Darn teeth are hurting like hell stlll.
In case you didn't read the fascinating story, the Readers' Digest version is: had 8 hours surgery, now have 16 temporaries and cannot eat solid food. (Lose weight now, ask me how!) The pain comes in waves, towards the end of the day, and wakes me up in the middle of the night (half an hour ago). It is intense beyond anything imaginable. If you've ever had one tooth go bad, imagine 16.
And then... To what extent is it TMS? I mean, there is definitely an organic cause to this pain. I have been stepping up my journalling. There is plenty (as usual) that I am having strong feelings about. Could my TMS mechanism have done the "simultaneity" thing to channel most of my distraction function through this "valid" cause for the pain?
This Friday I am having another 8 hour surgery to put in crowns. At first I thought that would be it, but yesterday some asshole friend said, maybe that will bring more pain. I immediately dismissed the thought. Ahem. At least I tried to. "LA LA LA LA LA," as that dude said who just returned to the forum below.
The thing is, I don't know quite what to do about it. I am taking Tylenol because otherwise I can't sleep. But the pain is quite debilitating, almost like dying when it comes on. Have gotten very exhausted from not sleeping as a result. Still going to gym, but dragging and using caffeine to get there (Chronic Fatigue was my diagnosis for 30 years). When pain comes, I am immediately going to "okay, you can stop doing that, teeth/gums. I know you're distracting me from what I am really feeling which is... (fill in blanks)." But this isn't working for me.
I just got an e-mail from my sister in England when I got up with pain at 3 am. It was her usual bitchy, attacking tone in response to an e-mail asking her about her 2nd hip replacement and wishing her well (talk about TMS!! - it runs genetically in the family ha ha). She has hated me since I was born - literally. I came along and ruined her life, and 55 years later she is still not over it. So I sent back a slightly snippy response which is a big breakthrough for me, although I am feeling nervous about arousing hostilities. Then I wrote out a long letter giving her s**t about her behavior towards me, that I'm not sending unless she attacks me again.
Hmm... Maybe I want to bite her very hard!!
I would appreciate any help here, but please don't just tell me to get off it, because it is TMS. As you may notice, I am confronting myself on this. I would like some practical help, especially if you have had intense dental pain. Even as I acknowledge it is TMS and try to ignore it and keep going, etc., how do I deal with this much pain? The stronger painkillers put me into a very bad place.
Just one more thing: I love how helpful people are here. And... I have noticed at times that people give each other opinions (it's just your TMS baby!) but maybe don't offer skillful means here. People told me for years that my illnesses were caused by my mind/emotions, but they didn't give me skillful means to get out of the suffering, so I just felt shamed and became very resistant, over time, to being told such things, as many of my ill friends are now, for the same reasons. I was working with my emotions and core beliefs, etc.., the whole time. It's a fine line, sometimes, between this stuff being helpful and feeling like you are being shamed. Which just leads to more TMS. Right?
xx
Love is the answer, whatever the question |
DARNIT!
Posted - 11/21/2006 : 05:14:52
