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Newmom
USA
57 Posts |
 Posted - 11/16/2006 : 14:14:49
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I just read Dr. Sarno's books and I believe every word. However, in the last few weeks it took me to read the books my symptoms are still there.
I had a baby in January and in June I sustained a herniated disc in my low back. I did not want surgery and I have been just managing to get by. My biggest problem is taking care of my son. It seems that I am able to function throughout the day but when I go home at night, I need to have somebody help me. Recently, my back is starting to feel better but my neck is killing me - constantly stiff, cannot turn, pain.
After reading the books, it seems that my back pain has moved to my neck. Now this is my main focus that I am battling. I herniated a disc by simply sneezing - and I am in constant fear of herniating a disc in my neck now by doing anything.
Anybody want to talk?
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2006 : 14:45:59
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Newmom, your emphasis on the "herniated" disc is puzzling. Dr. Sarno is very clear that he doesn't believe that disc herniations are generally harmful nor that they necessarily lead to pain. If you believe Sarno's theory, why is this still concerning you?
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Wherever you go, there you are. |
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JaneLeslie
USA
88 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2006 : 15:17:18
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NewMom,
Your body is creating another TMS sx. Stop worrying about "herniating" anything. Your problem is psychological---as is us all. TMS. Have you watched the video/DVD? Keep reading Sarno, et al. and try the journalling.
Blessings,
Jane |
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dweller
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2006 : 15:59:53
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Hi New Mom, I was told I had 2 herniated disks. I was in a bad car accident many years ago. I was driving and my 3 year old had a depressed skull fracture. Two weeks later my back started to hurt.
I suffered for many years going to different doctors. I was told it was sciatica, pinched nerve, herniated disk, and other things.
The bone specialist wanted to do surgery. The osteopathic doctor said not to have the surgery.(bless him) I just kept living with it. It would come and go. Just by chance I saw 20/20 when John Stossel was interviewing Dr. Sarno. I bought the book (HEALING BACK PAIN).It made so much sense. I had also been through a long nasty divorce. Anyway to make a long story short. I REALLY believed what DR. Sarno said. I also ordered his tapes. But before they arrived my pain was GONE.
It has been about 7 years and I feel great. I keep Dr. Sarno's books in my bathroom and read a little everyday just to reinforce myself and talk to my brain. I know it sounds crazy but it does work. My son was having pain in his back and I got him to look at the tapes. He is ok now. He KNOWS how much it changed my life.
Hope this helps you. Stick with it. I do get a twinge once in a while but now I am onto the real cause...my brain . Best wishes. |
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Littlebird
USA
391 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2006 : 16:19:12
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Welcome to the forum. Don't be discouraged by the moving symptoms, which is very common to many of us, or by not having an instant cure. Moving symptoms is actually a good sign that it's really TMS that's causing your pain. Reading through different threads here will reveal that for many people it takes months of journaling and emotional digging to conquer all the symptoms. Hang in there!
I was intrigued by your comment that you are able to function throughout the day, but when you go home at night you need help. I take that to mean that you are working outside the home, which can create a lot of psychological pressures for a mother. Perhaps there are feelings of sadness or resentment that you have to work and be away from your child, or perhaps the demands of a new baby are somewhat overwhelming, or perhaps you are in a "traditional" relationship where the male partner gets to be "off" after his day at a secular job while the female partner is expected to put in a "second shift" of caring for the child, the partner and the home.
Try to consider what the psychological triggers may be and focus on acknowledging anger and emotional pain that your unconscious mind would rather repress in it's efforts to make sure that your emotions don't rock the boat or rock your world.
Which books did you read? I've only read one of Sarno's books, The Divided Mind, which was helpful to me, but I also found Dr. Brady's book, Pain Free For Life helpful. Just reading through the experiences on the forum and searching through past posts has been good for me too. Have you had a chance to do much reading of the current and past threads? It's been the best way for me to fight the fear and doubts that arise.
Take care--Corey
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Newmom
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2006 : 07:31:26
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Thanks for the advice. I use the "herniated disc" phrase very loosely. This is when I had an injury and the pain began. It is taking time and it is hard for my to overcome this aspect. As anyone who has had this injury, it is very painful when it happens and it changes your life. I am trying to see now that I used this injury as the "food" for my symptoms way past the normal healing period.
I am a professional and work outside of the house as does my husband (but he works during the evening) which is opposite me. I went to school for a long time to get where I am at and I always planned on continuing working after I had my baby. As soon as I had my baby, I wanted to stay home. I returned to work, and as time passed became okay with this.
My problem is that my body is so stiff I cannot do much with my son. Usually, my sisters and mom will come over and spend the evening with me and help until my son goes to sleep on the nights that my husband works.
I cry all the time because I want to take care of my son in the evening all by myself and be the one who picks him up, carries him, etc. This is my problem.
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2006 : 08:42:36
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quote:
I returned to work, and as time passed became okay with this.
You might explore if your unconscious is okay with this too, or if inside you are still wishing to be home. I've had a lot of things I thought I had become okay with resurface through TMS as definitely not okay at all.
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Wherever you go, there you are. |
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JaneLeslie
USA
88 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2006 : 09:15:00
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Hi NewMom,
I have such empathy for you! How sad that you cannot pick up your beautiful boy. But listen, can you journal about this and about how it feels to have your mom and sisters come over to help? Is your ucs. NEEDING/asking for help from your family? I can so relate to that, that is why I ask. Every time I get TMS I have the urge to retreat to my family of origin. What is hard is that they can't really "do" it (Divorce,e tc.) ARe there unmet dependency needs going on that perpetuate your symptoms and stiffness???? For me I know this is true and with a new baby don't you feel like a baby yourself? I know I did with my babies. I needed mothering too. Nurture yourself and get in touch with these feelings of needing mothering. You shall perservere!
Blessings,
Jane |
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Tunza
New Zealand
198 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2006 : 18:43:40
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quote:
As soon as I had my baby, I wanted to stay home. I returned to work, and as time passed became okay with this.
While your conscious mind is okay with it does that mean that your unconscious mind is also okay with it?
Only a possibility but maybe this sentence shows that you had to repress your "unacceptable" feelings to become okay with it?
Or it could be something else that causes your TMS but I just thought I'd put it out there....
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Penny
USA
364 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2006 : 00:38:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Newmom
My problem is that my body is so stiff I cannot do much with my son. Usually, my sisters and mom will come over and spend the evening with me and help until my son goes to sleep on the nights that my husband works.
I cry all the time because I want to take care of my son in the evening all by myself and be the one who picks him up, carries him, etc. This is my problem.
When your family comes over, could you ask them to do a few things around the house to help you (dishes or laundry or garbage meal prep) instead of caring for your son, and you care for him exclusively?
From your original post, it sounds like you have not "repudiated" your diagnoses. It sounds like you are still catering to your fear of injury and pain that's why it is still there.
>|< Penny
Non illigitamus carborundum. |
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Newmom
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2006 : 09:46:44
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Penny, you are right, I am still catering to my fear of re-injury. I am having so much trouble getting past this. I get stuck on the "re-injury" thing. I injured my back by sneezing!! This involved no physical activity, trauma, accident, etc. That is why I am afraid to almost do anything physical - especially pick up my 22 lb. son.
Even though I accepted the idea of Dr. Sarno and keep telling myself I am causing this bodily pain - I am having such a hard time getting past this fear. Everytime I turn too fast, bend over, it seems that I am pulling a muscle and I am so scared that I going to herniated another disc in neck/back. This is so hard for me because the initial pain from my disc rupturing was so painful. |
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Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2006 : 10:07:43
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...I am still catering to my fear of re-injury.
You have just come across the main roadblock that is preventing your recovery.
Fear is TMS's most important weapon. It is the fear (in addition to the pain) that TMS uses against you as a distraction. Its really really important that you understand this and come to accept it. You must cast out your fear and have faith in the TMS diagnosis. The fear breeds inactivity, and it is the return to normal activity that you need to help beat the pain.
So, even though it hurts, the pain is benign and will not damage you. You must press on and push past the pain, and have no fear of the pain. The pain is just a signal that is interpreted by your brain as pain. In itself the pain is nothing, there is nothing really seriously wrong with your body. No its not perfect, but the pain you have is caused by TMS, not the HNP (herniated disc).
If you are not nursing then have your doc RX you some pain meds to take the edge off. If you are nursing you might ask your doc if there are pain meds that will not affect your nursing.
Many of us have the same imaging (MRI's, whatever) that you have. Do not give them another thought, its the "image" in your mind that is feeding the fear.
No fear. Sarno rocks. Take care, -Stryder |
Edited by - Stryder on 11/20/2006 10:12:12 |
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Penny
USA
364 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2006 : 18:28:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Newmom
I injured my back by sneezing!!
You did NOT injure yourself by sneezing. Your brain saw your sneezing (or turning too fast, or bending, etc.) as an excellent opportunity to distract you with pain, from negative and scary emotions--emotions that are threatening and would be painful and upsetting if they came out. (Perhaps caused by becoming a new mother??? ... believe me, I know this b/c I am finally accepting and acknowledging my worry for my 5 and 4 yos that I've repressed and hidden since their birth.)
Personally, trying to tap into the negative emotions seems the easier way than the physical suffering I used to endure. No ... it's not been easy, but I've taken control back.
You have sneezed before in your life and not injured yourself, so sneeze and jump and pick up your little baby boy and tell your brain to knock it off, and that you won't let it try to limit what you want and deserve for yourself during this special time in your life.
I have had many diagnoses, one most relevant. My rheumy did a nerve test and determined the nerve damage was "so severe" in my wrists that I needed surgery. (I had carpal tunnel.) I wore splints 24/7 and changed my patterns of hand activity. The pain shifted and came out in migraines and fibromyalgia. Eventually, I was blessed toread about TMS and stopped wearing the splints and "repudiated" the medical DX.
Push thru any pain you experience. This will retrain your brain to understand that no matter what pain you have, you will not let it stop you, and it will subside. It will stop!!! but you have to show it who's boss. If you give in to it, the pain will continue.
>|< Penny
Non illigitamus carborundum. |
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Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2006 : 10:37:31
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Penny said: You did NOT injure yourself by sneezing.
I agree with Penny. The docs don't care to clue you in on this since being "injured" keeps you a patient of theirs ($$$). This is like the biggest scam going in our society today.
Take care, -Stryder |
Edited by - Stryder on 11/21/2006 10:38:49 |
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Newmom
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2006 : 11:43:48
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To Stryder, when I herniated the disc, it felt like somebody hit me in the back with a sledge hammer - I guess I'm new to this forum, but that to me was the exact cause of my pain and injury. My doctor told me that since I am so young (30) he preferred not to operate even though I was clearly a surgical candidate in his opinion. I have clients that have sustained injuries that have surgery and are no better than me after surgery that is one of the reasons I initially said no to surgery. However, I still have trouble with the theory that that there wasn't an original injury. I keep reading what everybody else posts - which is helping me, thanks! Looking back, I probably healed from that but the what I believe was an injury and pain, but the fear that causes my muscle symptoms and sometimes burning sensations never went away and that is how I found out about Dr. Sarno and TMS. When the pain and fear gets bad, I repeat to myself "If human beings were this fragile, we would be extinct". I read this from Dr. Sopher's book, whose was taught by Dr. Sarno.
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LitaM
Canada
54 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2006 : 12:54:16
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Newmom,
I feel for you. My back pain arrived after having two children. The stress involved seems to be like a trigger. Have you read the book The Divided Mind by Dr. Sarno, It is excellent. Another book that I found excellent is Back Sense, they have a sight called backsense.org. You could order them from amazon and not have to even walk into a book store. If $$$ is problem, check out your library. Keep talking to that brain, keep re reading the books, over and over. It takes time, I am still working on my TMS. Don't give in.
Best Wishes, stay strong. |
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Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2006 : 14:02:20
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Hi Newmom,
I think what Penny and I are saying is that sneezing does not cause a disc to herniate. Now there may be definately be some cause and effect where sneezing (or any rapid movement) has a painful effect, but its more likely that whatever is causing the pain has already occured in the past (TMS, or whatever).
You certainly did the right thing by avoiding surgery. In the long run non-sugical outcomes have better results as you mentioned.
The key point here is that you can have TMS induced pain in the same location of your past injury, and the pain is not caused by the past injury. The injury site could be long healed and you still have pain. This is the TMS part. This is always a concept is that is hard to get your head around due to the mental conditioning of the medical/industrial complex.
If you have pain that is moving around as you described, that is a confirmation that you have TMS on the run and that TMS is trying to set up shop in another location. Pain from a real injury would not move around.
I think the best course you can follow is to continue to do your TMS work and slowly return to normal activity. It will take some time, so let it take time. It could take weeks or months. Avoid putting yourself on some sort of time table for recovery (like I have to be healed by such and such a date), that path will work against you and in the big picture doesn't work for anyone.
One last note, you can fight TMS using the tools you have learned, but you need to stop fighting the pain. That just generates more inner rage and anger that will feed your TMS. Its not your fault that your brain got wired this way. Don't blame yourself that you feel you are "broken" or "will never be the same". If you cannot ignore the pain, then you may accept it, and just let it hurt (and get on some pain meds). For some its not enough just to understand the mechanism of TMS, you need to stop making deposits to your pain bank.
Take a look at this thread. Look for the reply by Dave (Posted - 11/21/2006 : 14:18:04)
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2806
What you can take to the bank is that many of us have been exactly in the same shoes that you are in now, with all the same questions and doubts, and we have eventually "got it" and won against TMS and are pain free-er. You will get better because Dr. Sarno's diagnosis is the the correct one.
Take care, -Stryder
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Edited by - Stryder on 11/21/2006 14:28:28 |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2006 : 14:45:49
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Something else to note about the abrupt onset of your pain: Sarno describes a number of his patients who had sudden symptom onset -- when lifting, pulling, etc. And then it just never went away. I don't know if he describes anyone who was sneezing, but since it is an atypical and very rapid and sudden movement, it fits right in with the others.
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Wherever you go, there you are. |
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New mom and 1st timer here
