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MarkA
4 Posts |
 Posted - 09/14/2004 : 16:36:27
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Hello,
I am new here and new to Dr. Sarno's work, although I've been reading messages on this board for a couple weeks now. A friend of mine told me about TMS a while ago and I just started reading The Mindbody Prescription last week after getting it from Amazon.com. Since starting to read the book, some very weird things have been happening to me.
I'm trying to rid myself of low back pain that I've had really for about 7 years. Not crippling, but chronic and incredibly annoying, especially in the morning.
Anyway, since I began reading the book, I've had this very strange burning/stinging pain in my shoulders, arms, hands and feet. I have never, ever had this kind of pain before in my life. Then, the other morning, I woke up with a case of hives on my arms. I haven't had hives for probably 20 years. Then this morning, I woke up with a gigantic zit on my face...haven't had a zit since about 10th grade. As all this has been going on, my back pain has let up a little bit, but not much. I can't tell you bizarre this is.
I'm hoping that this means that I'm on to something, but would like to get some feedback from others on this. Would this be happening if my back pain weren't TMS? Have others experienced this kind of reaction while reading the book?
Thanks in advance,
Mark A |
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menvert
Australia
133 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2004 : 17:49:08
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:)
sounds to me like a typical TMS response .
I never had a sore back and only got one after reading Sarno's books(giving my brain a wonderful idea of where to make me focus)...
your brain really does not care what it has to do, as long as it serves as a distraction...
Usually your experience is a good sign. You could say your brain is panicking at being found out and is desperately trying to stop you from truly understanding its secret. If it can distract you with something else maybe you will stop delving into your emotions...
not sure about the burning pain, but hives and acne are very much emotionally induced...
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Carolyn
184 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 07:43:39
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I jsut wanted to add that I too was struck by a wide variety of new symptoms immediately after reading the book and beginning to journal. I developed a new pain in my upper back, severe anxiety, wildly vivid dreams, acne, rashes on my arms. It helps to convince you that it really is TMS but also can make you think you are losing your mind. Now I try to greet these new symptoms as a good thing, like I have stirred the pressure cooker of all my repressed emotions and this is my body's way of venting off some of the released pressure. Thinking of it this way also prevents you from reacting with fear and other strong emotions that feed the whole TMS cycle. The symptoms seem to get less severe and shorter lasting with each occurrence so I do think they mean you are on the right track.
Carolyn |
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tennis tom
USA
4746 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 10:17:10
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| As I consciously have accepted my butt pain to be TMS and not arthritis, I too have had new equivalents, focusing my attention on fearful and angry thoughts. I have also had vivid dreams of depressing nature. I usually do not remember my dreams. My butt pain went to my neck for a week as I have mentioned in past posts. This caused a psychological change and acceptance of TMS more fully. With it has come, apparently, a need by my sub-conscious or un-conscious, whichever the damn one it is, a need to fill the void in my mind with negative feelings and thoughts. I am more anxious, depressed, defensive, argmentative or appear to myself to be. In reality nothing has substatively changed in my life. Last night I woke up and felt a mild senatiion in my right arm. I became anxious and started thinking stroke. I have had several panic attacks in the past, fearing they were heart attacks and upon medical exam, being found completely healthy. I now view any new physical or emotional sensation, as just that, a sensation and not a pain or a problem. I now wait them out and suspect them to be TMS and they have been. |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 10:24:28
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Symptom substitution is a good sign. It means you have TMS "on the run." It is upping the stakes in its mission to distract you.
If nothing else it should give you confirmation of the diagnosis. It's far too coincidental for you to all of a sudden be experiencing a wide variety of new symptoms. |
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MarkA
4 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 10:38:01
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Thanks for all the thoughtful replies. I noticed today that the other symptoms have pretty much gone away and that my back pain is quite a bit worse. I'm hoping that this is my brain's desparate attempt to hang on to what is clearly a gigantic lie.
I'll say this...if these symptoms are truely caused by unconscious rage, than I must be really, really pissed off about something. |
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menvert
Australia
133 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 18:47:02
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yes,
I don't know about you, but for me it's not a big stretch to believe I have a lot of unconscious rage :) my personality is just way too nonconfrontational.. so even consciously I know I stifle a lot of emotions.
But that is one of the keys, we have a LOT of unconscious rage and being unconscious this rage does not necessarily make any logical sense... |
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Burton
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2004 : 20:53:35
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Weirdly enough, I see hives as a blessing. When I get them, I say, "Yay!" Because I know I will never have neck pain again. I know, this sounds like I'm on serious drugs but I'll explain.
Since I was about 10, I used to get what I called my "stress rash" - which was a TMS equivalent - on my hands, elbows, knees, feet (and sometimes the butt) during periods of high stress. But then I got in a car accident in '98 and that's when I got TMS for real - neck, shoulder, back pain etc. No more hives though.
Then two years ago I read MBP and the pain went away, gradually. Now it's gone. But I made a bargain with my body, I told it that pain was out of the question but if it needed to vent, I'd accept the stres rash as a sort of pressure valve. I've gotten it a few times in the past two years and I actually felt like I was seeing an old friend. Weird, I know, but it actually is a helpful signal to me, it tells me I'm being too much of a perfectionist/goodist and I should lighten up.
So, yes, hives can be your friend. :) If you let them, if you don't want them you can always use anti-TMS tricks on them too. When I was healing, the pain did move around and I got other equivalents, migraines, knee pain, all kinds of stuff. It does mean you're on the right track. Congratulations! Keep on truckin' and welcome to the board... |
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menvert
Australia
133 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2004 : 00:53:33
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That brought up a few points, I can relate to.
One thing I do , sometimes it is when I have pain in my back, for instance I perform a triggering activity so the pain goes to somewhere im more comfortable with at the time. Which is usually my RSI type pain, because I've had that for the longer and am able to deal with it a lot easier. This whole concept disturbs me though hehe.
And in my conversations with my brain, I often try to reason in a similar way of thinking. ok brain , I don't like feeling physical pain . I'm frequently at home with plenty of time on my own so by all means that is the perfect time to let my rage escape.
I think my brain is still completely reluctant to open the jail of rage up yet tho. |
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Strange Symptoms for newbie
