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Rwy3rd
3 Posts |
 Posted - 05/21/2007 : 09:45:20
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I just finished Dr. Sarno's book and have begun applying the technique. The whole concept seems too simple, I fear I'm missing something important.
Any suggestions from experienced users to this TMS rookie are welcome. |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 10:17:53
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If you have TMS, then it's that simple. No need to complicate it unless you relish reading self-help books.
Just keep reading books written by TMS doctors, until your current symptom disappears.
If you have a relapse, just go back to the book, and read it again.
Good Luck!
Some of my favorite excerpts from " THE DIVIDED MIND " :
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2605
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h2oskier25
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 10:40:38
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The wise Tennis Tom speaketh the truth.
We are always looking for the complicated answer, after all, millions of dollars worth of medical training has been unable to cure us, so it just CAN'T be something simple, right? 
WRONG. It is simple, but not easy at first.
Just keep redirecting your mind from the physical to the psychological, and all will work out in the end.
Regards,
Beth |
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Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 15:50:07
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Hi Rwy3rd,
So what is your story? Is it generally...
Maybe you've had some kind of [back/neck/leg/arm/migraine] pain for [X] years. You've been to [X] doctors, had X-Ray, MRI's, EMG's, lots of tests. "They" 'say' you have a "herniated disc", "degenerative disc disease", "pinched nerve root", and that is causing your pain. The [X] docs put you in [X weeks] physical therapy for a while, but that really didn't help in the long run. You've been on and off [X] meds several times. You can't understand why "they" can't figure out what is causing your pain or how to "get better". You been examined from head to toe, and other than these "abnormalities" on the imaging studies, and your chronic pain, you are otherwise in good heatlh. You are frustrated with the lack of sustainable forward progress and solution to your chronic pain syndrome. Gosh, what is going on here and how do I find the solution?
You are very, very, angry inside, but you keep it to yourself.
Does any of this strike a cord with you? -Stryder
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Edited by - Stryder on 05/21/2007 15:53:35 |
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shawnsmith
Czech Republic
2048 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 18:52:58
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Keep it simple and you will recover faster. Start complicating the issue with outside mumbo jumbo - which has nothing to do with TMS treatment and you will only prolong your suffering. Your choice.
*******
Sarno-ize it!
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Rwy3rd
3 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 19:04:17
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Stryder, in a nutshell...you've summed up my experience.
My pain started about a year and a half ago. I ignored it, thinking it would eventually go away. Finally, about six months ago, I went to my family doctor who prescribed physical therapy. That did nothing, so I went to a spine doctor. After an MRI, he prescribed the "Mekenzie" method of pt. That did offer some..but not total..relief.
I would experience very painful flare-ups from time to time, they always happened while I was performing the same non-physical tasks.
I mentioned this to my physical therapist, believe it or not, he is the one who mentioned Dr. Sarno's theory to me.
I bought Dr. Sarno's book last Friday, and read it this weekend. I was stunned at how closely his description of a TMS patient fit my lifestyle. Just as he states, I have never considered myself "angry", and certainly never considered myself as someone who kept my emotions hidden. Realizing and admitting to having suppressed anger is very difficult.
I feel fortunate since I haven't gone through as many "diagnosis" and "treatments" as many others on this board. I've only had one MRI and a few rounds of pt before I found the Sarno method. Any advice that you can offer on beating TMS, is greatly appreciated.
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Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 20:22:26
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Hi Rwy3rd,
You are soooo lucky. You evidently have had no surgery. [Lucky!] You have found the Good Doctor's work less than 2 years after the onset of your TMS. [Lucky!]
Rwy3rd said: I ignored it, thinking it would eventually go away.
That's a good point, and Dr. Sarno agrees with you in several ways.
A couple key points to get you started [as found in the book(s)]...once you can re-program you brain engrain these concepts you will be on your way to recovery...
The docs are wrong with their diagnosis. Sarno is dead on. The pain is real. The cause is your brain, not your body. You brain is making your body send pain signals back to your brain. This is the distraction.
You think you are happy. You are not. You are stressed. You don't consciously feel you are angry. Your inner rage is repressed, that means you don't realize you are angry, in a fitful seething wild rage 24x7. You don't have to cure your rage, or even find the cause to get better. All you have to do is acknowledge what is really going on, and you will break the ploy of your brain.
It can sometimes help to get angry in a constructive [safe] manner. Obviously, just don't "go off" on someone who crosses your path [even though they deserve it]. Find a place to scream [alone in the car on the highway], curse like a sailor, yell, beat pillows, destroy a trash can with a baseball bat [wear eye and body protection]. Search thru this forum for some other constructive ideas. Remember its OK to FEEL ANGRY.
Last, TMS is not your fault. Its just your brain got wired poorly. The good news is that you can re-wire your brain. So many before you have done so. Your turn.
Take care, -Stryder |
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LuvtoSew
USA
327 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2007 : 04:54:48
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Journaling is helping me, just writing stuff down. I didn't realize many things either. I did jornaling from my past , things that upset me, and just writing them down was enough. I personally don't really like to dwell on the past, it is gone and over, but just getting some things off my chest helped.
Now I'm journaling on my personality traits and the things today that might be upseting me and things I'm fearful and anxious about for the future. And I worry about things that probably will never happen. I mean if I don't have anything to worry about , I'll find something(awful).
I'm coming to the conclusion I think, is you can't live in the past or the furture, the best and only place is the here and now.
Even knowning these things is not enough, you have to keep instilling them in your brain.
They say its a simple technique but because I am who I am of course I need to make it a bit more complicated I guess.
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h2oskier25
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2007 : 07:51:17
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Rwy3rd,
You've lifted all of our spirit's by stating that a mainstream clinician recommended Sarno to you. Wow, maybe there is hope afterall for Sarno's methods catching on and curing millions of sufferers.
Best wishes,
Beth |
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Rwy3rd
3 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2007 : 08:40:40
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quote:
You've lifted all of our spirit's by stating that a mainstream clinician recommended Sarno to you. Wow, maybe there is hope afterall for Sarno's methods catching on and curing millions of sufferers.
Beth, at the time I didn't realize how unusual his recommendation was. Now, I do.
I was visiting my pt for a routine treatment when he asked how things were going. I told him everything was ok, but when I was in specific, non-physical, workplace situations, the pain returned. I asked him how odd this was, a smirk came across his face. That's when he told me about Dr. Sarno's theory.
He said he didn't fully buy into the theory, but that he had seen enough patients who made comments similar to mine, that he thought there was some validity to Sarno's claims. He recommended I read the book.
My physical thearapist is very open-minded and isn't intimidated by methods outside of standard pt. |
Edited by - Rwy3rd on 05/22/2007 08:42:53 |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2007 : 11:09:54
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That caught my attention too R3. In Dr. Sarno's second book HEALING BACK PAIN , he stated he had to stop reccommending PT to his TMS patients, as it is counter-productive to TMS treatment.
You are fortunate that that your PT was enlightned enough and gererous enough to reccommend Dr. Sarno. He is essentially putting himself out of business.
But, not to fear, with the TMS epedemic, all the PT's and body-workers I know are doing a land-office business. The massage schools are cranking them out like twinkies--lots of stress in the Empire these days.
I found, in my pre-TMS enlightenment days, that finding a body-worker that "resonated" had a major bearing on the quality and duration of the lessening of my physical symptoms. Good body-workers are also good psychologists too.
For example, I experienced a profound physical release, during a Cranio-Sacral session once, that went from one end of my body to the other. I had another C-S session with a different body-worker and didn't come close to the previous experience due to the lack of sympatico.
I would thank your PT for turning you on to the Good Doctor, and maybe get an occsasional reward-massage from him to put some money into his pocket.
Good Luck!
tt
Some of my favorite excerpts from " THE DIVIDED MIND " :
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2605
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TMS rookie:
