by - ralphyde on 06/15/2006 11:53:11 |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 00:43:51
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The effects of vacations on TMS will vary widely by an individual's situation. Many people on this board have posted that their TMS goes away or gets better on vacation. Mine usually gets better and then worsens the closer I get to home.
It would depend on what the stressors are that are causing the TMS. If, it's cause is stress at the job-place then, it would get better on vacation. If, the TMS is caused by a relationship, then naturally, it would not improve, and possibly worsen, by going on vacation with the party in question, causing the TMS--or, "Wherever you go, there you are".
This is somewhat analogous to a study mentioned by Sarno, about wounded WWII soldiers, needing little or no morphine, for battle injuries. The knowledge, that they were leaving the stressful rigors of the battlefield, was such a great relief in itself. |
Edited by - tennis tom on 06/16/2006 10:40:22 |
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Singer_Artist
USA
1516 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 10:18:55
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| Makes alot of sense, Tom..Thank you...As of now i don't feel up to going on Sunday and that is making me very sad... |
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Susie
USA
319 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 13:15:42
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| Karen, honestly a cruise is a giant step feeling as you do now. You are fearful and lacking confidence. You would be fine on the cruise but you are causing yourself a great deal of anxiety. Riding in a car was very difficult for me also. When I grasped Sarno and ventured on my first trip(driving about 100 miles each way) it was very empowering. I never looked back and just kept challenging myself. Possibly,for some of us,small steps are better confidence builders. I remember reading something several years ago posted on the TarpitYoga website. I think it was Kathy and she said that she had been enduring alot of pain and had survived it so she knew that by doing something that frightened her it wouldn't be any more painful then previous pain and she had already managed that. That has become my theory. How much worse could it be? Don't obsess over the cruise. Why not give yourself a break and start smaller and then progress from there. You can start that this afternoon. Get up and go to the grocery for an hour or go for a limited drive. Quit hanging on to the bed for dear life. Get up and start journaling and get out of the house. |
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Singer_Artist
USA
1516 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 13:27:06
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| Thank you Susie, that is good advice...but i must admit I am scared to drive at all...I cannot turn my head much and would have to move my entire torso just to turn left or right...And if someone does something stupid (as happens alot in the town, people drive like you know what!) I will tighten up more...So don't know if i am ready even for that...You are right about the cruise it is a giant step and chances are i won't be going...Just feeling STIR CRAZY and cabin fever here...And alone alot of the time cuz most of my people are back East..Interestingly i was feeling trapped in my situation here in Vegas just b4 this latest bout...now that feeling has taken up residence in my body... |
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Susie
USA
319 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 13:36:24
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| Karen, you have to make a decision now. Either you let tms take a total control of your life or you take your life back. If you let it ,it will narrow your life down to zip. |
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Singer_Artist
USA
1516 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 13:53:21
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| I hear you Susie and thank you again...:) If you lived here I'd say let's try and meet for a tea... |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 16:37:57
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quote:
This was my experience when my wife and I went for a vacation in Hawaii in 2004 in an attempt to reconcile, and her back pain got worse for the whole time we were there.
SOrry to temporarily hijack the thread...wondering how your wife is going these days Ralph..YOu guys still at an impasse? |
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ralphyde
USA
307 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 18:06:30
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Thanks for asking, Art.
As I mentioned on another thread,
http://tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2147
my wife just got a spinal fusion on May 19, without my knowledge, and against all my warnings, and in spite of the fact that our insurance company at first denied it as "not medically justified." But she and her surgeon appealed, and evidently they gave in. She simply rejected the whole TMS idea, and wouldn't even see a TMS qualified doctor. I think she wanted a "quick fix," but I think she has given herself another year or so of pain, whereas with TMS she might be cured in a few weeks. But that would require acceptance, which she can't give.
We are at least talking now, and while I hope for the best for her, I have serious doubts as to whether this operation will help her.
Ralph |
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carbar
USA
227 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 19:17:10
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Hi Karen,
I am glad you are looking for support on something that is bothering you. Obviously, you have to do what feels right for you, but sometimes pushing ourselves into what seems like an uncomfortable situation can result in great growing.
I love travelling more than almost anything else. I've been fortunate that I've been able to take some prolonged trips where I spend a few weeks out of the country. My pain has always improved a lot on these extended trips.
When I made my first plans to take a backpacking trip to Spain I was so scared. A backpack is about 30-40 pounds at the least, and since I got pain from lifting a 5 pound bag of groceries for more than 5 minutes, I was really scared about lifting and carrying all my belongings on my back. (More scared about the lifting of it than the carrying, too.)
But, I just did it. I was so tired of tendinitis in my arms at that point that I basically said F it and I'm gonna do this and if the pain is too much then I'll change my plans. But it wasn't. Sure, sometimes it was really really tough. I remember one town where I wandered for an hour with the pack on looking for a place to stay and just collapsing for the rest of the day. But, I did it and had an amazing time over all.
Why is TMS so effective at depriving us of the joyful things in life, like travelling, cooking, etc? Why are those things so hard for our emotions?
Although arm pain was my main symptom, I've been going back and looking at my journals and all and see that I used to get tension headaches while dealing with a bad breakup and knee pain while I just starting to think about a career path. So, TMS is all over the place and we've got to be strong and know that.
I had xrays, too, and my physical therapist would always scare the pants out of my pointing out the "nodes" of messed up tendons in my arms. Well, turns out I can still have tender points but without the daily pain that wore down all I had.
So, good luck to you. If it really seems too hard this weekend, make a plan for your own vacation sometime in the near future. It will give you something to look forward to and work towards...
peace...carbar
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Singer_Artist
USA
1516 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2006 : 19:33:22
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Thank you for your heartfelt message Carber...I really appreciate it...I am feeling very sad and hopeless right now about my neck...I am so scared i won't ever be able to look up at the stars and I feel like crying because I wanted to go to Alaska soooo badly...Now i don't even know if i will be up to doing dinner outside the house with friends..This is so devastating...ButI cannot force my neck to move cuz when i even try a little everything gets so much worse...It's just STUCK and God only knows how it will heal...I know i need to do alot of work on the TMS stuff but right now i am just so broken and drained emotionally as well..I am such a high energy, adventurous spirit normally...This is soooo not like me...but i am just worn out from the pain, fear and neurological symptoms i am having...I just don't know what to do to get through even tonight except pray...Sorry for sounding so depressing...
Take care,
Karen |
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ps...herniated discs
